Glitter is one beauty trend that comes with the varying tendency of looking super-fabulous or tacky—you could go just a little extra and the scales will tip to the other side in an instant. That’s probably why backstage pros reinvent glitter season after season...taking it up as a challenge to help make-up junkies forget its checkered past, and embrace it in all its dazzling glory. And while we’re clearing up the record, we’d like to point out that, contrary to popular belief, it is not reserved only for special occasions. It is totally okay to sport shimmer during the day and add on to that look for the night. Legends Peter Philips and Pat McGrath will testify!

This season, glitter has got clearance from all departments: be it gleaming skin, dazzling lids, sparkling lips, or iridescent cheeks, it’s all a go. There’s a huge influx of glow potions, powders, and pigments that reflect everything. To shine, Sonic Sarwate,Global Senior Artist, M·A·C Cosmetics India suggests: “Start from the base: use bright powders by mixing them directly with foundation for a radiant appearance.
The M·A·C Strobe Cream is one product you’ll always find in my kit as it works wonders on the skin—it’s a quick fix that adds the most desirable glow to the skin, and blurs imperfections. Not only can you use it as a moisturiser, primer, and highlighter, but both men and women can use it.”
Maurizio Calabro, Lead Make-up Artist NARS, adds, “For a pared-down finish, blend a shimmering liquid highlighter with foundation, and apply it on the high points of your face such as cheekbones, temples, and tip of the nose. And don’t forget to add highlighter under eyebrow arches and in the centre of upper eyelids.”

Getting glitter right is no child’s play. You need to ensure that you’re armed with the right tools—and products—to nail the most lust-worthy trends.

First up, you’ll need a set of brushes for foundations, powders, eyeshadows, and lipsticks. Add a blender to the mix to achieve a uniform complexion, and blend iridescent products into skin. Celebrity make-up artist Namrata Soni suggests, “When playing with make-up that’s prone to smudging, you must always work with specialised brushes. Also, keep a light hand to get precise coverage like a pro.”

Celebrity make-up artist Marianna Mukuchyan says, “For any look that involves glitter, you need to create a flawless base. The idea is to keep the face minimal to attract attention to either your lips or lids—if you’re going for shimmering cheeks, then leave the eyes and mouth bare.” But, you must work with glitter first and then on the skin, so you can clean up any boo-boos. You can even use disposable eye patches or tape to keep the product from smearing.

Also, while it is totally okay to wear glitter during the day, there are still a few cardinal rules you need to be aware of before going full steam ahead. For daytime, limit yourself to soft pastel or icy hues—keep the deeper shades for night...you want to attract attention, but for the right reasons. No make-up make-up is still big, but you can add a touch of glam by using an iridescent highlighter to the cheekbones, extending it to the temples and brow bone. One word: wow!

Remember, there are no strict guidelines (barring a few mentioned above!) in beauty anymore, so you can always make a trend your own by improvising on it. Just remember to have fun.

 

Lock in on the essentials

It’s easy to fall in love with sparkling trends, but to get them right IRL, you need to lock in on the fundamentals. Build a basic-to-pro level make-up kit, depending on your skills and how enthusiastic you are about shining oh-so bright. Stock up on multitaskers that can help you get #LIT on-the-go. Alternatively, you can invest in colours like red, pink, peach, champagne, and nude that can be used on both eyes and lips. Translation: a frosty pink eyeshadow can double as a lipstick, and a red metallic lipstick can be used on the lids, too. Make liquid highlighters your BFFs—they’re a great way of achieving a gleaming complexion when mixed with foundation and do their primary job of highlighting the high points of your face.

CoverFX Custom Enhancer Drops in Aurora, ₹4,800

Givenchy Gloss Interdit Vinyl in Trouble, price on request

Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eye Shadow in Allspice, ₹3,300

Guerlain Gloss d’Enfer Xmas Lip Gloss in Gloss 1 Coll, ₹3,150

Sephora Colorful Eye Shadow in Teddy Bear, ₹1,050

Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Shadowpaint in Midnight Fury, ₹2,100

Colorbar Drama Blast Lipstick in My Pixie, ₹ 1,200

Tom Ford Eyeshadow, ₹3,200

 

It’s in your eyes

There’s nothing chicer than a classic glitter eye. Whether you’re looking to execute a cut crease or full-blown shimmer lids, this trend is very customisable. Need some inspo? You can take cues from Fendi, where Peter Philips created a Euphoria-inspired look featuring a waterfall of glitter on super-kohled lower lashes.
Pat McGrath’s solid, sparkling embellishment around, as seen at Valentino, is another bold way to work the trend. Strong, sparkling eyeliner (in all shapes and sizes) and finely-milled glitter sprinkled around the eyes (seen above) are both runway-approved, extremely wearable versions of the trend.

Etude House Mirror Holic Liquid Eyes Eyeshadow in Champagne, ₹900

Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette, price on request

Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Palette in Bold Glitter, ₹2,650

Chambor Orosa Complexion Highlighting Stick in Beige Pearl, ₹1,245

 

PIGMENT PLAY

Loose glitter is super-versatile...it allows you to create multiple looks with a single product. But what is the correct way to use it? If you’re newly-minted glitterati, here are a few tips that will come in handy. Step 1: invest in a colour that can be used on both eyes and lips. Next, be it your lids or mouth, it’s important to prime the area to make the product last long.

When going for glittery eyes, use a lid primer and then, line the lids’ outlines with a transparent wax pencil (used to fix brows), to seal the area and not let glitter go astray. Take a little mixing medium, blend it with glitter, and apply it with a flat eyeshadow brush. Finish with a thin black eyeliner and mascara.

For lips, you need a little more prep—scrub them lightly to get rid of any dry, flaky skin. Next, use a waterproof or a hyper-saturated matte lip pencil as base. Then, use the same wax pencil to line the lips. Use a synthetic lip brush to swipe the pigment mix onto lips the same way as your eyes. Done!

Kiko Milano Glitter Shadow in Enchanted Forest, ₹1,050

Shiseido Aura Dew,  ₹2,200

M·A·C Iridescent Glitter, ₹2,400