This story first appeared on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, in The Strategist Beauty Brief, a weekly newsletter in which our beauty writers share their must-tries, can-skips, and can’t-live-withouts. But we liked it so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. If you want more first impressions of buzzy launches, quick takes on what’s trending on TikTok and Instagram, and deep dives into the week’s best beauty launches, sign up here. The Strategist Beauty Brief is delivered every Wednesday.
I follow an unofficial holiday dress code during December: dresses are velvet, hairdos have bows, and makeup is glittery. To me, a dazzling lid is distinctly festive, and after years of fine-tuning, I have a firm rotation of sparkly products I rely on each year. All these glitters are beginner-friendly and fuss-free: You can honestly apply each with your fingers, add a coat of mascara, and be on your way.
First there’s Urban Decay’s Space Cowboy. It’s a champagne-y pressed glitter that I was introduced to a decade ago on the day of my senior prom. When I asked my makeup artist how to re-create my eye makeup at home, her main recommendation was a swipe of Space Cowboy. It gives the illusion of the technical ability that I (to this day) lack. While it’s pigmented enough to wear alone (and I mean truly pigmented, I apply it with just my fingertips when I really want it to dazzle), combining it with some blended-out nudes is a foolproof go-to eye look. (Urban Decay rereleased its original Naked palette this year). If you’re on a tighter budget, our resident beauty columnist Rio Viera-Newton says that ColourPop eye shadows are a solid dupe for the Urban Decay glitters — at a third of the price.
My next glitter must-have comes from Bodyography and was originally a festival-makeup find. These glitters are distinctly easy to blend (I’ve managed it in a tent with just one eye-shadow brush) as well as buildable. While I started out dusting the lilac shade all over my lid in the summertime, I found that for a festive New Year’s eye I liked to dab glitter on my inner corners for a brightening pop of color. My only complaint about these shadows is that as you build, you can expect major fallout. So — as with all glittery eyes — make sure you get your eye makeup done first, then get to work on your base.
Half Magic is a new brand in my festive-makeup rotation for 2024. It was founded by Euphoria makeup artist Donni Davy; she’s also the creative behind Chappell Roan’s spectacular Coachella looks. Half Magic has made makeup fun again. I’ve tried pretty much everything that it’s released each year, and all of it is as high quality as it is easy to use. Its Glitterpuck — a “pressed fairy dust” — is an all-rounder, you can use it as an eye shadow, a highlighter, and as body makeup. I’m also constantly reaching for the company’s Sparklestick eyeliners, which have firmly replaced my old method of achieving a glittery wing: a slim makeup brush and a prayer. (The best shade is Champagne Snowflake, because you can use it on your lower-lash line for doll eyes.)
When I’m not doing a glitter wing, I pair my sparkly eye shadow with a simple black wing. For the flick, I use liquid liner — and any old drugstore liquid liner will work here. The inner corner is a little trickier, because you need a product that will glide over the glitter without ripping it off and stay in place without becoming a muddled smush by the end of the evening. I picked up the Rare Beauty gel liner on Black Friday and am so impressed by the quality that I’ve ordered another shade. It’s inky black, glides over even chunky layers of glitter, and crucially stays where you want it.
As for the rest of my face, I’ll be doing my best Cindy Lou impression with half a dozen shades of powder blush, and using the dregs of my limited-edition Wicked x One Size glitter setting spray. (Thankfully there’s a Wicked: Part 2 next year, so they’ll have to restock it, right. Right?)
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