Foiled again

We’re with you if you thought glitter would be over by now. But that shimmer that emerged last year appears to have stuck, not unlike those the minuscule particles.

The culprits of this ongoing enthusiasm? Backstage clamour; the undeniable ability of tiny, shiny things to spark joy; and new product developments that make wearing metallics around the eyes achievable for the viewers at home.

Runways are responsible for escalating the idea from a bit of shimmer to full-blown mixed-media adornments. At Valentino’s Spring 2019 show, eyes were fully crystal-ised and elsewhere glitter has been packed into fantastical wing shapes. The antidote to overdoing it, one of the more charming applications was the diffused daubs around the eyelids at Simone Rocha (pictured left), which also proved a little shiny fallout (inevitable when working with the loose stuff) creates a ethereal lightcatching effect.

“The focus is on the eyes, so we kept everything else fresh-faced,” says makeup artist Sam Bryant, who used clear MAC Lip Glass to keep the particles on. “It’s hard to interpret, as it can be messy, but that’s what people can take from this look

– it doesn’t have to be perfect. Don’t worry about it moving throughout the day.”

Working with a clear mixing medium is the key to getting it to stick, or if you prefer more precise placement, try a slick of pre-mixed glitter-loaded liner. New versions of liquid glitter eye shadows also last well and are easily patted on with a finger.