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A glitter resurgence is upon us. Previously reserved for sparkly holidays and tweens on TikTok, permission to wear glitter eyeshadow every day has been granted.
The spring 2025 runways ushered in the return of glimmering glam, from a soft wash of sparkle to a full-on holographic glitter-fest. These trends emerged in full force last night at the Golden Globes.
There’s a common misconception that people of a certain age shouldn’t wear glitter eyeshadow at all, but you’ve been lied to. It’s true that shimmery shades can highlight crepey skin, but with proper placement, anyone can rock one of 2025’s biggest beauty trends. (Pro tip: Just focus the glitter on the flat of the lid, avoiding the saggier areas near your crease, and you’re good to go.)
You can trust me on this. I earned my professional makeup certification in 2006, but I majored in glitter long before then. My foray into sparkle started in the early y2k era when I patted Claire’s loose glitter onto a smear of Vaseline. (When we know better, we do better.) Since then I’ve upped my glitter game, testing countless products, from soft shimmering shadows to chunky holographic glosses.
Top Glitter Eyeshadows of 2025
Naturally, I was thrilled to see glitter on actresses of all ages on the 2025 Golden Globes red carpet. Both Salma Hayek and Miley Cyrus married two of my fave throwback trends: glitter and grunge. Hayek spruced up her smokey eye with green glitter while Cyrus added silver sparkle to hers. Classic metallics had a moment, too, with Demi Moore, Cate Blanchett, and Mindy Kaling and all rocking glittery gold glam. Shimmer, glitter’s subtle sister, also showed up strong on the red carpet, from Awkwafina’s silvery sheen to Viola Davis’ more pigmented rose gold.
Think glitter is exclusive to runways and red carpets? Nope. Even if you’re hesitant, there’s a way to make the trend wearable for you. Read on for some of my tried-and-true favorite glitter eyeshadows for any occasion.
Shop WWD’s Golden Globes Amazon Storefront of red carpet-inspired beauty finds, from skin care products for glowing skin to photo-ready makeup and hair styling tools that deliver Old Hollywood glamour.
Shop WWD’s Amazon Golden Globes Storefront
Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow
Urban Decay’s Moondust is my go-to for an effortlessly chic glitter eye. It comes in a variety of finishes from subtle shimmers to highly reflective metallics. I consider it the perfect pick if you want to try the fairy dust eye trend: Simply blend it out with a fluffy brush to give that translucent soft wash of sparkle.
Space Cowboy is a TikTok-famous shade that’s universally flattering, making it a great gateway glitter for beginners. I also love Lithium, a brown metallic shade with silver sparkle, that I use to create dimension in my crease. If you want to glitter up your entire eye look, Cosmic is the perfect shimmery white to highlight your brow bone.
Price upon publish date of this article: $24
Dior Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette
I fell deeper in love with this glitter eyeshadow palette after learning that it was behind three iconic Golden Globes red carpet beauty looks on Demi Moore, Anna Sawai, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Each palette contains a beautiful range of matte, satin, shimmer, metallic and glitter finishes.
Moore embodied the term starlet in shade #559 Poncho, a stunning combination of gold and bronze tones. Taylor-Joy’s look gave ethereal romance vibes with a rose gold eye created with shade #823 Rosa Mutabilis. And Sawai’s was the most subtle of the three with more of a finely-milled soft shimmer, but she looked equally stunning in shade #429 Toile de Jouy.
Price upon publish date of this article: $68
Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow
Beauty enthusiasts and experts alike live for this glitter goodness. It’s a weightless, micro-glitter cream eyeshadow that elevates glitter to a sophisticated, chic level. Grab the shade Reflect for the perfect champagne color that works well for everyday wear.
Price upon publish date of this article: $30
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette
When I saw Quinta Brunson on the Golden Globes red carpet, I had to know what created her eye look. Makeup artist Kasha Lassien used Chanel’s Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette in shades Tender and Deep to create a soft brown metallic eye that complemented her skin tone perfectly. Kristen Bell wore the same palette in the shade Warm.
Price upon publish date of this article: $72
Stila Glitter & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow
This shimmery eyeshadow is my holy grail for a seriously glittery look. Liquid shadows might seem intimidating to some, but this one is foolproof. It features an easy-to-use applicator that you can swipe directly to the lid for a more saturated, pigmented look, or just pop a bit on your finger and pat on for a more diffused effect.
I love that it can double as a glitter eyeliner, too. Just add some to a thin eyeliner brush and paint along your lash line or wing it out for an easy glitter cat eye. Diamond Dust is great for a classic disco ball look and Kitten Karma is my fave for a little everyday glam.
Price upon publish date of this article: $25
Half Magic Eyeshadow Singles
No one does glitter like Euphoria makeup artist Donni Davy. Her brand’s glitter eyeshadow marries pigment and sparkle in the best way. The Unicorncore shade is what Y2K dreams are made of, blending a duochrome icy blue hue with pink flecks of glitter.
Price upon publish date of this article: $13
NYX Professional Makeup Glitter Primer
This is the product that my younger self desperately needed in 1997 — and a must-have essential for anyone new to the glitter eyeshadow trend. Use it before applying shadow to keep every sparkle in its place. It works well to corral loose glitter and can also double as a more traditional eye primer to make shimmery and metallic shades look more impactful.
Price upon publish date of this article: $6.50
Fenty Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil
Technically this is a highlighter, but I find it works beautifully as an eyeshadow, too. You can even use it as a topper for other more pigmented shadows to transform any look into a highly-reflective shimmery one. How Many Carats?! is a pure platinum sparkle that you need in your makeup bag ASAP.
Price upon publish date of this article: $42
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Meet the Author
Katie McBroom is an award-winning writer and content creator with over a decade of experience in digital media. Prior to contributing to WWD, she served as Content Editor for Google and Beauty Editor for Hearst’s Best Products. Her work has also appeared in publications including Cosmopolitan, Elle, Oprah, CNN, Business Insider, and Men’s Health, among others. Well-versed in all things beauty, she is also a licensed cosmetologist and professionally certified makeup artist.
