Shimmer & Shine for Christmas - Part 1
One of the best things about Christmas? Getting to completely overdo it on the makeup. Think glitter, shimmer and shine, and you’re nearly there. I love all of the lovely shimmery, sparkly, shiny products out there at this time of year. You can ramp it up, or keep it subtle – up to you. I’ve been rounding up some of the best products for shimmer and shine for every part of your beauty routine.
Today’s it’s the face and body we’ll concentrate on – tomorrow, eyes, lips and nails.
THE FACE
You don’t want a shiny face, of course, but you do maybe want to get a bit of a sparkly glow going at the office party. Try a liquid highlighter on your cheekbones for contour, or mix it with your foundation or moisturiser and apply all over for a dewy, glowing finish. BeneFit Girl meets Pearl (£24.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk) has a super pink gold glow, CK One Skin Illuminator (£18, debenhams.com) is in a brilliant squeezable tube, and a little goes a long way, and L’Oreal Lumi Magique Instant Radiance Enhancer (£10.99, boots.com).
Highlighting powders do the same thing. Apply to your décolleté as well. M&S Autograph Pure Luxe Powder Highlighter (£14, marksandspencer.com) or L’Oreal Lumi Magique Illuminating Powder (£8.99, boots.com) will give you a subtle shimmer. The Body Shop The Sparkler in Boudoir Pink (£15, thebodyshop.co.uk), is perfect if you want to add a splash of pink shimmer – this is a staple of The Body Shop’s festive range now, and it’s so easy to use. It also comes in Enchanting Gold. Bobbi Brown’s Nude Glow Shimmer Brick (£35, bobbibrown.co.uk) is super-shimmery and each shade can double up as an eyeshadow, or you can just sweep it over for a lovely shimmer.
THE BODY
All the bits of your body that are on show this festive season, at the Christmas party, will most certainly benefit from a bit of shimmer and shine. Legs, décolleté, arms, and well, yes, that’s all that should be on show! There are SO many body oils with sparkle on the market it is almost impossible to choose a few. However, if oil isn’t your thing, BeneFit’s Bathina Take A Picture…(£23.50, benefitcosmetics.co.uk) is a gorgeous solid body balm, with subtle sparkle which will add just a hint of shine to your pins – looks fab on there. Soap & Glory’s The Righteous Butter Body Shimmer Cream (£10.50, boots.com) comes with a big old puff to apply, and adds a lovely shimmer. He-Shi’s Quick + Easy Luminous Shimmer (£12.50, harveynichols.com, He-shi.eu) is not for the faint-hearted. This adds multi-coloured glittery glow – be careful!
Clarins Splendours Shimmer Body Oil (£38, clarins.co.uk) is an online exclusive. It’s a lovely subtle shimmer, and the oil nourishes, of course. French brands Nuxe and Melvita both have dry body oils with shimmer for Christmas. Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuese OR (£38, uk.spacenk.com) is great for face, body and hair, and so is Melvita’s L’Or Bio Sparkling Oil (£29, melvita.co.uk), also with added golden shimmer. Apply to hair, body and face for a subtle shimmer.
So, that’s your face and body taken care of – tomorrow, it’s time to make your eyes, lips and nails shimmer and shine!
