Holiday Glitter Makeup: Everything You Need To Know

This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo about holiday glitter makeup.

Everything You Need To Know About Holiday Glitter Makeup

If there is one thing that everyone can count on, it’s that winter makeup will always feature an abundance of glitter.

The connection seems to be solidified, almost to the point of cliche. The moment the nights become longer, the makeup becomes sparklier.

Unfortunately, for many women, the sudden abundance of glitter in makeup lines and suggested looks is not particularly welcome. Glitter products have a reputation for being difficult to work with, while many women wonder if they should be wearing glitter at all. In an effort to shed some light on the situation once and for all, we’ve sought to answer the most common questions women have when it comes to holiday glitter makeup.

Why is glitter makeup so synonymous with the holidays?

The holiday months are, quite literally, dark. The days are short, and the nights are interminably long. In response to this, most holiday decor tends to focus around bright lights and sparkles – for example, the fairy lights we all use to decorate Christmas trees are, in part, a response to the darkness of the season.

It, therefore, seems to naturally follow that makeup, too, should seek to counteract the darkness. Glitter fantastically catches the light that is available and adds a sense of joy and frivolity that more matte shades can’t match.

Isn’t glitter makeup a little ‘tacky’?

If you personally feel that glitter makeup is a little tacky, and wish to avoid it for this reason, then that’s fair enough. However, if you personally feel that glitter makeup is a lot of fun and you’d like to wear it… then that’s what counts. It’s easy to forget that what is and isn’t “tacky” is entirely subjective, so the only person you need to please with this decision is yourself.

It’s worth noting that the term “glitter makeup” does not necessarily mean large particles of bright, multicolored glitter. Glitter makeup products can be monotone, with just a hint of small glitter particles to create an extra dimension of sparkle – an extra dimension that is actually incredibly elegant and beautiful.

Can women over the age of 25 wear glitter makeup?

Every so often, a magazine or blog will publish a list of things that women should not wear – glitter makeup, or glitter nail varnish, always tend to feature on these lists.

Thankfully, the fight back against the “you’re too old for glitter” crowd has been growing for a number of years, largely due to a huge plethora of women reading the “rules” and immediately thinking: “why not, though?”. Glitter is fun. It looks nice. There are multiple reasons to try wearing it. If you’re happy with how glitter makeup looks, then the age on your birth certificate is literally irrelevant – and should someone judge you for your choice, that likely says more about them than it does you.

Why is glitter makeup always prone to falling?

Glitter makeup tends to have a reputation for falling. In other words, it tends to move from the place it was intended to be worn, such as glitter eyeshadow resulting in glitter-covered cheeks. If you have experienced this kind of fall, then it can be bad enough to put you off glitter makeup for life – but this needn’t be the case.

Excessive fall is not an inevitability with glitter makeup; in the vast majority of cases, the issue is caused by poor product quality rather than the underlying concept. With poorly-made glitter products, the glitter tends to be added almost as an afterthought, rather than incorporated into the overall mixture. This means that the glitter is loose, and inevitably, soon moves from where it was intended to be placed. With better quality products such as the options available from the Avon make-up range, you should find that fall is significantly reduced, as the glitter is an integral part of the mixture rather than a secondary add-on.

Is it okay to wear glitter makeup during the day?

Absolutely – in fact, it could be argued that glitter makeup is at its best during the day, as there’s more light around to reflect the particles. While glitter is often seen as a “night” type of makeup, there’s no reason not to use it during the day if you feel comfortable doing so.

There is, however, one point to be careful of: your office dress code. Some office dress codes do not allow glitter makeup or bright colors, so it’s always worth checking this if you’re planning on wearing glitter to work.

Is it okay to use glitter on eyes and lips?  

When applying makeup, it is generally considered to be good practice to only apply heavy or bold makeup to the eyes or the lips. This, so the theory goes, avoids the overall look being “overdone”. Given this is the case for standard makeup, it seems natural to assume that the rule also applies to glitter makeup.

Realistically, this doesn’t have to be the case – just as you don’t have to obey this “rule” with standard makeup. If you want to go all-out and wear glitter on your eyes and lips, then there’s no reason not to do so. Glitter is wonderfully lighthearted, and if you want to do both, then why not? All makeup should be fun, not governed by rules, so do whatever makes you happy.

If you are going to wear glitter anywhere and everywhere, then you’re definitely going to want to make note of the points in the next question.

What are the best ways of removing glitter makeup?

Glitter makeup is a little trickier to remove than matte makeup, as the glitter particles have a tendency to move and spread across your features. Here’s how you can avoid this:

• Use a cleansing balm rather than a lotion or oil. The thicker consistency of balms lends itself well to removing glitter makeup, as the particles are more likely to lodge in the balm itself.  This makes them easier to wash away.
• Apply the cleansing balm all over your face and massage directly over the makeup. Do not wet your face before doing this; water will loosen the glitter and make spreading more likely.
• Use a dry cloth to remove the balm in even vertical strokes, moving from one side of your face to the other. Set this cloth aside to wash later.
• Apply a second layer of cleansing balm, massage into place, and then repeat the removal process.  Use vertical strokes, from one side of your face to the other with a fresh, dry cloth.
• Apply a third layer of cleansing balm, but this time remove the balm with a wet cloth. You could use the same cloth as you used for the second cleanse, but the chances of the glitter spreading are still high.  If you do so – wherever possible, use a fresh cloth for this step.
• Rinse all balm residue away.
• Apply moisturizer as soon as possible. The triple cleanse is necessary to remove the glitter, but it can be harsh on your skin. This is what the moisturizer will help with.

Glitter Makeup In Conclusion

Glitter makeup is a great way to add a little festive sparkle to the darkest months of the year.  So if you have always shied away from these products before, this year might be the perfect time to give them a try. If you keep the above tips for using glitter makeup in mind, then you should feel confident enough to hold your head up high. Shine like a diamond right through to spring. Enjoy!