Gold lipstick, gloss, nail polish, and eye shadow give a dash of flash, but never wear all of them at once. Choose only gold gloss and nails, for instance, or golden eye shadow with a flattering gold shimmer dusted over a pink or mauve blush.
Gold eye shadows go well when blended with purples, mauves, taupes, and greens; and are particularly stunning on dark eyes. Try out different combinations until you find the one that yields an opulent look without overpowering the rest of the makeup. Bare Escentuals True Gold Eyeshadow is a nice choice for an accent, an under-brow highlighter, or even an overall lid or crease color. To really make dark eyes sparkle, gold glitter eyeliner is available from quite a few companies, including Stila and Sephora. Use it with caution if you wear contact lenses, though.
Pair gold eye makeup with Napolean Perdis Luminous Lip Veil in Gold & Beautiful for a seductive party look that will truly make an impression. If all-over gold lips are not for you, apply just a dot in the center of the lower lip and blend well with a lip brush to get the illusion of a sensuous pout.
Sephora by Opi Only Gold for Me is a glittery golden topcoat that can add a glamorous finish to any nail polish. Opi Swiss Collections Glitzerland and Opi Bring on the Bling glitter polish make a glitzy holiday statement all on their own. The amusingly named Nailtini gold polish is another great choice.
One of the prettiest gold glitter sprays for hair and body is Sephora Gold Glitter Spray (it is also available in silver and multicolored versions). This product projects a fine spray of very small particles, so it only looks tacky if you use too much. As the evening wears on, its non-sticky formula does begin to flake off, however. Moreover, some users complain that the can often dispenses way too much product at once, making it wasteful and annoying to use.
Shimmer Powders and Lotions for Evening Glamour
There are many products available to give that subtle yet stunning golden glow to the skin. Test them out before wearing them, as some come off rather quickly and others provide a finish that is strikingly at odds with their names or claims. If you like the look, you could always consider implementing it as cosmetic makeup tattooing.
Many gold powders are limited edition cosmetics that are released prior to the winter holiday season. Bare Escentuals Brilliant Gold Beauty Duo adds real gold powder to the companys iconic Mineral Veil. It gives a subtle illuminating effect that is glamorous rather than glitzy. Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Pure Gold Powder is another good choice, but it is better for light skin, as its hue is really more pinky-beige than true gold.
Other companies, such as Smashbox, Sephora, and Make Up For Ever, sell limited edition Beauty in a Box sets for the holidays. Make Up For Evers Beauty in a Box in Gold Icon and Smashbox: The Gold List are super ways to experiment with gold makeup and find out which colors look best on you. Blondes, redheads, and very pale-skinned consumers might try Sephora Collection Beauty in a Box: Sparkle Till Dawn, which comes in appealing shades of platinum and copper.
DiorSkin Shimmer Star Pressed Powder comes in multicolored shades called Amber Diamond and Rose Diamond, and is a subtly sexy way to apply just the right amount of shine to the face and body. The Dior Skinflash Radiance Booster Pen applies a shiny (but not too shiny) liquid over the areas of the face you wish to highlight. A very delicate shimmer may be applied by using Lancome Color Ideal Illuminateur Sheer Highlighting Pressed Powder, which comes in three gorgeous shades and does not wear off too quickly. MAC Pigments are long-wearing loose powders that provide plenty of glamorous shine, but can get all over the place if a user isn’t careful.
Two interesting shimmer lotions are Stila All-over Shimmer Liquid Luminizer and the super-inexpensive Wet n Wild Mega-Glo Face Illuminator. The Stila product has several different shades, including a light gold that works very well on light to medium skin. The Mega-Glo costs only $3, and has three attention-grabbing colors (pink, bronze, and rose) that may be applied under a thin coating of shimmer powder for all-night staying power. The pinkish-gold luster of Benefits Girl Meets Pearl stick yields an alluring effect on lighter skin.
Lastly, remember that heavily lined or terribly sun-damaged skin will appear even more wrinkled if metallic makeup colors or shimmer products are used. A very light dusting of translucent shine will be all these skin types can get away with.
