Music festivals—where the music is rocking, your outfits OOTD-worthy, and your body glittering. Take your blinding highlighter up a notch by bathing yourself in this season’s must-have festival beauty accessory—body gems and glitter.
Whether you are heading to Coachella or just holding a dance party in your own backyard, sparkle like a pro and add some glittery glam to your outfits with glitter!
The Glam Plan
As tempting as it may be to fill your entire face with as many sparkly colors as you can, it is best to stick to the age-old adage: less is more. Before going glitter-crazy, grab some cosmetic-grade glitter (not craft glitter) and test your skin's sensitivity in small patches and watch out for any allergic reaction. For glitter beginners, start off with some subtle touches. Add some sparkle to your usual eye makeup using glitter liners. For the more daring ones, play around with loose pigments for that popping glow.
While loose pigments allow you to experiment more with your makeup looks, they are also a recipe for disaster if used, well, loosely. For a mess-free, stress-free application, pack on the adhesive first then dab the glitter on top with a brush. Using a brush will allow the glitter to stick immediately, with less fall-out.
Leave your lip balms or face creams where they belong and invest in a hypoallergenic, strong-hold glitter glue or primer instead. Priming your skin with glitter primer will make the pigments stick longer, even while you sweat it out on the dance floor.
Pack on the Sparks
Or don’t. For a glitter look that’s more glam than glum, always use 1-2 colors max. Start with a bright, solid color in the center and blend out with a lighter tone, like silver or iridescent. For a that subtle shine, mix loose pigments with your favorite body oil and create your own body shimmer. Pour your body oil of choice into a travel-sized bottle and add as much pigment as you want. A dash for that sun-kissed, glow from within, sheen or a heavy pour if you prefer that blinding, glow from the gods look. Shake it up and apply anywhere you want some extra shimmer.
Have glitter hair, there, and everywhere and get your hair in the glitter game! Hide your roots by brushing on some glitter gel along your part to deflect the haters. Set your eyebrows with a mix of loose cosmetic-grade glitter and hairspray then apply with a spoolie for slick eyebrows on fleek.
Unsure how to mix and match colors? Go for face and body jewels instead. With the color combination and design already pre-picked for you, choose among a bevy of pre-set, pre-cut festival glitter makeup. The wide range of design allows you to pack on the sparks so you can just stick them on and go. Be bold and confident and use colors and designs that complement your skin tone, hair color, and outfit. For a more adventurous take on highlighting, play up your best and favorite features for a look that’s all yours.
While there are plenty of cheap glitter products out there, high-quality festival glitter is the only way to go. If you’re sustainably-minded, invest in biodegradable glitter in combination with glitter glue for minimal mess and maximum love for the environment.
If you’re a complete glitter beginner, let loose and turn your mistakes into an OTT glitter glam look. The more sparkly, the better, right?
The After Party
Ready to hit the sheets without waking up in a glittery mess? The easiest way to make sure your glitter is removable is to choose a water-soluble adhesive you can easily wash off using just water. Another no-fail way to remove glitter is to dab the area with a little bit of sticky tape. Just press the sticky side gently onto the skin to remove ever tiny sparkle then finish off with an oil cleanser. Try to steer clear from actual makeup remover as this makes glitter adhere closer to the skin.
Investing in a peel-off glitter will also save you from a couple of tugs and pulls after a night of dancing and partying. Make sure to use gentle strokes to avoid tugging and follow with your favorite moisturizer—your skin will thank you later!
