Instep Desk

There’s a fine line between glamorous and OTT but not many have yet mastered the art of defining it. Beauty trends all over the world have become very experimental and women are not shying away from using oodles of colour and glitter on their faces. However, using glitter is tricky because it can easily go from glamorous to gaudy in a matter of seconds. That’s why it’s time we learnt about how to use glitter tastefully so that it continues to be a hot trend this year, instead of becoming an overdone accessory that starts looking cheap after a while. The trick is in finding the right balance and more importantly, the right products to use on your face.

Nail colour

We think of nail polish when we think of glitter because that’s an easy trend to try if you’re making a glitter debut. It doesn’t require one to be too gutsy or daring as nails aren’t the most noticeable part of your body. Also, it’s hard to go wrong with a glittery nail colour. For those of you who want really thick specks of glitter on your nails, try the JINsoon’s ‘Tout Ensemble’ collection. This set includes two opaque shades – a glimmering black ‘Chamonix’ and an ivory ‘Georgette’. It’s completed by two confetti-like hues – ‘Motif’ and ‘Bijou’ – that can be worn alone or atop the lacquers.

Eye shadow

Fashion weeks all over the world have shown that glitter can look good on our face too, if applied in the correct manner. Thanks to Nabila’s creative team, the trend has been brought to Pakistan as well and our models have rocked the glitter eye shadow trend to perfection on the runway. This is why it’s time for us to say goodbye to the boring smoky eye and say hello to the glittery lid instead. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetic Glitter is one such product to use on the eyes as OCC has a wide selection of micronized metallic glitter, which can be used anywhere on the face. However, since glitter has a way for falling off the face, it’s necessary to apply a primer or a serum before applying the eye shadow for added longevity. If you need another reason to try OCC, the brand is a cruelty free beauty brand and does not test their products on animals.

Glitter specks

For those of us who want to go one step further with the glitter trend, the next step is to try actual specks of glitter. These can be applied anywhere on your face therefore one can be really creative with it. Try applying glitter specks on the cheekbones or even across the eye lids. The Topshop Glitter Pot is perfect for such use as the gold glitter flakes are nice and large and are a fashionable shade of gold. Be careful to use a subdued shade of dull gold and not a bright, yellowish one as it will immediately look tacky.

Lip colour

Our favourite glitter trend is of course on the lips and while it may not practically be possible to wear glitter lips everywhere, we have an easier alternative. The MAC Itsy Bitsy Lipglass is a great option for those who want to wear a glittery lip colour without going OTT. This lip colour is an icy, pinky-lavender with cool undertones and multi-colored pearl along with larger, copper flecks of sparkle. It has semi-opaque color coverage with a lot of shimmer in it, which makes it appear more opaque once applied.