New Year’s Sparkle for Hair, Face and Nails

Don’t Stop My Shine

A New Year’s Eve sparkle is easy to achieve, even at the last minute, with these festive tips.

If you’re seeking the glamorous look of our model above, use a chunky glitter, like Make Up For Ever’s, $14 at Sephora stores, stenciled along the eye and down the face to the neck and decolleté. Cool colors such as silver work best for pale skin, and gold or copper are more suited for darker skin tones.

Use a thin piece of lace as your guide, if you wish, or simply try doing it freehand. For the shining gems, Make Up For Ever sells Strass face and body gems, $21, below, which can be adhesed with clear eyelash glue.

But here is my insider tip: go to your local fabric store and look for sticky-back rhinestones, $3.99. You will get 10 times the quantity for a fraction of the cost, and they really stick to the skin, eliminating the need for messy, time-consuming glue.

Simply peel off the back of the gem with a pair of tweezers and stick the rhinestones on with your finger. They come in all different colors, but I really like the silver ones. Try matching them with your outfit, or simply stay with silver. You’ll love the look!

Add a pair of diamond-edged lashes from the drug store and a metallic manicure and you are ready for any New Year’s party. I like NYC New York Color nail polishes, $1.72, from Target.

For your hair, pick up a bottle of Sephora brand Argent glitter hairspray in gold or silver, $5. They don’t have them displayed so you have to ask a sales associate for it. I love the way the silver looks in my dark hair, and it smells great. I think the gold would look stunning on blondes or a lighter hair color. At only five bucks for 1.67 ounces, it’s a great investment. Spray a little on your shoulders, too, but one word of caution–this stuff gets all over the place and really sticks where it lands. Spray it on in the shower before you get dressed to avoid a big mess.

Pick up any wayward glitter by taping your hand, like a boxer, with a little bit of clear Scotch tape. Simply roll the tape, with the sticky side facing out, around your fingers and whisk it away. The tape will pick up the sparkle while leaving your makeup intact.

Oh, and one more thing! Don’t get too carried away with the sparkle. This is New Year’s, not Halloween, so use discretion (at least, a little), and don’t let anyone stop your shine!