Fairy Dust Eyeshadow is the best way to shine this winter

If the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker were still dancing until 2025, she’d probably be wearing glittery eyeshadow with a pretty pink tutu. It’s the season to sparkle after all!

If you’ve noticed an uptick in glittery eyeshadow on FYP on Instagram and TikTok lately, there’s a reason for that. Sheer, ultra-sparkly shadows have been popular in recent years, but the holiday season always calls for glitter. (Seriously, you can’t go to a New Year’s Eve party without wearing something sparkly. That’s the rule.) But instead of applying chunky craft store glitter to your eyelids, try fairy dust eyelids. Try shadows. This trend is a more modern and, so to speak, understated way to shine throughout the season.

“The fairy dust eyeshadow trend is perfect for winter and the holiday season,” says makeup artist Casey Spickard. “Shadows in this category are finely milled, highly pigmented shimmer shadows that give the eyelids an intense shimmer or an almost ‘wet’ smooth look.” ” Festive colors abound, from icy platinum and frosty Queen Elsa blue to warm gold and flirty pink. (Sugar Plum Fairy Paging!) Basically, applying this will make you feel as fantastical and otherworldly as a gorgeous fairy flying around an enchanted forest. And that’s the feeling you get every day with just a swipe of a shadow.

The important thing here is the product formula. This is not a heavy, thick glitter, but a soft glow made with ultra-fine shimmers that pick up the light in the most beautiful way. As Spickard mentioned, many of the Fairy Dust eyeshadows have very soft, almost wet formulas that require a little TLC when working with them, but once on the eyelids, they’ll melt from your first glass of champagne to New Year’s Eve. It lasts forever until the ball falls. . And yes, it looks just as gorgeous on camera as it does IRL.

How to get the look

The beauty of the fairy dust eyeshadow look is that it couldn’t be easier to pull off. All you need is a swipe of shimmer to take your everyday eye makeup to the next level, but you can also layer it with matte or cream shadows for an added glow. “To apply, use your fingers to dip into the eyeshadow and apply directly to the eyelid,” suggests Spickard.

If you want an even stronger application, she advises dampening a flat brush with a setting spray, dipping it into the shadow and applying it directly to your eyelids. Sparkly eyes and red lips are a holiday look you can’t go wrong with. So too is the upcoming smoky eye with a touch of fairy dust glitter in the center or corner of the eye. You can wear a little bit of sparkle on Monday morning and go full glow on Friday night. (Pro tip: Put on Addison Rae’s “Aquamarine” to get into that magical state of mind.)

Many of our favorite beauty brands have launched their own shimmery shadows, perhaps inspired by the viral success of Urban Decay’s 24/7 Moondust shadow. Spickard co-signed Shadow, stating, “They’re really category-leading, so they’re on the kits of so many professional artists.” (The Moondust shadow is so popular that Urban Decay has split it into several different palettes, including a limited edition Space Cowboy Glitter Eyeshadow Palette.)

Spickard also loves Bobbi Brown’s Luxe Shimmer eyeshadow, which he says has a “high-intensity shimmer that gives it the perfect fairy glow.” Makeup by Mario’s Moonlight Ethereal Eyes Palette includes some fairy dust shadows, and Kylie Jenner recently put her own spin on the trend with a softer, more subtle four-piece wet shimmer quad .

Patrick Ta Major Dimensions Eye Illusions Shadow Duos is a new product that Spickard loves. “There’s an incredible amount of pigment in these shadows, giving them megawatt shine,” he says. Of course, we can’t forget Fenty Beauty’s Diamond Bomb All Over Diamond Veil. You can mix it into your body lotion for an all-over glow and glow. Also, don’t forget Lush’s pink Fairy Dust dusting powder. The Sugar Plum Fairy would approve of that.