How to wear glitter every damn day!
That’s right, for me, glitter isn’t just for special occasions - you can wear it anytime, anywhere. Right now, (Jan 2021) for those who are reading this way in the future - hopefully sat perched in a pub with a jug of Cheeky Vimto in hand - we need as much sparkle and joy as we can get.
Ultimately, I love glitter. Like PROPER love it. I would go out dressed as a disco ball every day if I could be bothered. Theo, on the other hand, does not like glitter quite as much. Mainly because it’s EVERYWHERE in our house. He has been on many an important Zoom meeting with an accidental touch of sparkle in his beard! “It will bring you extra luck”, is my slightly unconvincing go-to line.
Anyway, the great news is that a touch of sparkle can make a huge difference to your makeup look and to the way you feel. So chuck it on I say. Here’s how.
If someone tells you you can’t, farewell, adios, ciao to them. You don’t need that type of dull negativity in your life.
This can be beautiful and subtle. It’s also a great look for those of you who haven’t worn glitter before. There are tons of different shadows out there with a hint of sparkle in them. Powder ones or press pigments are great as they are easy to blend, and they tend to have a delicate balance of shadow and glitter. They also don’t require any glue: simply blend from the center of the lid out with a brush or your finger.
Stick to champagne shades if you’re unsure, the deeper your complexion, the more gold the champagne tone should be.
Bobbi brown-Shimmer wash in Champagne £20.
These are fantastic. They do exactly what the name suggests and give you an elegant wash of shimmer. Click to buy
Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette of Pops £42.
This quad of pressed glitter is divine. These are great alone or over the top of shadow. They really add a touch of magic. Click to buy
Urban Decay Stoned palette £32 (in sale).
Well you know I LOVE this palette. It’s very versatile and includes a wardrobe of colours. It’s made from actual crystals meaning you get an incredible sheen. Click to buy
When using glitter, don’t think that you can only place it on the lid. Adding a small amount on the inner corner of the eye is the perfect brightener. I also love a glitter eyeliner. Wear it alone or over the top of your black liner. I also heart glitter under the lower lash line paired with a nude lid and tons of mascara. If you’re going to do this use a liner version, a loose glitter applied with a bit of lash glue, or a liquid pigmented glitter. Stila’s glitter and glow shadows are perfect for this. Draw under the lower lash line using a lip or eyeliner brush for precision.
Urban decay heavy metal liner £17.
These are bloody brilliant. Each stroke is jam packed with glitter and there’s a great colour selection. Click to buy
NYX glitter goals liquid eyeliner £8.
There are good and do the job. I do find that they can peel off on oily eyelids. Click to buy
Stila glitter and glow shadows £23.
I heart glitter under the lower lash line and as I've said above these are a fave! Click to buy
I feel like JLO living her best life, singing her own song at the Presidents Inauguration (what a hero), when I sport a spotlight eye. It’s her signature vibe and is so easy to achieve. All you need to do is apply glitter onto the centre of the eyelid. The light always hits this area first as it’s the highest point of the lid; hence the name, spotlight.
For this technique, I love using a pressed pigment cream shadow. These blend beautiful alone or over a powder shadow. They tend to have layers of tones in them, which illuminate when the light hits them. Use your finger or a flat brush to pat your chosen product into the centre of the lid, over your smokey eye. Pat gently until it looks part of the overall look. Don’t use a fluffy eyeshadow brush as this will diffuse the sparkle too much and take away from the spotlight look. Of course you can use these creams over the entire eye if you prefer.
Victoria Beckham Lid Lustre £30.
These are stunning. They are highly pigmented, so are great over the whole eye or pressed on the centre. Click to buy
Hourglass scattered light glitter eyeshadow £28.
These have a high concentration of crushed pearl and light reflecting glitter. This combo gives a beautifully reflective finish. Click to buy
Better known in my house as “The Cher”. In my opinion, no-one in the history of celebrity does a sparkly eye better than Cher. The iconic shot of her in the 70s with the dreamy disco eye and drawn on jerry curl will forever be my inspo for, well, everything.
This kinda look is where the loose glitter comes out to play. Don’t even bother doing your base first, you’ll just have to re-do it due to the inevitable fall out. And have some masking tape on hand (the type you use when painting a wall), as this is the best thing to use to remove loose glitter from areas of the face that you don’t want it.
When I create this type of look, I tend to do a simple base shadow in a matte. This can be any colour, although I always love jewel tones. Next, get yourself a good glitter glue, place it on the areas of the lid that you want the glitter to go, leave it to get tacky for a few seconds, and then press your glitter in place with either a flat brush or your fingers. I love layering different tones and sizes of glitter for added texture. I mean, if you’re going for it, then don’t hold back. Keep the base fresh and simple. This look should be all about the eyes. And of course, I’ve found that glitter always turns out better if you have Cher’s greatest hits blasting in the background! You’re welcome.
Glues
NYX glitter glue £8.
Really easy to use and long-wearing. Click to buy
Karla Cosmetics Fix potion £13.50.
A clear, semi-matte formula that keeps glitter and pigments in place all day long. Vegan and latex free. Click to buy
Pro’s aid £11.
The original adhesive for the face. Great for all sorts of things including glitter. Also good for sensitive skin. Click to buy
Eco stardust. From £1.50.
Eco glitter really has to be the way forward as glitter is made from. plastic. This brand is fab. Click to buy
Gypsy shrine glitter. From £10.
These glitters are brilliant. Chunkier than the MAC, they add real drama. Fab for festivals, whenever they start up again. Click to buy
MAC glitter pots £16.50.
Or as I like to call them, party in a pot! These are holographic so they give you a mega shine. They are worthy of any party. Click to buy
So I suppose the moral of this shiny story is this: when in doubt, add shit loads of glitter!
Love and lipstick,
Lisa xx
p.s. Links are affiliated. This doesn’t change the price for you, it just means I get a few pence from each sale.