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Holiday Forecast: You Need to Try a Metallic Eye

Whether you like subtle sparkle or want to bring the drama with tons of shine, consider this your guide to the season's metallic eye trend
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It's that time of year, and the one thing that is inevitable -- besides gorging ourselves on sugar cookies -- is that everything sparkles and shines. From the rows of ornaments at Target to to sexy, sequined New Year's Eve dresses, the holiday season is all about the bling. That's never been truer than this year, as the fall and spring runways have been aglow with major, not-for-the-faint-of-heart metallic. Our favorite place to wear this trend: On our eyelids, of course.

Because the heavy metal eye isn't really a look most of us can sport every day, the holidays give us the perfect excuse to try out the trend.

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Gilded gold
For those who want to ease into the metallic eye trend, this look from the Versace SS13 fashion show is a good place to start. To get a quick, golden-toned metallic eye, MAC Senior Artist John Stapleton recommends starting with a creamy product for the base, like MAC Fluidline, $17.50, in Stares & Speculation (from their latest holiday collection, Divine Night). Use a firm-bristled brush to press the product all over your eyelid. Next, create a sideways V in your outer crease with a deep brown shadow. Use a clean, fluffy brush to blend the shadows together.

If you are feeling bold, you can even take a golden shadow like MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow, $27.50, in Captivating, and apply it wet to the inner third of your eyelid, says Stapleton.

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Subtle shimmer
Think you don't have time to master a metallic eye? Rita Ora's look will make you think again. This look is a great way to transition your daytime routine into nighttime. Before heading to work, apply a taupe shadow over your eyelids and line your eyes with a brown liner. Then when it's time to hit the party, sweep a pearly white shade like Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow, $29, in Pearl White, in the inner corners of your eyes and above your crease to get a pretty, metallic glow. A swipe of red lipstick and a touch of highlighter on your cheeks, and you're ready to head out the door.

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Coming up roses
Rose gold has been popping up everywhere this season, so it was only a matter of time before it hit our eyelids. Pull off this color like Demi Lovato by using a redness reducing primer before applying your foundation to zap any ruddiness (the rose tones in the shadow can emphasize redness).

Then apply a shadow like Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, $21, in Rose Gold, over your eyelid and smudge it along your lower lash line. Take a shimmery champagne hue, like CoverGirl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Shadows, $3.19, in Champagne, and dust it in the inner corner of your eye. Apply a thick line of liquid liner to your upper lash line, waterline your lower lash line with a black cream pencil, and then pile on the mascara.

Or if you want to try something unexpected with your metallic eye, Stapleton says you can swap the basic black liner you normally waterline with for a metallic one (we love MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil, $21, in Orpheus). This adds a subtle sparkle and is a unique touch that opens up your eyes.



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Glam to the bone
We are obsessed with the glitter finish on this metallic eye, spotted on the Jason Wu runway. Lancome makeup artist Diane Kendal created this look with the Lancome Color Design Eye Brightening All in One 5 Pan Shadow and Liner Palette, $49, in Bronze Amour. Sweep the medium brown shadow over your lid, then apply the dark brown matte shade to your crease. Blend with a clean brush, then apply a golden glitter shadow (like MAC Glitter, $25, in Gold) to the center of your eyelid. Clean up any extra glitter with a piece of clear tape. A sheer pink or coral gloss is an understated way to go glam, but Stapleton also assures up that you can pair a colorful lip with a metallic eye to bring the drama.

BY ALLIE FLINN | DEC 9, 2016 | SHARES
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