‘Tis the season to get sparkly! Christmas is the one time of year where no one will bat a (totally shimmery) eyelid if you introduce a bit of glitter into your look – but how do you do it without looking like your make-up was the result of a pre-schooler’s princess/fairy fantasies?! To help you out (because everyone needs a bit of glitter in their lives!), here’s our guide for injecting a bit of sparkle to your make-up look without going OTT!
My absolute favourite all-time eye shadows are these amazing Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill pots of magic. I wear these very frequently and nearly always get complimented on them when I do, I promise! They’re a very finely milled loose powder that’s been compressed and compacted down into being almost solid – so they’re as easy to use as your regular pressed eye shadows except with an even softer and smoother texture, but whilst boasting the intense rich pigmentation of a loose shadow. They also combine two different colours of pigment in one pot, so you often get a gorgeous multi-dimensional effect.
Pretty much all of the Eyes To Kill have a metallic cast that give a beautiful shimmer and glimmer without being a full-on spangles o’ clock glitter. They also wear… and wear… and wear! Such great staying power means they’re ideal for bunging on at the start of the day and not worrying about. My favourite shades are 27 Oxidised Silver (a silver mixed with a rusty red that gives an almost mercury maroon look) and 28 Rose Platine (bright gold mixed with rosy pink – just stunning), although you can’t go far wrong with any of them to be honest. They’re a surprisingly subtle and elegant take on glitter (use them wet for greater intensity), classy rather than in-yer-face get the disco-ball out and a total no-brainer in my book. Perfect for parties… and pretty much any other time really!
Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Intense Eye Shadows, $260, see all Giorgio Armani locations in Hong Kong here
Let’s face it – lips packing more glitter than a fairy’s wand are probably not going to be very wearable at many other times of the year. So rather than investing in a shimmery lippie that you’re only going to wear one day then let gather dust in your make-up case, instead just re-invent your current go-to colour!
Max Factor’s Flipstick Colour Effects give you two options for the price of one – one end is a “normal” lip colour, and the other is a lighter shimmering shade that you can layer over the top for extra glam. If you’re not so sure about Max Factor’s choice of lip colours , just layer the shiny side over your normal lipstick for a similar effect! My fave is Gipsy Red, a colour-popping bright red that really comes alive combined with the gorgeous golden glow on the other end.
If you prefer a wet look, simply invest in a glittery but nude gloss that you can slick over the top – Laura Mercier’s and MAC’s both get my vote for being fairly non-sticky and smelling positively delicious (Sassy disclaimer: please don’t actually try to eat them though!).
Max Factor Flipstick Colour Effects, $98, available from selected Watsons and Mannings
Lots of brands have jumped on the glitter bandwagon, producing polishes filled with giant rainbow glitters – which may be tonnes of fun, but don’t exactly scream elegance (in addition to being hell to remove!). For a cool take on glitzy rather than ritzy nails, try these awesome gold flake top coats – Zoya, OPI (both available from Sassy fave Cher2!) and Jessica have all brought out versions this season and they’re all near identical, so just snap up whichever you see first!
Simply choose a base colour of your choice (black always works a charm), and then dab on the gold flake top coat for a truly magical look. Easy peasy but totally divine and (as Australia’s Next Top Model judge Alex Perry would say) expensive!
Zoya Gilty Pleasures 18k Top Coat Gift Box, $350; OPI The Man With The Golden Gun 18k Top Coat, $390
Both available from Cher2, 1202A Century Square, 1-13 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2810 0171; see all locations here
As ever, just remember to confine your glitter to selected areas – too much and you’ll end up looking like an extra from Cirque du Soleil!
So now you know my top tricks, there’s no excuse not to sparkle this holiday season!