How to Get a Great Glow for Both Special Evenings & Every Day
No longer associated just with '80s pop stars, shimmery, frosted makeup is a must-have this season. While it’s perfect for holiday parties, shimmer can also be your go-to look for daytime, work time and any time, if you follow the tips and tricks from our expert makeup artists. Even if you've previously shied away from the shiny look, you can learn ways to roll back the years and accentuate your features with a little makeup magic.
Shine On
Michelle Keck, makeup artist for the hit TV show "Private Practice," says she firmly believes that all women can benefit from a little shimmer. "Every makeup bag should have a reflective bronze face powder," she said. "Also, a shimmery cheek color or highlighter, and a selection of luminescent eye shadows. Shimmers are a great way to give extra glow to the skin, and help to make your best features really pop."
Whereas most women probably consider shimmer best confined to evening or party wear, the current look is about using a touch of shine for day wear too. "Shimmer is absolutely appropriate for daytime," Keck says. "For example, a bronzy, beachy natural look for daytime includes reflective bronzing for the face, eyes and lips."
Subtle Shimmer
Emma Watson adds a touch of shimmer eye shadow along her lash line for a sweet and soft accent color. (photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images)
For those who are unsure how to apply a subtle dose of shimmer and worry that their blush will look overdone, Keck warns against a hasty or heavy-handed application. "Moderation and proper application are key," she explains.
To that end, shimmery colors are best applied in careful, conservative layers. It's always better to under-apply than over-apply, lest you should end up with a face like the Tin Man's in "The Wizard of Oz." For example, when using a shimmery eye shadow, Keck recommends using only small dabs of the product, for a highlighting effect, rather than an all-over look.
"Use a dab in the center of the eyelid, below the crease, to highlight and open up the eye," she says. "Or use a dab just along the lash line, blending well below the crease. Moderation is the key here."
If you're applying a shimmery bronzer, blush or highlighter to your face, start very small with a light layer and slowly build the amount of shine if necessary. Shimmery face makeup should be applied in very conservative amounts and completely blended using a good-quality bronzer or blush brush. Done carefully and conservatively, this look will give you a subtle, beautiful glow.
However, Karoliina Kangas, a Hollywood-based celebrity makeup artist, advises some women to steer clear of shimmery powders on the face. "If you have oily skin or large pores, it's more flattering to use a matte-finish bronzer or blush," she said. "Also, never put any shimmer on your T-zone area – the nose, chin or between brows."
Emphasize and Minimize
If the idea of shimmer settling into your crow's feet or fine lines has scared you away from shiny makeup, there are some creative ways to use it to actually de-emphasize problem areas.
Kangas says that using shimmer to carefully define your best features can really work as an anti-aging tool. "Yes, used in traditional ways, shimmer can be aging," she says. "But when you use it the right way, it works the opposite. For example, try putting a small amount of pale nude or ivory shimmery color on the inner corner of each eye. This will open eyes up, making them appear young and wider apart."
The success of using shimmer on older skin also lies in the level of shimmer used, noted Keck. She advises women who are concerned with lines to avoid applying shimmery powders to problem areas and to choose softer, more pearlescent types of shine for a soft glow.
"Mirror-like luster tends to enhance any lines or wrinkles," Keck explains. "So I recommend products with softer reflective qualities, like a pearl finish. A good way to get a glow without emphasizing lines is to choose a liquid foundation with a small amount of luminescence to it."
Party Girl
Even if you have a little shimmer in your daytime makeup, applying an extra layer of shimmer to eyes and cheeks and a dusting of shine to the body can be a great way to take your look from day to night.
"When leaving work for a party, a layer of highlighting shimmery powder can be brushed on the tops of the cheeks to add glow and highlight the high points of the face," Keck says. "Add an extra pop of extra-bright shimmery eye shadow in the center of the eyelid to emphasize evening eyes."
Although it's too much shine for work, shimmer on the body can give the skin an appealing, touchable appearance perfect for a dressed-up night out. "Add a dusting of highlighting powder or shimmery bronzer over exposed skin," says Keck. "Don't forget to do your legs too."
A slick of shimmer smoothed down your shins can even help them to appear longer and gives you a well-groomed finish. Kangas says she likes to apply a finishing touch of highlighting shimmer to the center of the upper lip for a sensuous, plumping appearance.
But if you're really going all-out and want a highly glamorous glittering look at that holiday party, Kangas suggests: "silver or gold shimmer eye shadow, tons of mascara and nice rosy cheeks with shimmer highlighter blended into the upper points of the cheekbones. Then dark red lips with a slick of sparkly lip gloss over the top."
Even if super-shiny isn't your thing, shimmer can be about simply adding a subtle glow to your daytime look, making lips appear fuller, cheekbones higher or eyes wider apart. So, go on, highlight your best assets!
Back to Matte
If you simply cannot see yourself in shimmery makeup or just feel more comfortable in matte products, Michelle Keck, makeup artist for TV's "Private Practice," explains how to make a flatter finish work for you.
Eyes: “A matte smoky eye in grays or warm browns looks great on most skin tones,” Keck says. “Keep the intensity at the lash line and blend into lighter shades up to the crease. Or with neutral eye shadows, try black or brown mascara on the top lashes and a colored mascara on the lower lashes that matches your eye color.”
Lips: “Today's matte lipsticks tend to be creamier without being as drying,” Keck said. “They are more comfortable to wear, and look fresher for longer. Apply saturated colors with a matching pencil. Lighter, neutral tones can be applied alone.”
Face: “To keep the skin looking fresh, avoid over-powdering with a matte powder,” Keck says. “Allow some of your natural glow to show through. However, be sure to powder the cheeks before applying a matte blush; otherwise it could grab the foundation and become difficult to blend.”