Adding Sparkle & Glitter to Your Makeup Look

by Taylor Byers

Just because the holiday season is over doesn't mean we can wear a little sparkle to our makeup! Now before you continue reading, you must remember not to overdo the sparkle technique. Try only two parts to start, like a glitter shadow and a luminous face. Do not apply all the following techniques at once, for instance both lips and eyes at the same time ? not a good look. You don't want to end up looking dated or glitter queen.

Here are a few ways to add that sparkle:
Before applying your daily moisturizer, spice it up by adding a luminizer to the moisturizer. Remember a little goes a long way. Try Stila's "All Over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer" ($22) and the luminizer will give your skin a fresh glow under your foundation and/or concealer.

For eye shadow, try putting your matte shades on hold and opt instead for shimmer shades. L'Oreal makes a beautiful shadow that has major staying power, L'Oreal 'Color Infallible' which is available in nine shades ($10.99). If you don't want to go out and buy all new shadow, MAC Cosmetics has a great solution - MAC pigments in pink opal or vanilla ($24). This pigment can be applied on top of your regular shadows to add some sparkle. Now if this sounds like a little too much shimmer for you, use the pigment in certain key areas, such as the inner corner of your eye. This helps the eyes appear much brighter and further apart. The other key area to apply small amounts of shimmer is the eye brow bone. This opens up your face and is a great way to get that healthy looking glow, taking years off your eyes in the process.

When it comes to eye liner you can add the sparkle in a couple of ways. Instead of using your plain black gel liner, opt for one that has a little sparkle already in it. Try MAC 'Fluildline in Blitz & Glitz' ($18) it offers an intense black with gold pearl effect. Now if you really want to do a bold sparkle look with just liner, try actual glitter eyeliner. Sephora has a great gel-based eyeliner, try it in Bold Gold #12 ($12).

If you don't want shimmer on your lids or face, why not just add sparkle to your lips. Using the same MAC pigment mentioned earlier ($24), you can mix that pigment with your favourite gloss or lip stick. Even by adding a little shimmer to the center of your bottom lip, this will not only give you a little sparkle but makes your lips appear fuller! If you're able to go out and buy a new glitter lip stick, Yves Saint Laurent has a beautiful lip stick called 'Rouge Volupte Perle' in sparkling pink ($34).

Lastly, a trick to give a little shimmer to your face, and something I believe should actually be done all year round, is the highlighting of the face. Benefit 'High Beam' ($26) is a great way to highlight. The technique is to dot and blend over makeup on your cheekbones, eyebrow bone, and the bridge of your nose. Highlighting will give more dimensions to your face and a healthy glow. Hopefully these tips help you to add sparkle through the winter season!

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