Clean girl make-up has been the dominant beauty trend for a while now, spotlighting minimal make-up and a fresh look – but that’s about to change.
This summer, sparkles are set to make a comeback, as people are keen to have a bit more fun with their beauty looks.
“People want to have a little bit more playfulness, especially coming into summer – having a little pop of their personality,” says Laura Miller, make-up tester and trainer at Oriflame.
But that doesn’t mean loading up on maximalist glitter – instead, Miller sees it as a progression from the clean-girl aesthetic, adding: “We still can embrace this fresh, clean look while adding that element of playfulness, which I think glitter does really well.”
Beauty content creator William Grande (@snatchedbywill on TikTok), wholeheartedly agrees – taking it one step over.
“Clean girl is done, clean girl is over,” he laughs. “I think this is the year that everyone’s finally starting to express themselves through make-up… People are playing around with colour more.”
Grande suggests the glitter renaissance is partly influenced by pop culture – particularly the sparkling make-up looks worn by Swedish popstar Zara Larsson during her ongoing Midnight Sun Tour, and the fact that HBO TV show Euphoria (known for its experimental, glittering make-up looks) is back on our screens for season three.
For Miller, make-up is “artistry”, and is key to finishing off any outfit. “Make-up for me is something that can pull a look together, so if you’ve spent so much time invested in your outfit, you really want it to be complementary,” she notes.
“I think glitter can do that in such a subtle and beautiful way.”
Keen to get involved in this summer’s top beauty trend? Here are the best ways to incorporate glitter in a fresh and modern way…
Bring shine to your eyelids
One of the easiest ways to incorporate sparkles into a make-up look is focusing on your eyes.
Miller recommends initially starting with light layer of shimmering colour over your eyelids, which you can do with your fingers: “It’s really easy, there’s no technique involved – you have that wash of colour over.”
This “glowy sheen over your eyelids” gives a “bit more interest”, says Miller, particularly when it “catches the light”. Plus, you can then amp things up from that base.
“I like to build up the glitter in the middle of the eye, which gives that mirror-like water shine – it’s almost a wet look,” says Miller.
“You can do that with a product where you build it up in the middle, or you can take a bit of glitter which has larger particles to really add that pop of colour in the middle [of the eye].”
She also recommends using a glittering liquid eyeliner or a fine brush in a shimmering palette and creating a “little bit of a flick” at the corner of the eye. “That adds a little pop of colour and iridescence with that glitter, without going too overboard.”
To make sure the shimmer stays in place all day, Miller recommends using something like Vaseline to create a “slightly tackier base on the eyelid” which helps the glitter adhere to it “really well”.
Oriflame Liquid Eye Shadow in Timeless Magic, £7.99 (was £13.50)
Jordana Ticia Gummy Twinkle Stick in Sugar Bubbles, £14
Milani Gilded Mini Eyeshadow Palette 130 Champagne Problems, £11.25, Superdrug
Make your cheekbones pop
Grande is a big fan of “using glitter as a highlighter”.
“If you use an actually shimmery highlighter – for example, I love the NYX Cosmetics Buttermelt highlighting stick – it’s a cream, but you can use it on top of powders and it gives you this gorgeous, glossy effect.
“It gives you that really nice natural glow… It elevates my skin, now I look like I’ve got glass skin because I’ve got that highlighter.”
Grande recommends using a cream-based highlighter infused with shimmer and shine to “make your make-up pop”.
And with any summer beauty look, Grande emphasises the importance of skin prep and “making sure you’ve set your entire face” with a setting spray, to make sure none of the make-up budges.
NYX Professional Makeup Buttermelt Glaze Stix Let Me Melt, £8.99, Superdrug
Iconic London Prep-Set-Glow Mist, £26, Very
Use glitter in unusual ways
To bring extra sparkle to your look, why not add a bit of shine to your lashes or eyebrows?
Miller likes using the Oriflame Lash & Brow Glitter Topper, saying: “You apply your mascara as normal, and you put it onto the end of your lashes.
“You can also use it on your brows as well, and it gives that light placement. For me, it’s more about placement than necessarily going overboard – you’re just going to add that ethereal look that people might not even notice to begin with.”
Oriflame Lash & Brow Glitter Topper, £7.99 (was £14.50)
Lean into gemstones
For a more maximalist take on the glitter trend, it’s time to start playing with gemstones – as seen at the Met Gala on Rihanna and Thai popstar Lisa.
“I love using gems,” says Grande – and it’s very easy to apply if you haven’t done it before.
You take a make-up brush, with Grande explaining: “Apply a bit of lash glue to the end of it, then it will literally stick to the gem” and you then place it on your face. “You can do that genius little hack rather than using tweezers, because that takes way too long per gem.”
Profusion Cosmetics – Dear Cupid Face & Body Jewels, £1 (was £2.99), Superdrug
