If the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker was dancing into 2025, she’d in all probability be carrying a sheer sparkly eyeshadow alongside along with her fairly pink tutu. ‘Tis the season to glitter, in spite of everything! 

When you’ve seen an uptick in glimmering, shimmering eyeshadows in your Instagram and TikTok FYP not too long ago, there’s a motive for that. Whereas sheer, ultra-sparkly shadows have been standard for a number of years, the vacation season all the time requires glitter. (Critically, you may’t RSVP for a New Yr’s Eve get together with out one thing sparkly in your individual. It’s the rule.) However as a substitute of loading your lids with chunky craft retailer glitter, attempt fairy mud eyeshadow as a substitute! The development is a extra trendy, shall-we-say demure strategy to sparkle all season.

“The fairy mud eyeshadow development is ideal for the winter and vacation season,” says make-up artist Kasey Spickard. “This class of shadows are finely milled, excessive pigment-load shimmer shadows that give an intense twinkle or an nearly ‘moist,’ slick look to the lids.” They arrive in so many festive colours, from icy platinum and frosty Queen Elsa blue to heat gold and flirty pink. (Paging the Sugar Plum Fairy!) Principally, after making use of one, you’ll really feel as ethereal and otherworldly as a stunning fairy flitting round an enchanted forest, and it’s a sense you may get each single day—all in a swipe of shadow.

The product system is vital right here; this isn’t a heavy, thick glitter however moderately a gentle wash of sparkle, made with micro-fine shimmer that picks up the sunshine in essentially the most stunning approach. As Spickard talked about, many fairy mud eyeshadows are a brilliant gentle, nearly moist system that requires slightly little bit of TLC when dealing with, however as soon as it’s in your lids, it lasts and lasts out of your first glass of champagne to the New Yr’s Eve ball drop. And sure, it seems as beautiful on digicam because it does IRL.

Easy methods to Get the Look

The great thing about the fairy mud eyeshadow look is that it really couldn’t be simpler to do. All it takes is a straightforward swipe of shimmer to raise your on a regular basis eye make-up, however you may also layer it with matte or cream shadows for a contact of sparkle, too. “To use, use your finger and dip into the eyeshadow and apply on to the eyelid,” Spickard recommends.

For extra depth, he advises wetting a flat brush with setting spray, then dipping it into the shadow and making use of on to the lid. A shimmery eye and purple lip is a never-fail vacation look, as is a come-hither smoky eye with a contact of fairy mud glitter proper within the middle or on the nook of your eye. You may put on a tiny trace of sparkle on a Monday morning, then go full glitter for Friday night time. (Professional tip: Play Addison Rae’s “Aquamarine” to get into that enchanted mind-set.) 

A lot of our fave magnificence manufacturers have launched their very own sparkly shadows, in all probability impressed by the viral smash success of City Decay’s 24/7 Moondust shadows; Spickard co-signs the shadows, saying they’re in “so many professional artist kits as a result of they actually lead the class.” (The Moondust shadows are so standard, City Decay spun them off into a number of completely different palettes, just like the limited-edition House Cowboy Glitter Eyeshadow Palette.)

Spickard additionally likes Bobbi Brown Luxe Shimmer Eyeshadows, which he says have a “excessive depth twinkle that offers you the right fairy sparkle.” Make-up by Mario’s Moonlight Ethereal Eyes Palette features a few fairy mud shadows, and Kylie Jenner not too long ago launched her personal tackle the development with the gentle, extra delicate four-piece Moist Shimmer Quad.

Patrick Ta Main Dimensions Eye Illusions Shadow Duos are a more recent launch Spickard loves. “The pigment load on these shadows is unbelievable and offers you a megawatt sparkle,” he says. After all, we are able to’t overlook about Fenty Magnificence’s Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil, which you may also combine into physique lotion for full-body shimmer and shine, or Lush’s pink Fairy Mud Dusting Powder. The Sugar Plum Fairy would approve.