How to master grown-up glitter like Holly… By her makeup artist Patsy O’Neill

Many people associate glitter with youth, imagining teenagers going to festivals or young girls trying make-up for the first time. But I don’t think that’s right; there’s no reason that those of us who are a little older can’t indulge in a little sparkle.

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that your New Year’s Eve look should consist of a sparkly zigzag across one side of your face; those days are behind us. But glitter can be sophisticated and elegant.

And that doesn’t just mean wearing barely-there, muted nudes. Dark olive green, copper, gold and coral pink… as a make-up artist of 30 years, I know that there is a shiny look for every woman, regardless of her age.

Try different shades and products to discover what you feel good about; you might be surprised at what you discover.

I worked with Holly Willoughby for ten years getting her ready for television and red carpet appearances. At 42, she’s a perfect example of how to make glitter work for you in your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond.

From shimmering eyeshadows that offer a subtle hint of glitter, to full-on glitter eyeliners that instantly evoke a festive vibe, I love working with her stylist to create a look that blends makeup and outfit into a fabulous overall look.

Especially doing Holly’s make-up for Dancing On Ice is always a real girl’s world of fun.

But don’t think you have to be a qualified makeup artist armed with dozens of products to find the perfect New Year’s Eve glitter look.

Even though I apply all my skills while working, when it comes to doing my own makeup, if I’m honest, I have very little patience. I don’t want to deal with lots of small brushes, I want to use my finger to apply the product, use one brush to blend and be out the door.

I’m a big believer in being realistic when creating looks that people can achieve at home, in a reasonable amount of time.

So here’s a guide to the glitter looks you can try to add some sparkle to your glam routine – whether you prefer entry-level glitter or something more dramatic – perfect for ringing in the new year and beyond. ..

BEGINNER:

EYE LIGHTENING HIGHLIGHT

If you swear by matte shades, or the last time you wore glitter eyeshadow was at the school disco, I suggest the first step is to simply accentuate the corners of your eyes for a small but effective touch of glitter.

We all have an eyeshadow palette with an ivory part that usually goes largely untouched. Using a small brush, apply a bit of pearl shade to the inner corner of your eye for a brightening effect.

SUBTLE SHINE

Another easy look for beginners is an overall wash of muted sparkles. A sheer, shimmering eyeshadow is ideal for achieving this, as it allows you to build up the intensity of the color to your preference.

I would recommend starting with a lighter shade as this is a great confidence booster; cream, ivory and pink-nude shades will work. Lidstar glossy liquid eyeshadows (£18, uk.glossier.com) are great products for this look.

Before applying anything, close your eyes and feel where the eye socket is on your eyelids; this is your guideline. Only mix the product up to that arc and not beyond it, otherwise it will look gaudy.

Dab the eye shadow on the center of your eye and spread over the entire eyelid. There is absolutely nothing wrong with applying the product with your fingers, but I do recommend using a blending brush. This doesn’t have to be professional or expensive; the Real Techniques eyeshadow and blend duo costs £11 at Boots.

To complete the look, apply mascara, a matte bronzer to contrast with the shine on your eyes and a cream blush to warm up the whole look.

INTERMEDIATE:

LUMINOUS COVERS

For those who want a bit more punch, I recommend going for a more intensely pigmented cream eyeshadow. People may be afraid of them, but they are almost not bad to apply and easier to use than a loose powder.

I’m a fan of Hourglass’ Scattered Light pots (£28, hourglass cosmetics.co.uk). These have a mousse-like texture and are infused with glitter. I love Olive, but for a starter shade, try Reflect, a rose-champagne that adds shine but doesn’t make a big statement.

Be warned: if you have tired or bloodshot eyes due to post-Christmas exhaustion, stay away from pink as they emphasize the redness.

The secret to grown-up glitter that relies on just one product is choosing an eyeshadow with three-dimensional depth. This means that even though it looks like it’s just copper or gold, it actually has glitter in it that catches the light.

Victoria Beckham’s Lid Luster eyeshadows are great for this; try Chiffon, a pearly champagne color with golden hues (victoriabeckhambeauty.com).

At £33 these are more expensive, but definitely worth investing in. Apply the product to the center of your eyelid and use your blending brush to sweep it up and along your eye.

You can also apply it under your lower lash line to frame your eyes with shine.

Finish with mascara, or add drama with black liquid eyeliner.

LUXURY LINING

Many people have a love-hate relationship when it comes to eyeliner, but it’s great for adding a chic glow to your look without the need for eyeshadow. If, like me, you have smaller eyes with a lot of room on your brow bone, but not much room on your eyelid, applying liquid eyeliner can often create a mess. But you can still go for this look; Just use a glitter eyeliner instead of a liquid eyeliner. Victoria Beckham’s satin kajal linings are a winner; they have a range of colors that are infused with glitter and have a brush at one end for smudging (£30, victoriabeckhambeauty.com).

You can choose any shaping line you want, across both the upper and lower lash lines, and, if you’re confident, finish with a wing. If you want to be adventurous with color, go for gold.

ADVANCED:

DOUBLE SEEING

If you’re confident and have enough time to prepare, try a liquid glitter eyeliner in addition to your usual eyeliner.

This was a look I often did on Holly where I applied a black liquid liner and then followed it with a gold or silver sparkly liquid eyeliner on top. It always looks very stylish.

I must warn you that this is easier to achieve if you have large, open eyes and a clear eyeline. This look also takes practice.

Apply black liquid eyeliner along your upper lash line – pen styles are easiest to use, try Vieve’s ink liner (£21, vieve.co.uk) – then take your metallic liquid eyeliner and draw another line directly above it so that you two clear color lines remain, one black, one sparkling.

I recommend Fenty Beauty’s Glitter Lid Shimmer eyeliner (£19, fentybeauty.com) as the color really packs a punch and lasts. For a budget option, opt for Barry M Double Dimension lining (£5.99, boots.com).

GLITTER WING

Finally, for those who really want to go all out with their festive glamour, try a loose glitter to create a winged eyeliner effect, which gives an instant concentrated sparkle.

To achieve this, you will need to invest in glitter glue, a clear glue. I always have the NYX Glitter primer in my bag, which costs £8 and will keep your glitter from budging all night (£8, superdrug.com).

The key to applying loose glitter is to apply the rest of your makeup after your eyes are done. Make sure you have a good makeup remover on hand; Liz Earle Eyebright lotion is great for clearing up with cotton swabs (£18, lizearle.com).

Starting from the center of your eye, apply the glitter glue as you would apply a liquid liner wing. Then take a small, angled brush and pick up some of the loose glitter and apply it to the glue.

I use Barry M body glitter, it’s affordable and biodegradable (£4.49, boots.com). They have a wide range of colors but silver is a winner, it will always stand out on any skin tone. Complete this striking look with mascara.