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Maybe you've noticed, but glitter makeup is having a moment in 2016—What a time to be alive!

The problem is that glitter today skews too "done." For evidence, Google "glitter makeup" and see what comes up. It's all about more-is-more, which is great.

 

Obviously, there should be no rules about wearing glitter. Or about wearing any item of makeup, really. But glitter deserves its own guide because it's more daunting than, say, blush. Brushing finely milled pigment on your cheeks is one thing, but when you start dealing with little tiny pieces of iridescent plastic, it's nice to establish some ground rules. For the sake of brevity, five is plenty enough:

 

 

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1) Lighting matters. (A lot.)

"You don't want sad, dull glitter—that's just depressing,". Glitter is three-dimensional—it's about color and texture, sure, but it's also about light.

 

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2) lAYERING MATTERS TOO

Like, for example, layering  Glitter  underneath a bunch of sequins for peak mermaid eyes. 

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3) BE AS PRECISE AS YOU CAN

"Placement is key with lips—especially if you’re using a darker color, because it can be a botched job if you don’t do it right,"

The combination of glitter, stones, and blackest black is a kind of drama equation—Anyways, a beautiful look to try if you're not planning on eating a burger.

 

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4) EMBRACE  YOUR MISTAKES

Because to err is human, and that human element to beauty. Take the above look, in which the  face is dusted with loose freckles of glitter. From far away, they look like... regular freckles. Step a little closer and they come to life. Plus, all you need is excess glitter and some glue—Resourceful, lighthearted, but verging on dramatic.

 

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5) THERE ARE NO RULES

 When dealing with glitter, the only verb that fits is "play." You're never applying glitter; you're playing with glitter. It's inherently fun, so take risks.

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