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We Made the Impossible Happen: 7 (Work-Appropriate) Days of Glitter Makeup

Think glitter makeup can't coexist with office life? We thought so, too. Until this happened
Photo 6/8
Glitter Makeup Challenge: Day 5
The Look: I decided to go all out on the glitter for this look. Five coats in, and I reached what I never thought possible: My maximum glitter capacity. My eyelids were saturated. But Urban Decay's Bondage Weightless Makeup Adhesive, $19, kept the glitter on my lids and out of my eyes. I went around all night showing people that I could touch my eyelid and absolutely not one little piece of glitter eye shadow came off on my finger. Amazing.

Office Reaction: Surprisingly, I was on the receiving end of only one weird look (in the bathroom, by a woman who may or may not have thought I was a lady of the night).

Sister Says: "It reminds me of Elsa, but chic."

Strangers' Reaction: To my dismay, we ended up eating at a casual salad shop for Friday night dinner -- not exactly the glamorous night out I had planned when I put on my glitter makeup. But no one seemed phased at all when I walked in and placed my order. And I got several compliments later in the night, reaffirming what I already discovered: I should always wear glitter eye shadow when I go out

My Comfort Level: The only thing that really made me uncomfortable about this look was the fact that I was going to have to scrape it off my eyelids at the end of the night. Luckily, it was surprisingly easy to get off with a few swipes of makeup remover, even after a glass (or two) of wine.

Photo 7/8
Glitter Makeup Challenge: Day 6
The Look: I call this my "everything but the kitchen sink" look, because I piled on just about every glitter eye shadow I have to create it. It took a combined effort of Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eye Shadow, E.L.F. Long-Lasting Lustrous Eye Shadow and Make Up For Ever Diamond Powder, $25, to get the smoky look I was going for.

Office Reaction: Our photographer was pleased at how well this picked up the light, making it perfect if you want something that's going to show up easily on camera.

My Comfort Level: I'll admit: during the day, this look felt a little heavy. But the cement-toned shades of glitter eye shadow made it more playful than your basic smoky eye. Plus, it ended up looking really pretty in the dim lighting of the wine bar we went to that night.

Photo 8/8
Glitter Makeup Challenge: Day 7
The Look: I wanted something I could pair with a bold lip, so I swept Too Faced Glamour Dust, $17, in Nude Beam all over my eyelid, with some matte brown shadow in the crease to balance it. I used the brand's Glitter Glue Glitter Shadow Primer, $20, beforehand so it wouldn't fall into my eyes. The formula is slightly tacky, which helped it grasp every little particle of shimmer.

Sister Says: "So pretty! I love how it's subtle enough you could wear it during the day, but with the lip it could definitely work for night as well."

Others' Reactions: Oddly enough, it was the lipstick, not the glitter, which garnered me compliments. I found that no one was fazed by the fact that I had giant sparkles on my eyelids -- not just with this look, but with all the other looks as well. Proving that glitter is in fact appropriate for any and all occasions.

My Comfort Level: It pains me to admit this, but by the end of the week I was experiencing what my editor dubbed a "glitter hangover." There was glitter all over my apartment, on my dogs, in my hair and, no matter how many times I washed my face, there were these annoying flecks on my cheeks that wouldn't go away. To add insult to injury, putting on glitter makeup every day takes a hell of a lot longer than your regular makeup. But, to be perfectly honest, I'll probably be back to wearing glitter next weekend.

BY ALLIE FLINN | MAY 10, 2017 | SHARES
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