Can beauties over 30 _______? Vol. 1

Welcome to the first post in this series in which I ponder whether we 30+ beauties can carry off the looks being sported by our whippersnapper counterparts 😉

I don’t consider myself to be a real girly girl, but ever since I first watched figure skating in the Olympics (1980?), I’ve been drawn to sparkle.  Fast forward 20+ years and I learn, thanks to UK beauty legend Lisa Eldridge, that sparkle was born in none other than my home state of NJ!

And so, it seems fitting to begin this series with the question…

Can beauties over 30 sport sparkle?  To paraphrase Mr. Big… abso%$#lutely!

My personal preference is not for all-over-glitter, rather a little hint of sparkle here or there.  I’m not saying I’d wear it to work, but some occasions simply call for it… so, without further ado, here are three of my favorite oft-worn sparkle looks.

This first one is perhaps the easiest to achieve, as it really only involves cream shadow and glitter liner, neither of which require much in the way of precision application.

1. I put a wash of gold glitter cream shadow across my lower lid up to my crease, leaving the area directly under my brow bone bare.  I really like using the ELF Studio Long-Lasting Lustrous Eyeshadow for this, the texture is sort of a mix among cream, gel, and mousse, and it gives a really pretty, and reasonably subtle look.  
2. Next, I run some gold glitter eyeliner along my upper lash-line to give a little more definition, plus some extra sparkle!  My favorite liner for ease of use and color payoff, without any of the stinging I’ve gotten from other glitter liners, is the Sleek Makeup Glitter Dip It Eyeliner in Hollywood. 
3. I usually run a brown liner along my lower inner rim and then pair with ELF Studio Blush in Berry Merry (a lovely rosy blush with a hint of gold sparkle) and ELF Essentials Lipstick in Ruby Slipper (the lip gloss version of Berry Merry).  If this is all starting to sound a bit holiday-esque, I actually did wear this exact look to Christmas dinner this year!

   

Next up is my take on a look I learned from a New Year’s Eve tutorial posted on YouTube by the very glamorous Makeup Delight 2009!

1. In this shot, I started by pairing a light matte shadow on my lid with a mid-toned metallic shadow in the crease.  
2. The glitter comes in under the lower lash line.  Since the colors on my upper lid were cool-toned, I went with silver glitter liner this time.
3. I finished off the look with some black liner on the upper lid and paired it with one of my fave neutral pink blush and lipsticks.  I like this look so much, I wore a version of it to my wedding rehearsal dinner!

   

   

Last but not least, another lovely look I learned on YouTube, this time from Makeup by TiffanyD, which she apparently based on a JLo look!

1. First, I start all over the lid and up to the crease with a mid-toned, metallic shade.  In this case, Pixi Fairy Lights Solo in BoHo Bronze.

2. Then, it’s time for some major sparkle!  I cover the whole lid with Lit Cosmetics glitter in Hello Sunshine.

3. Lastly, some brown liner to ground the look and pretty peachy-pink neutrals on the cheeks and lips.

Stay tuned for our next installment of Can beauties over 30___, and feel free to submit your questions and requests!

*These are only my opinions, formed through my personal experience as a consumer.  I am not a medical doctor, an aesthetician, or a health/beauty professional.  There is no guarantee what effect, positive or negative, these products may have on anyone else.

**All products were purchased by me from brands that, to the best of my knowledge, are cruelty-free.