How to Make Glitter Eyeshadow Stay On (Through New Year's Eve)
Glitter stays on when it has something tacky to grip. Prime your lids, then press pressed glitter on with a fingertip or damp flat brush, or use a glitter glue for loose glitter. Do your eyes before your base, catch fallout with tape or loose powder, and use only glitter made for the eye area.
“Glitter that stays exactly where you put it looks expensive. Glitter that migrates to your cheeks by midnight looks like you went to a craft class. The difference is almost entirely the base underneath and the way you put it on: press, never swipe.”Her take
What makes glitter eyeshadow stay put?
Glitter particles are flat and smooth, so they don't cling to skin the way a matte powder shadow does. Put them on dry, powdery lids and they slide straight off. They need a slightly tacky layer underneath that holds each piece in place as it sets.
The second thing is technique. Swiping a brush back and forth knocks glitter loose before it ever lands. Pressing it on, in thin layers, lets it sink into the base and stay there.
Glitter glue or eyeshadow primer: which should you use?
It depends on the type of glitter. Here's how they compare.
- Pressed glitter shadow: an eyeshadow primer is usually enough. Let it set for a few seconds until it feels tacky, then press the shadow on.
- Loose fine glitter: use a glitter glue or glitter base made for the eyes. Primer alone won't hold loose particles for long.
- Chunky glitter or larger flakes: glitter glue, applied in a thin layer only where you want the glitter.
- Liquid glitter shadow or glitter liner: no glue needed, because the formula dries down on its own. Use a primer under it for longer wear.
- Glitter over a matte shadow: prime, apply the matte shadow, then dab a thin layer of glitter glue only where the glitter will go.
Should you do your eyes before your foundation?
Yes, when you're wearing glitter. Some fallout is almost guaranteed, and it's easy to wipe off bare skin and very hard to lift out of foundation and concealer without leaving a patch. Do your eye makeup first, clean up, then put on your base.
If you'd rather do your base first, protect it. Lay a strip of low-tack tape under the eye, angled toward the end of the brow, or press a layer of loose powder under the eye before you start and brush it away afterward, taking the fallout with it.
How do you apply glitter so it lasts?
Work in this order and keep each layer thin.
- 1. Prime the whole lid and let it set until it's tacky, not wet.
- 2. Apply any matte or shimmer shadow underneath, if you're using one. A color close to the glitter makes gaps less obvious.
- 3. Add glitter glue only where the glitter will sit, usually the center of the lid or the inner corner.
- 4. Pick up glitter with a fingertip or a flat synthetic brush lightly dampened with setting spray, and press it onto the lid. Don't drag.
- 5. Build a second layer the same way if you want more intensity.
- 6. Leave it alone for a minute before you blink hard, add mascara or touch anything nearby.
Where should you put glitter so it doesn't fall?
The center of the lid and the inner corner are the easiest places for glitter to stay. There's less movement there and nothing to brush against it. The crease folds every time you open your eyes, so glitter placed there tends to crease and shed.
Be careful on the lower lash line. A little glitter there looks lovely in photos, but it's the area most likely to shed into your eyes. If you wear it, keep it tight to the outer half and use a glitter liner rather than loose glitter.
Can you use any glitter on your eyes?
No. Use only glitter that is sold for use on the eye area. Craft glitter is not made for skin or eyes, and its edges and materials aren't intended to go anywhere near them. If a pot doesn't say it's made for the eyes, keep it for cards and decorations.
If you wear contact lenses, put them in before you start your makeup. Keep a clean cotton swab nearby to lift any stray piece away from the eye rather than rubbing. If a piece does get into your eye, don't rub it; rinse with clean water or saline, and get it checked if the irritation doesn't settle.
How do you take glitter off without scrubbing?
Lift first, dissolve second. Press a piece of tape lightly over the lid and peel it away to pick up most of the loose glitter. Then soak a cotton pad in an oil-based or two-phase makeup remover, hold it on the closed eye for a few seconds, and wipe gently down and outward.
Repeat with a fresh pad rather than rubbing harder. Finish with your usual cleanser, and check your brows, lashes and pillowcase-side cheek, because glitter always finds somewhere to hide.
Questions people ask
Can I use petroleum jelly as glitter glue?
It will make glitter stick at first, but it never sets, so the glitter slides and gathers in the crease. A glitter glue or primer made for the eyes dries tacky and holds much better.
Does setting spray help glitter stay on?
Yes, a little. Dampen your brush with it before picking up pressed glitter, or mist your face lightly when you're done. It won't replace a primer or glitter glue.
Can I put glitter over eyeshadow?
Yes. Apply the shadow first, then add a thin layer of glitter glue only where the glitter goes and press the glitter on top.
Why does my glitter end up on my cheeks?
Usually it was swiped on instead of pressed, there wasn't enough tacky base, or it was placed in the crease. Press it on in thin layers over primer or glitter glue, and do your eyes before your base.
How do I wear glitter if I wear glasses?
Keep it to the center of the lid and the inner corner, away from where frames sit, and choose a liquid glitter or glitter liner, which sheds less than loose glitter that can get caught behind the lenses.
The takeaway
A tacky base, press don't swipe, eyes before foundation, glitter made for the eyes, and tape before remover at the end of the night.
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