I know what you’re thinking: Sparkly eye shadow for the holidays? That’s not entirely breaking news. The holiday season begets tons of sparkle, be it a pot of ethereal eye paint, a glimmering glass of champagne, or a cloud of metallic confetti, but this year, we’ve seen much more minimal takes in the makeup department. Think sheer washes of shimmer as opposed to megawatt specks of glitter, almost like you sifted pixie dust onto your lids. Enter, fairy dust eye shadow.
I’ve seen more than a few inspiring looks over the past few weeks, but it wasn’t until I caught Sabrina Carpenter’s take that I decided to officially hop on the trend. Ahead, find the enchanting (and seemingly low-lift) glam I’ll be copying for the rest of the frosty season.
Carpenter went skiing with some friends over the holidays, as seen by a series of photos the star recently posted to Instagram. In addition to action shots on the slopes, she posed in front of the lift donning a blue, snowflake printed dress and white furry stole.
As for the glam, she ditched her signature retro cat-eye for some iridescent pigment at the inner and outer corners—the classic placement for fairy dust eye shadow. See, playing up these specific areas makes the lids look extra glossy when they catch the light. You can use any color you please, but a stark white like Carpenter’s will make you look especially frosty. (A pink or purple shimmer, on the other hand, will give off more of a Sugar Plum Fairy vibe.)
To apply, I’d suggest swirling your finger into the pigment and pressing it directly onto your lids. Then blend each corner with your fingertip until you have a soft, shimmery haze that gradually loses intensity towards the center. Afterwards, if you’d like, you can take a small eye shadow brush and touch up the inner corners for more brightness. That’s it! Easy, no? If you notice a couple stray sparkles on the center of the lids, that’s okay. It only adds to the enchanted effect, and I think the look actually leans more fairy-like when it’s imperfect, anyways.
Carpenter kept the rest of her eyes minimal, opting for just a bit of mascara. Her blush, however, looks just as bright and doll-like as ever—some staples don’t change!
The Best Eye Shadows for a Fairy Dust Look
Urban Decay Cosmetics
24/7 Moondust Glitter Eyeshadow Singles
Urban Decay’s Space Cowboy is such an iconic shade.
r.e.m. beauty
Midnight Shadows Lustrous Liquid Eyeshadow
R.E.M. Beauty’s liquid shadows deliver the prettiest “wet lid” effect.
Pat McGrath Labs
Mothership I: Subliminal Eyeshadow Palette
The shades Lilac Dust, VR Violet, and Astral White were practically made for the fairy dust trend.
Jones Road is known for its creamy, buildable formulas, and this shimmery eye shadow certainly fits the bill.
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Lid Lustre
Victoria Beckham’s high-quality shadows blend like a dream.
Danessa Myricks Beauty
Colorfix – Multi-Use Eye, Cheek & Lip Waterproof Liquid Pigment
This multi-use pigment is a staple for Sugar Plum Fairy makeup. Use it on your lids, cheekbones, and collarbones for a monochromatic glow.
Armani Beauty
Eye Tint Long-Lasting Liquid Eyeshadow
Carpenter is a known fan of Armani Beauty (it’s the brand responsible for her signature blush combo!), so I’d like to think she’d use the liquid eye shadows, too.
Rare Beauty
Positive Light Silky Touch Highlighter
This Rare Beauty highlighter is exceptionally pigmented, so it doubles as a fabulous fairy dust eye shadow.
Patrick Ta
Major Dimension Eye Illusion Eyeshadow Duo
For a champagne fairy moment, this eye shadow duo from Patrick Ta is unmatched.
Stila
Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow
This Stila number is one of the best liquid shadows on the market, period. It looks very glitzy in the bottle, but it’s actually top notch for nailing that subtle shimmer.