Metallic Makeup for Winter Evenings, Without Looking Like a Costume

Choose one metallic, one place

A metallic look that reads as wearable has one dominant metallic zone. Usually that is the lid, the cheekbones or the inner corner. Keep the rest of the face in matte skin tones, a neutral lip and a clean brow. Two metallic zones can work, but three or more start to read as costume.

Texture and base

Cream metallics are the most forgiving. Press a cream onto a primed lid with a flat brush, then set it lightly with a matching powder. Loose glitter sits on dry skin unevenly and tends to drift under the eye, so use it only on the inner corner, over a tacky base.

For warm undertones, bronze and rich gold look natural. For cool undertones, champagne and soft silver give the same sheen with less yellow. Test the shade on the inner arm, not on the hand.

Winter evenings

Winter light is low and warm from indoor lamps, so a metallic that looks strong at noon can look flat at night. Go one shade deeper than your daytime choice and add a little more highlighter to the cheekbone top. Keep the lip neutral and dark, rose-brown or a soft berry, so the eye remains the focus.

Before you leave for the evening

• One metallic zone only: lid, cheekbone or inner corner
• Cream metallic set with a matching powder
• Glitter kept to the inner corner over a tacky base
• Shade checked against the inner arm in daylight
• Lip kept neutral, rose-brown or soft berry
• Brow brushed and set, so the eye area reads clean

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Questions people ask

What colour metallic suits every skin tone?

Champagne and a soft bronze are the easiest starting points because they sit close to skin without looking grey or orange.

How do I stop glitter from falling onto my cheeks?

Keep the glitter to the inner corner, press it on with a damp brush, and finish with a light setting spray.