The best sparkly eyeshadow is the beauty equivalent of pixie dust. Whether it’s a holiday fête, a concert, or any old Tuesday that could use more luster, a sprinkling of sparkle wraps any look in festive magic. Not to mention, a pot (or palette!) of shimmering product is the perfect last-minute beauty gift. After all, a wash of shimmer could be just what your giftee needs to cap off their New Year’s Eve ensemble. Speaking of which, have you planned yours?
Vogue’s Favorite Sparkly Eyeshadow:
Ahead, we’ve rounded up the best sparkly eyeshadow shades, pots, and palettes to burnish a holiday look or simply bring a little more light to your days—and to your gaze.
In this article:
Victoria Beckham Beauty Lid Lustre
- Why We Love It: Victoria Beckham’s holiday gift to the world is Lid Lustre in a new, ever-so-festive shade of green. The creamy pigment makes the eyes shine like the Emerald City, but it’s not just available in Elphaba’s go-to hue. The nine-color range pops with shimmering pink, velvety gold, and midnight blue that sparkles like the night sky, all thanks to real crystals. The luxe shades are infused with extracts from clear quartz, rose quartz, tourmaline, and more, and each stone is believed to carry energetic power. If you opt for the new Emerald hue, be prepared for an evening of transformation and self-discovery—or at least a dozen compliments.
- Sparkly Shades: 9
Armani Beauty Eye Tint Longwear Liquid Eyeshadow
- Why We Love It: Carolina Gonzales, the makeup artist behind some of Sabrina Carpenter’s most gleaming, doll-like looks, is a fan of Armani Beauty’s liquid formulation. Infused with phosphorescent pearls, the shadow is available in seven shimmering shades, from a soft rose gold to a vibrant electric teal. The crease-free formulation is designed for up to 16 hours of wear. (Or a dance party to the entire Short n’ Sweet album.) What’s more, it’s foolproof to apply: buildable and fallout-free, the shadow comes with an applicator that makes it easy to apply precise lines, smoky eyes, or color across the lids.
- Sparkly Shades: 7
Rituel de Fille Ash and Ember Eye Soot
- Why We Love It: Lily Collins’s makeup artist Fiona Stiles helps her clients shine with this vegan formulation from Rituel de Fille. “Unlike most natural makeup lines, [Rituel de Fille’s] pigments are incredibly rich with unbelievable payoff. Plus, they are not afraid of color, so they are always pushing the boundaries, which I love,” Stiles previously told Teen Vogue. The Eye Soot comes in shimmering shades ranging from mauve-pink to Mineralia, which is a glistening take on chocolate brown. The product can be applied with a finger or a brush, and it doubles as a softly sparkling eyeliner. Made with natural oils and pure pigments, the formulation has a velvety texture that’s a cross between a powder and a cream.
- Sparkly Shades: 4
Danessa Myricks Lightwork VI The Freedom Palette
- Why We Love It: Chappel Roan’s makeup artist Andrew Dahling uses Danessa Myricks’s Lightwork Palette for some of his most artistic looks. “The payoff and formula is like nothing else on the market,” he says. The palette holds 18 shimmering shades divided into three stackable trays. Each color pan is magnetic, which makes it easy to pluck the colors out, move them around, and build three customized palettes with six colors each. (In other words, write your own color story!) Hues include holographic blue, sparkling pink, and a shimmering burnt orange—and the shades aren’t just for the eyes. Each color can also be used on the face and lips.
- Sparkly Shades: 18
Half Magic Glitterpuck Pressed Glitter
- Why We Love It: When Euphoria head makeup artist Donni Davy set out to create what she calls “glitter for grownups,” she landed on this ethereal formulation, which infuses pressed glitter with. Available in platinum and peach-champagne hues, the multiuse product brings a fairy dust kind of glimmer to the eyes, face, and body. It’s gone viral on TikTok, sold out in stores, and developed a cult following among celebrity makeup artists. It’s the rare glitter that stays put on the lid, and it also plays well with any other shadow they have in their kit. Gonzales is a fan, and celebrity makeup artist Julianne Kay has made it her go-to glitter as well. “This is my favorite sparkle,” Kay says. “I use it over any eyeshadow. It’s so beautiful and easy to use with no fallout, which can be a problem with a lot of other shimmery products.” I’m a fan, too. I don’t typically wear eyeshadow, let alone sparkly shadow, but on a whim I dusted this on when I hosted a small viewing party for Sabrina Carptener’s Christmas special. (Also planned on a whim, so I needed something festive to wear, fast!) It gives the lightest, most magical twinkle—perfect for glitter newbies like me.
- Sparkly Shades: 2
Pat McGrath Labs Mothership XI: Sunlit Seduction
- Why We Love It: Pat McGrath’s Mothership palettes are among Dahling’s favorites. In the Sunlit Seduction edition, three floral-inspired mattes anchor a collection of evanescent hues that give off a sun-kissed, futuristic vibe. (Picture a Coachella after-party on the moon.) The blendable colors range from Skintense Radiance, a shimmering platinum hue, to Blitz Crimson Ecstacy, which sparkles like a ruby coupe filled with champagne. Best applied with a wet brush, the pressed powders can also bring a little sparkle to the cheeks and the Cupid’s bow.
- Sparkly Shades: 7
Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette
- Why We Love It: “I love these Diorshow palettes to create shimmery looks,” says celebrity makeup artist Aaron Paul. “They go on so smoothly, and they blend effortlessly. They also have a variety of different finishes, so you can create so many different looks with each palette.” For the holiday season in particular, Paul gravitates toward the limited-edition Golden Masquerade and Soir de Bal palettes. The former features glimmering, creamy shades of pink, gold, and red, while the latter offers a mix of lilac, dusky pink, and silver hues. “They’re the perfect festive and shimmery shades for the holiday season,” Paul says. Not to mention, they’re the perfect holiday gift.
- Sparkly Shades: 4
Urban Decay Moondust
- Why We Love It: A decade after its 2013 launch, Urban Decay’s twinkling formulation is trending again, dominating TikTok as creators kvell over its unique, wet-look shine. The glossy, vegan shadows light up the lids with microfine glitter that sparkles in festive hues. A swirl of red and green sparkles, Solstice is like sugar cookie sprinkles for the eyes, while Space Cowboy is a champagne shade of gold that pairs with any festive dress code.
- Sparkly Shades: 5
Nars Quad Eyeshadow Palette
- Why We Love It: Ermahn Ospina keeps these Nars palettes on hand for occasions that require some sparkle. His favorite color stories include Singapore, which features velvety, long-lasting powders in sparkling shades of gold, antique bronze, brass, and rusty red. “I love this color combination and the light these shadows bring to the eyes,” he says. “I also think that the classic Orgasm quad has the perfect eyeshadow shades to wear in all seasons.” The latter palette pairs a warm, matte shade of burnt sienna with shimmering rose, gold, and cinnamon hues. The versatile shadows can be applied wet or dry and used as eyeliners, too.
- Sparkly Shades: 4
Charlotte Tilbury Palette of Pops Pillow Talk
- Why We Love It: If this palette had a sound, it would be a champagne cork popping off, making it the brand’s most party-ready collection of shadows. While Charlotte Tilbury palettes typically offer at least one “pop” shade (that’s Tilbury talk for shimmer) this collection offers sparkles and nothing but. For a universally flattering smoky eye, the Pillow Talk palette has glimmering shades of brown and pink that light up any skin tone. Infused with pearl pigments, glossy ester, and mica, the hues give off a diamond-like shine.
- Sparkly Shades: 4
Dolce & Gabbana Eye Dare You!
- Why We Love It: Part eyeshadow palette, part status-signaling accessory, Dolce & Gabbana’s 12-color collection comes in a logoed, black-and-gold case that comes with a mirror, detachable chain, and double-ended brush. With a high color payoff and an adhesive formulation that keeps the lids sparkling for hours, the shadows come in glittering shades of peacock blue, gold, and a mermaid-like mix of purple and teal. Though the colors are bold, they’re gentle on sensitive eyes: The ophthalmologist-tested powders are infused with hyaluronic acid and prickly pear oil to hydrate and plump the skin.
- Sparkly Shades: 5
How to Choose a Sparkly Eyeshadow
“Wearing glitter is an instant mood-lift for anyone, at any age and almost any occasion,” says Davy, a self-professed “glitter queen.” She encourages her clients to start their sparkle quests by testing out various textures of sparkly shadows, from liquids to creams and powders. This way, they can see which formulations work best for them, and set a baseline for just how much sparkle they want. As for the hue? “The best way to choose a shadow color is to choose a complimentary shade for your eye color,” Dahling says. “For green eyes, a nice warm amber, copper, or purple would be great. For blue eyes, I love cool tones like silver. Brown eyes look great with golds.”
How to Apply a Sparkly Eyeshadow
For sparkly eyeshadow newbies, “Start with a super shimmery neutral eyeshadow or a pressed glitter layered, on top of your everyday eye look,” Davy says. For a dramatic look, she suggests using a black, navy, burgundy, or brown liquid or cream shadow all over the lids, then applying a pressed glitter on top. “This will create a layer of depth, or just pure color, underneath the sparkly eyeshadow which will result in a gorgeous, photogenic display of sparkle on your eyelids,” she says. “Finish with the best mascara, and that’s your look!”
Meet the Experts:
- Andrew Dahling is a celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Chappel Roan.
- Donni Davy is the Euphoria head makeup artist and the co-founder of Half Magic.
- Carolina Gonzales is a celebrity makeup artist based in New York. Her clients include Sabrina Carpenter and Blake Lively.
- Julianne Kay is a celebrity makeup artist who’s worked with Britney Spears, Kate Hudson, and Scarlett Johansson.
- Ermahn Ospina is a celebrity makeup artist based in Los Angeles. His clients include Alan Cumming and Amal Clooney.
- Aaron Paul is a celebrity makeup artist based in Los Angeles. His clients include Jennifer Tilly and Lily Singh.
