Glitter: A Dissertation

WARNING - DANGER AHEAD: I am not advising you to put craft glitter on your face. This is only an account of choices I have made. I am not a doctor or your mother (unless you are a pug.) I wore paint pigment as an eyeshadow for years and I'm sure my eyelashes will fall out any day now. My friend found a piece of glitter in her eyeball a week after the party she had worn it to ended. Make good decisions!

ALL ABOUT GLITTER
It's the most sparkly time of year! We are already in the full swing of holiday party season. I'm about to show you the latest glitter trends. Let's make sure we shine to our full potential. 

GLITTER PAST
Have you noticed glitter is back "in"? No longer just a casualty of the early 00's along with Gadzooks and Britney Spears' innocence. It's finally acceptable for non-strippers to douse themselves in tiny metallic flakes.

MODERN GLITTER
Big, chunky glitter is the wave of the future. You can find all different kinds of shapes and colors these days. In my opinion, the bigger the chunks the better it looks. 

I like to work with multiple colors at the same time. Usually a "neutral" (when it comes to glitter a neutral is silver, gold, or iridescent) and a color that compliments my outfit. Use the color as the base and then dab on the "neutral" as a highlight. A small paintbrush from the craft store is a great tool for your glitter kit.

Glitter owes a lot to Lauren Mayberry, the lead singer of Scottish band Chvrches, for its resurgence. Her experimental eye makeup is leading the way. She is my go-to when I need glitter-spiration. 

You can buy glitter at makeup stores, craft stores and of course all over the internet. We have the popularity of nail art to thank. Beware - there is a difference between craft and cosmetic glitter. Craft glitter is not to be used on your face, especially the tiny little flecks. They can contain metal and cause eye injuries, but you read my warning right!?!

APPLICATION
There are 2 different methods for attaching a pile of glitter to your face.

Eyelash glue - If you want your glitter to stay put, eyelash glue is the way to go. Make sure you're confident when you apply the glue and have some good make-up remover around in case things get out of hand. Eyelash glue works best to keep a small dose in place.

Vaseline - This is my preferred vehicle for shining up my face. The glitter will move around throughout the night. But it usually migrates to places you would naturally want a highlight anyway - like your cheekbones. You will get glitter on other people. They will think it's cool at the time but likely curse you later. If you have a glitter-induced breakdown, and absolutely must get it off your face immediately all you need is a tissue.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
If you introduce glitter into your life it will end up everywhere. It's in every corner of my apartment building. It's hard to clean up and I expect to start seeing rules about glitter use in hotels and vacation rentals.

Glitter is MOOP (matter out of place, fool!) It's a big no-no at Burning Man. Every time I use it, I know it's bad for our planet. But I make a conscious choice to do so. I'm not wearing glitter every day or dumping it down the toilet. I do my best to enjoy it when I wear it and not be wasteful.

Biodegradable glitter is a real thing. I have not come across it in the wild yet. Although I would imagine you wouldn't make too many friends having to constantly defend your biodegradable glitter.

IN SUMMATION
Glitter is back. Go for the big chunky shapes. Wear it proud. Enjoy the trend while it lasts. And shine your damn ass off this holiday season!

---