All that glitters: reflective make-up tips to shine bright
Party season is upon us, so dial up the glam with reflective make-up and beauty glitter to shine bright on your next big night out.
Understated make-up dominated trends this year, but now more alternative looks are making their way back into the mainstream, with maximalist aesthetics such as beauty glitter set to steal the show this party season.
Here’s how to dial up the glam with reflective make-up and beauty glitter products.
How to make beauty glitter make-up work
Move over, matte make-up – reflective finishes are everywhere this season.
Drawing inspiration from the mid-2000s, the trend involves reflective make-up in the form of metallic foil, frosted, pearlescent and glitter products for cheeks, lips and eyes.
Although there are no tried-and-true rules for mastering this look, Sydney make-up artist Natasha Pellegrino suggests choosing one area of the face to serve as a focal point.
“Whether it’s a frosty lip, glittery eye look or highlighted cheeks, aim to have one reflective accent in your make-up, not all three,” Natasha says.
Best reflective make-up and beauty glitter trends to try
Hair tinsel
Get your sparkle on by adding iridescent, colourful strands to your tresses.
Also known as “fairy hair”, hair tinsel is another Y2K trend making a comeback.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour are credited in helping to revive the festival hair look, which involves working pieces of heat-resistant metallic strands into the hair, much like you would extensions.
Frosty eyeshadow
Keep your cool this season with shimmery, party-ready eye make-up.
Last season saw cool-toned eyeshadows finally getting some appreciation, and now there’s demand for frosted, pearlescent finishes.
So what’s the secret to creating the ultimate metallic eye?
Natasha says it’s all about working in the same colour family.
“When you’re working with different formulas and finishes, it’s especially important to keep within complementary colours as this helps the eyes look cohesive despite the different finishes,” she says.
“For this reason, use an eyeshadow palette that has different formulas but similar shades.”
Sparkling nails
It’s time to shine bright – short, minimalist nails are back in vogue, but your manicure doesn’t have to be boring.
To elevate the trend, opt for glitter, velvet or chrome finishes that mimic a metallic, reflective look on your fingertips.
Hailey Bieber is an early adoptee of the trend, dubbed “mirror glaze” nails, and she tends to gravitate to a chrome nude finish.
Party brows
New Year’s Eve is the perfect backdrop for an experimental beauty look, so take some creative liberties and bring razzle-dazzle with a perfect glitter brow.
“Make-up is all about self-expression, individuality and feeling your best self,” Sydney make-up artist and hair stylist Kristyan Low says.
“A glitter brow is a bit more technical because you need to set it in place, but it’s great to see more people embrace individualism in beauty.”
Shimmer highlighter
Luminous cheek highlights were everywhere less than a decade ago and now this radiant look is back – and it’s not just for cheeks.
Shimmer highlighter can be applied to any area of your face that you want to stand out, including your brow, temples, the tip of your nose or your cupid’s bow.
“Pearlescent, glittery and shiny finishes will bring texture forward,” Natasha explains.
She says application is key to creating dimension.
“So instead of swiping powder highlight across the entire cheek, I would suggest strategically applying the product (with) a controlled, concentrated approach on areas like the apples of the cheeks or right on the tip of the nose.”
How to add all-over glow
Sparkling shimmer doesn’t need to end at the face – and thanks to the resurgence of body shimmers, it no longer has to.
Here’s how to get gorgeous glow all over:
- For a cohesive, high-impact look, give yourself a DIY spa treatment the night before your event, complete with a full-body exfoliation, dry body brushing, hair removal and all-over skin hydration – and apply fake tan if a golden glow is your preference.
- On the night of the event, amp up the glow by applying a body shimmer or body glitter to areas that naturally catch the light, such as your collarbones, shoulders and shins.
- Before you dance out the door, finish off with a spray of your favourite perfume; to help make the fragrance last all night, dab a little petroleum jelly on your wrist and the nape of your neck before spritzing.
More party looks to try:
- How to rock the lavender chrome make-up trend
- Give your nails the best party-ready DIY manicure
- Festive make-up trends to try this Christmas
- Want to dazzle? Try the crystal make-up trend
Written by Charlotte Brundrett.
