Simone Ashley Can Make Even Bright Purple Eyeshadow Look Low-Key

The 2010s weren’t that long ago, but might as well be an eternity in beauty years. In just a half-decade, virtually every popular style and application technique has transformed — mostly for the better. Among the most significant changes, a focus on fun, freewheeling color use might be supreme. Most makeup looks back in “the day” favored lockstep perfection over self-expression — but an emerging generation of tastemakers changed it all. Take Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley, for example. She wears bright eyeliners, eyeshadows, mascaras, and lipsticks with impressive ease, inspiring legions of other beauty-lovers to join the fun. Simone Ashley’s purple eyeshadow look, just debuted for the May 29’s Monaco Grand Prix, is a perfect place to start, too.

Ashley’s race-ready look was a flawless combination of ultra-precise makeup and glossy, loose waves for plenty of summertime irreverence. Celebrity makeup artist Valeria Ferreira (she works with stars like Anya Taylor-Joy, Victoria Beckham, and Lydia West) applied what she aptly described as an #amethyst moment, ringing Ashley’s smoldering brown eyes with layers of rich, glimmering purple. And to help those summer-perfect purples pop even further, Ferreira made the expert choice to shellack Ashley’s lashes in dramatic black mascara. The effect is striking, thanks in large part to how minimalist it really is.

One standout shadow shade and a few supporting products managed to make a maximum impact — and that’s kind of Ashley’s beauty M.O. To round out Ashley’s makeup for the star-studded race event, Ferreira focused on timeless brushed-up brows, glowing skin accented by warm contour, and lip color so nude, it’s nearly imperceptible on Ashley’s full, bow-shaped lips.

Of course, the other key components of her summer-y, standout look are the shiny, full-bodied waves and curls tumbling from a silk scarf just past her shoulders. Styled by Peter Lux (he counts Bella Hadid, Naomie Harris, and Alexa Demie as regular clients), the look simply glorifies and accentuates Ashley’s own natural curl pattern.

The power of Ashley, though, is more than her willingness to play around with color, style, and placement — the way she carries herself, with so much regal poise, means even a completely over-the-top moment manages to look utterly effortless on her. It’s clear — a new beauty icon has arrived, and she was very well worth the wait.