How to Apply Glitter Eyeshadow

Pigments have long been used in the creation of professional makeup, and recently they have become available for home use, and immediately became very popular. And it’s not surprising, because no eye shadow can compare in brightness and durability with pigments.

What it is

In fact, pigment is a colored powder that is ground very, very finely. Initially, it is added to a cosmetic base to produce eye shadow, lipstick or nail polish. It is the pigment that imparts one or another shade to the product. However, later the colored powder itself was used to create makeup, similar to how it was used in ancient times.

Highly pigmented powders themselves, which leave a bright mark on the skin or fabric, are not a modern development. Ancient people used the first iron oxide pigment for rock paintings, and in the early Minoan era on Crete, purple was extracted from snail shells. Of course, today pigments are mostly of synthetic origin, but the principle remains the same.

How is pigment different from eye shadow?

So, the main difference between these eyelid products lies on the surface - the pigment is much brighter and more saturated than the shadows. However, these are not all the differences. Eye pigment is a color concentrate; you only need a small amount of it to achieve vibrant makeup. Shadows, as a rule, are laid down in a translucent layer. By the way, the economical consumption of pigments prompted manufacturers to produce it as a separate product for professional makeup artists - they need a lot of cosmetics, and dry eye pigment, which only needs a little, allows them to save a lot of money.

And one more difference, so loved first by professionals, and then by those who paint themselves - the pigments mix perfectly with each other. This allows you to create new shades of cosmetics that are unique and suitable for you. In addition, pigment can be added to an existing cosmetic product, diversifying its palette. For example, by adding glitter or metallic pigment to your usual eyeshadow, you will get updated shiny eyeshadow with a new property.

Secrets of using pigment in eye makeup

If you decide to try pigment in eye makeup, then you should not think that you will limit yourself to buying just one jar. First, you will need a special brush. Let us remind you that the pigment is a dry fine powder, and it is better to apply it to the eyelid not with a finger or a sponge, but only with a brush. Moreover, it should be flat, tightly padded, wide and quite rigid. A soft brush will not allow you to pick up pigment for the eyes, and a wide, flat shape allows you to correctly apply it to the eyelid.

It is also better to choose a brush made of a combined or artificial material, since a natural one may not collect enough pigment onto the bristles. But to shade the already applied dye, you can use a fluffy natural brush.

You will also need a primer. This is a special substance that allows the pigment to adhere well to the skin and stay on it for a long time without smearing or wearing off. You may also need a special gel that makes it convenient to mix shades.

How to use eye pigments

Although the pigment resembles loose eyeshadow, it is worth remembering that it is much more concentrated and requires careful application and some practice.

First of all, apply primer to the eyelid, and then take a little pigment from the jar with the right brush and tap off the excess on the edge of the package. Apply the product without smearing, but pressing it into the skin with light patting movements. This is why you need a wide and flat brush. This technique will avoid pigment shedding.

Even if you only use one shade for your eye makeup, you will need to blend it out to make the edge invisible. To do this, take a clean, soft brush and work as you would with regular eyeshadow.

How to choose

First of all, carefully read what is indicated on the product jar. Pigments approved for use on the eyes must be labeled accordingly. You should not use a product for your eyelids whose purpose you doubt, since some pigments are quite aggressive, and applying them near the mucous membrane of the eye can be hazardous to health. Usually these are neon and very bright acidic shades.

Additionally, pigments have different effects when applied to the skin. They happen:

  1. Satin - with a light, uniform shine, reminiscent of that of silk or satin fabric.
  2. Shimmer - with small sparkles in the composition, which create depth and radiance of color.
  3. With a metallic effect - silver, bronze, gold shadows that allow you to get a spectacular dense coating with a metallic sheen.
  4. Matte - without any shine.

Despite the fact that pigments initially have a very good ability to create a dense, bright coating, today you can also find powder pigments on sale. They have a more transparent application and are designed to create a kind of haze on the finished eye makeup.

Stamps

Today, eye pigment can be bought at any cosmetic store. Some of the most popular are products from the American company MAC. They are used by professional makeup artists all over the world, and they have many followers among makeup lovers. They apply perfectly, shade, do not crease on the eyelids and have a rich palette. The most famous and versatile of them are the shades Vanilla and Naked. By the way, thanks to their neutral light shade and magnificent shine, they are often used as a highlighter, for example, for application under the eyebrow.

Another well-known pigment manufacturer is Inglot. This brand is known for the fact that you can buy as many refills and jars as you like, and then create new compositions with them, store them in magnetic cases and combine them as you wish. The brilliant eye pigments of this brand are also distinguished by their richness of shades, especially the presence of a large number of interesting duochrome shades, that is, those that combine two different colors that appear in different lighting.

A more affordable product is NYX brand pigments. They have a rich palette from neutral light and beige to deep dark or bright shades with a chic shine of iridescent particles. They last quite a long time, which usually only high-quality, expensive eye pigments can boast of. Reviews, however, note the inconvenient packaging and capricious nature of the colored powder - it is quite difficult to apply it accurately, especially for beginners.

Examples of makeup using pigments - daytime version

If you need everyday makeup for work or school, pigments can add some zest to it. For daytime makeup, the ideal option is light neutral shades with light shimmer or satin sheen. For eye makeup, apply primer to the eyelid, and then draw arrows with a black pencil or kajal. Blend the upper border of the arrow and apply pigment to the entire moving eyelid. Add mascara and your daytime makeup is ready. On the one hand, this is a very simple option, but on the other hand, it is the pigment that will give the look depth and brightness.

Evening eye makeup

In evening makeup, where bright colors and shiny shadows are appropriate, pigments reveal all their beauty. And for bright pigmented shades to be even brighter, they need to be applied not to the bare skin of the eyelids, and not even to a colorless primer, but to a black, greasy base, preferably black cream shadows.

You need to apply shadows to the entire moving eyelid, using a brush to define the main outline of the design. You also need to bring the lower eyelid close to the mucous membrane of the eye with shadows. Next, using a softer brush, you need to lightly shade the borders on the upper eyelid, and also extend the shadows to the outer corner of the eye. Next, without delay, until the base is completely dry, apply the pigment. It is better to take two or three shades - light for the inner corner of the eye, dark for the outer corner and an intermediate bright color for the transition. It could be blue, green, purple, or even gold shadows appropriate for holiday makeup.

Start tapping the light pigment into the black eyeliner from the inner corner of the eye, stretching the color across the entire eyelid. Then add a second color and blend the border between them. Stretch the third color to the outer corner of the eye towards the temples, remaining within the contour previously drawn with shadows. Don't forget to apply pigment to the lower eyelid as well.

Next, all that remains is to correct the design with a clean brush, remove the crumbled particles with a napkin and apply makeup or glue false eyelashes. You can also add concealer to cover up dark circles and highlight the lower contour of your brow.

Pigments for permanent makeup

Let's say a few words about pigments used in permanent eye makeup. Unlike conventional cosmetics, they have a gel or semi-liquid form and consist of the pigment itself, water and glycerin.

Eye tattooing mainly uses the technique of filling the interlash space with color (which makes the eyelashes visually darker and fuller without the use of mascara) and drawing arrows on the upper eyelid (imitation of a pencil arrow). Tattooing will also help give the eyes a more beautiful shape or correct the drooping outer corner of the eye.

Pigments for permanent makeup mainly have black-brown, less often blue, green, and gray shades. The beauty of modern professional products is that the master can mix shades and choose the ideal one for each color type.

The use of glitter in eye makeup has become popular both in everyday life and for special occasions. You can apply glitter to your eyes, lips, cheekbones, body, nails and hair.

What types of eye glitter are there?

You can add shimmer and shine to your eye makeup using several products:

  1. Shimmer– shimmering powder particles have a soft and unobtrusive shine. Shimmer differs from other glitter products in that it has the consistency of wet powder. Natural flesh tones are more common. Used by makeup artists to highlight the face, smooth out wrinkles and add radiance to the skin.
  2. Glitter is loose sparkles of various sizes and shapes. A distinctive feature of glitter is in loose form and sparkles of various sizes. In makeup, glitter can be used to create haze around the eyes, line the eyebrows, accentuate the cheekbones and doll-like eyelashes.
  3. Difficult to use eye makeup product - liquid glitter texture. It differs from others in its consistency and the need for drying. Used in makeup when durability is required.
  4. Gel glitter is like eyeliner. They differ from them in a more liquid texture. The glitter is small and resembles multi-colored glue. Suitable for women who have experience in drawing arrows and clear lines.

Characteristics of glitter for eyes

Glitter is dry sparkles, which are crushed metallized polyethylene terephthalate multi-colored film. Sequin shapes - hexagon (0.1-1.0 mm), rhombus and stripes (up to 4 mm).

The advantage of glitter is its resistance to water, chemical solvents and ultraviolet rays.

Glitter is contraindicated for women who wear contact lenses, since glitter gets under the lens and severely damages the mucous membrane of the eye.

How to Apply Glitter to the Upper Eyelid

The rule for applying glitter to the eyes is to use a base, the role of which is performed by both shadows and a special binder.

The technique of applying glitter to the upper eyelid involves doing the following:

  1. Degrease the surface of the eyelids.
  2. Apply makeup base to the upper and lower eyelids. Allow 10 seconds to absorb.
  3. Apply the base shadow tightly with a flat brush.
  4. Glue patches to the lower eyelid. Take a little glitter with a flat brush or applicator, shake off the excess and apply to the upper eyelid from the inner corner of the eye to the outer.
  5. Fix with spray.

It is recommended to use fine and medium glitter to avoid discomfort and irritation.

How to Apply Glitter Under the Eyes

To make the glitter stick better and not fall off, it is recommended to use a special base for glitter or fatty lip gloss.

Technique for applying glitter to the lower eyelid:

  1. Degrease the surface of the eyelids. Apply glitter base to the lower eyelid and makeup base to the upper eyelid.
  2. Apply a neutral beige or pale pink color to both eyelids with a flat brush.
  3. Dip the brush into the glitter and apply it with light patting movements along the lash line on the lower eyelid. Enlarge the area closer to the outer corner of the eye.
  4. Fix with a special spray.

How to apply glitter to eyelashes

To apply glitter to eyelashes, you must follow certain recommendations:

  1. Prepare your face for makeup. Cleanse the skin, even out the tone. Apply makeup base and blush.
  2. Glue on false eyelashes and apply special mascara, which is used by theater actors.
  3. To ensure the safety of the brushes, lubricate them with Vaseline and dip them in small glitter.
  4. Apply glitter to the entire surface of the eyelashes using gentle patting movements.

It is recommended to use a special professional mascara to avoid eyelashes sticking together and glitter falling off.

How to fix glitter on your eyes

How to apply glitter to the eyes - this issue receives a lot of attention when making makeup with glitter. However, it is also important to know how to secure them.

To prevent glitter from falling off, you must use one of 4 methods:

  1. Use makeup base, it is advisable to choose a rich and oily texture. A base from Yves Saint Laurent Beaute will do. It firmly glues the glitter to the base layer.
  2. Use a special glitter base. It is designed for all types of glitter and provides iron resistance. Preference should be given to the NYX brand.
  3. Use cream eyeshadow, which are capable of holding a layer of glitter. If the glitter is large and heavy, then for reliable fixation it is necessary to mix the glitter with shadows in advance and distribute the finished shiny texture over the skin.
  4. Use a fixative spray. After applying shadows and glitter, you can spray your eyelids several times with Infaillible Fixing Mist spray from L’Oreal Paris and wait until completely dry.

How to Apply Large Glitter to Your Eyes

Large glitter is often used for photo shoots and evening events. It creates a unique image. Large glitter must be attached to the skin using a special transparent glue for eyelashes. In order not to feel discomfort and to prevent glitter from falling off, you should avoid getting it on the moving parts of the eyelid and use high-quality glue.

How to Apply Fine Glitter to Your Eyes

The peculiarity of small sparkles on the eyes is the integrity of the image. The emphasis in this case is on the entire eyelid, and not on certain details. If glitter with small particles needs to be applied for a couple of hours, then the eyelid must be lubricated with a rich transparent lip balm. Apply glitter on top with a flat brush.

Professional makeup artists spray a fixing spray onto clean eyelids, use a brush to gently brush in the glitter, and fix it with the spray again.

Current colors and application techniques

Makeup trends in 2018 involve using the entire color palette.

However, there are predominant colors:

  1. plum;
  2. coral;
  3. ultramarine;
  4. lavender;
  5. wine;
  6. burgundy;
  7. emerald green;
  8. turquoise;
  9. gold;
  10. bronze;
  11. copper;
  12. black.

How to apply glitter to your eyes - there are several ways:

  1. With your fingers. Place patches under your eyes to protect your face from glitter. Dip your finger into the glitter, shake off excess, then pat the glitter onto your eyelids.
  2. Flat brush. Soak the brush in makeup fixing product. Pick up glitter with the tip, shake lightly and apply glitter to your eyelids.
  3. Foam applicator. Dip the applicator into glitter, shake off excess and apply lightly to eyelids.

How to use eye glitter in New Year's makeup

To celebrate the New Year, the following glitter colors for the eyes are suitable:

One of the makeup options for New Year's Eve:

  1. Apply makeup base. Apply blue shadows to the entire moving upper eyelid.
  2. Use a black pencil to draw a line along the growth of the eyelashes.
  3. Apply transparent glitter to the entire eyelid using a flat brush.

You can also apply glitter to the outer corner of your eyes. For this option, only large sparkles are suitable, which are applied with tweezers to the eyelid and partly to the cheekbones. You can focus on the lower eyelid, for which the shadows are applied not to the upper, but to the lower eyelid and with a thin brush, draw a thin line of colorless glitter along the contour of eyelash growth.

How to use eye glitter in wedding makeup

The image of a romantic and bohemian bride can be created using glitter. Wedding makeup with glitter on the eyes or cheekbones is easy to replicate on your own.

The main point is to secure the glitter so that it lasts throughout the wedding day. To do this, you need to use a special glitter base. This one is presented by NYX Professional Makeup. For greater reliability, it is necessary to fix it on top of the glitter with a fixing spray.

The image of a gentle bride can be achieved using glitter:

  1. translucent white;
  2. silver;
  3. baby blue.

If the wedding involves bright makeup, dress and details, then you can use bronze, copper and brown shades.

How to use eye glitter in your daily makeup

Popular in 2018, everyday makeup involves arrows. They are suitable for women of any age with any face shape. It’s just important to choose the right angle and thickness of the line.

For this option you will need:

  1. Apply makeup base. Even out your face tone. Apply blush and highlight cheekbones.
  2. Apply a glitter base or sticky lip balm to the upper eyelid.
  3. Using a thin brush, draw regular black or brown arrows.
  4. Take silver or gold glitter, preferably small. Pick up glitter with a thin flat brush and add a thin line at the top of the arrows.

Everyday makeup also involves emphasis on:

You can highlight your cheekbones using clear or gold glitter. To do this, leave dots on the highest point of the cheekbones with a flat brush and blend with your fingers towards the ears. This makeup involves natural eye and lip color.

Makeup with glitter for green eyes

Green, purple and gold tones will highlight the beauty of green eyes. Warm shades will increase the depth of the look. Black color, on the contrary, makes the eyes dull and empty. Glitter must be chosen based on the rule: dark eye color requires a rich range of shiny shadows.

Therefore, makeup with glitter for green eyes should meet the characteristics of each color:

  1. Dark green eyes suggest dark brown and graphite sparkles. This option will be an excellent solution for evening makeup.

Step-by-step diagram of how to apply glitter to the eyes

The daytime look involves honey, olive shades of glitter. When using only eyeliner, deep gold and marsh colors will add saturation to your eyes. Any shade is suitable for light green eyes. The color of the eyeliner should be lighter than the iris. Light green eyes will be emphasized by light, delicate shades: pink, lilac, beige. Makeup should be natural.

Makeup with glitter for blue eyes

You can spoil the natural beauty of blue eyes with blue shadows and eyeliners, because in the end you will end up with one blue spot. Brightness and expressiveness are provided by contrasting shades: red, orange or yellow. The problem is the inappropriateness of such colors in everyday life.

Natural transparency and heavenly blue are emphasized by shades of pink, gray, gold, copper, and brown. To achieve the desired effect, glitter is applied to the moving eyelid, without going beyond the outer corner of the eye, or in a thin line along the eyelash line.

Makeup with glitter for brown-eyed girls

Half the success of brilliant makeup for brown eyes lies in the correct design of the eyebrows. The line should be clear, and the color of the eyebrows should be in harmony with the color of the hair and eyes.

Which glitter to apply for brown eyes (shades):

  1. golden;
  2. dark green;
  3. pink;
  4. crimson;
  5. purple.

Terracotta and orange sparkles can ruin the look. Light blue and green shades are recommended only for light brown eyes. A surefire way to highlight brown eyes is to use glitter eyeliner. For an everyday option, black sequins are suitable. The look is velvety.

For evening makeup, the image of oriental women is borrowed. You need to apply golden glitter to the moving eyelid and draw a long black arrow from the inner corner of the eye to the outer corner.

Makeup with glitter for gray eyes

Gray eyes will become brighter if you apply glitter in cool colors, such as gray or blue.

Glitter color suitable for gray-eyed women:

  1. silver;
  2. blue;
  3. pink;
  4. ashen.

Colors not suitable:

Their use gives the eyes a tear-stained, puffy appearance. It is also not recommended to use black eyeliner; it is better to give preference to bright blue, purple or graphite.

Gray eyes are universal in that they can take on different shades:

  1. To add blueness, peach base matte shadows are applied to the upper eyelid, over which blue glitter with large sparkles is distributed with a flat brush.
  2. To give a green tint, just apply fine glitter along the eyelash line: pink, burgundy or plum.

Top 3 best manufacturers: Nyx, Inglot, M.A.C

Nyx glitter is large, dry glitter. The product requires a special base for glitter. Otherwise, the color of the glitter will not stick and the color will be dull.

Color palette:

  1. blue;
  2. bronze;
  3. turquoise;
  4. silver;
  5. gold;
  6. copper;
  7. red;
  8. pink;
  9. white;
  10. violet;
  11. crystal;
  12. dark grey.

Inglot pigment is presented in the form of a fine powder. The palette offers glitter with small and large sparkles. The disadvantage of the product is its flowability. It is recommended to apply with a foam applicator.

Color palette:

  1. white;
  2. silver;
  3. gold;
  4. copper;
  5. lilac;
  6. red;
  7. crystal;
  8. light blue;
  9. blue;
  10. pink;
  11. beige;
  12. cream;
  13. brown;
  14. cherry;
  15. bright red;
  16. chameleon;
  17. transparent
  18. shimmering.

M.A.C glitter is a sticky glitter with shimmers of different sizes. The base color is rich and dense. The manufacturer has the largest color palette, with 22 colors.

Color palette:

  1. lavender;
  2. gold;
  3. dirty blue and white-blue;
  4. platinum;
  5. silver;
  6. fuchsia;
  7. rich gold;
  8. 3D pink;
  9. red, dark red, warm red;
  10. bronze;
  11. copper;
  12. shimmering white;
  13. violet;
  14. rusty;
  15. white-pink;
  16. turquoise, white-turquoise;
  17. 3D silver.

Tips from cosmetologists on using glitter to create unique eye makeup

However, there are general rules developed by cosmetologists for the use of glitter in eye makeup:

  1. To avoid looking vulgar and vulgar, you need to use glitter only once. In this case, in makeup. An iridescent outfit and accessories will add weight to the look.
  2. The shade of the glitter should match the shades of the main makeup.
  3. Use a binder for glitter and leather.

This will keep your makeup looking fresh and neat. You can apply glitter to your eyes for both formal and everyday occasions.

Video on how to apply glitter to your eyes

Creating evening makeup with glitter:

How to properly apply glitter to your eyes:

In daily eye makeup, the use of glitter or glitter is not always appropriate, but for a New Year's or any other holiday look, this option is very original.

Do you often want to create some original makeup for your eyes? If cosmetic experiments don’t scare you, and you want to create an unusual look, then glitter shadows are perfect for this.


The word “glitter” itself is translated as “shine.” And it very accurately describes the effect of this type of shadow, which includes many reflective particles. The sizes of these sparkles can vary widely, and the choice of colors is unlimited, which allows you to choose the most suitable solution for yourself.

Features of glitter shadows

However, glitter-type shadows have some features that you should definitely pay attention to.

1. Glitter shadows are used only as an addition to the main makeup. They should not be used without applying some kind of base shade. For this purpose, you can use either some contrasting shade or a color that is two or three tones different from glitter.

2. Makeup complemented with shiny shadows is exactly the situation when the base for the shadows should in no case be neglected, as it will allow you to preserve the makeup for as long as possible and will not allow the sparkling particles to fall off.

3. It is advisable to apply glitter using an applicator or makeup brush. This way, you will always be able to control the amount of glitter on your eyelids.

4. Even if you are extremely careful when applying eye shadow, some of the shiny particles may end up, for example, on your nose or cheeks. To prevent this, before applying glitter shadows, these places and areas under the eyes should be protected with a napkin.

5. If glitter does end up on the skin of your face, you can get rid of it by using adhesive tape.

It is clear that the use of shadows of this type to create everyday make-up is completely inappropriate. However, in all other cases they allow you to achieve a striking effect.

If you soon need to go to some kind of special event, the format of which corresponds to an interesting and unusual makeup, then shimmering shadows will be very, very useful to you.