The Only Eyeshadow You’ll Need For A Sparkly Summer

Warmer weather, a packed social calendar and Mariah Carey. It can only mean one thing – the silly season has officially arrived.

In case you’re still mentally lingering in October (same), brace yourself because, in just one week, it’ll be December. Blink, and you’ll find yourself in a brand new year.

If you’ve only just managed to date documents ‘2023’, best you start practising that new digit now – she’s coming in hot.

You might be wondering why I'm causing you undue stress.

Well, consider this a friendly nudge to remind you that it's high time to assemble your party-perfect looks.

The mood this season? Glitz, glimmer and all things shimmer.

A holiday hiatus from the “clean beauty” looks that have dominated our feeds for most of 2023, this party season we’re reaching for sparkly shadows that can be worn in a myriad of ways.

Think glazed donut skin but for your eyes.

And if that makes zero sense, here's the vibe:

You didn't really think I'd make it a whole makeup Beauty IQ without a mention of Hailey Bieber, did you?

After seeing a certain celestial cowboy eyeshadow do the rounds on TikTok (IYKYK), I dug into the beauty archives to unearth an oldie but a goodie that, in my humble opinion, is just as stunning, if not more so.

This one pot wonder was a hit when it first launched nearly a decade ago but has been flying under the radar ever since.

Well, until now. Because I’m about to show you how you can use this sparkly shadow to recreate the Hailey Bieber-inspired wet-look eyes of your dreams.

Drumroll, please…

Meet the M.A.C Cosmetics Extra Dimension Eye Shadow.

Beauty buffs will likely recognise the M.A.C Cosmetics Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

Some of you may even have a few pots lying around at home somewhere – if so, it’s time to dust them off.

These iridescent beauties combine the smoothness of a cream shadow with the blendability of a liquid and the finish of a powder.

The result? A highly pigmented, easily applied eyeshadow that will last the mile.

Just the thing for summertime soirees.

Here are some other fast facts:

• Can be applied either dry or wet.

• One pot will seriously last you forever.

• Creamy, silky texture with a metallic finish.

• Six stunning shades to choose from that stay true to colour.

• Non-acnegenic, dermatologist tested and safe for contact lens wearers (I got chu).

My Sparkly M.A.C Extra Dimension Eye Shadow Look.

It wasn’t easy to pick just one shade. Any of the six would work perfectly for a shimmery summery eye look.

But after watching a bunch of swatch tests on TikTok, I managed to narrow it down to two: A Natural Flirt, an iridescent light pink, and Sweet Heat, a slightly deeper, peachy pink.

I swatched both upon arrival the next day (gotta love that next-day delivery).

Here's how they looked side by side:

While I loved A Natural Flirt, its sparkle was a tad subtle on my fair skin (better for a more toned-down, everyday look), so I opted for Sweet Heat.

My research also uncovered a very helpful tip that’s the difference between a shimmery eye and a seriously shimmery eye: setting spray.

Spritzing my eyeshadow brush with my MAKE UP FOR EVER Mist & Fix 100ml Spray helped create the wet look I was aiming for.

I also found that layering multiple coats over each other allowed for a more dramatic effect. As did using concealer for a base.

Here's the difference for some context (left: no setting spray).

The trick is allowing some time between applications for your eyelids to set before diving into the next layer.

And because we know how much I love a versatile, one-and-done product (who doesn’t?) I also used the same eyeshadow as a highlighter, dabbing it onto the high points of my cheeks, brow bone, cupid's bow, and the tip of my nose with my finger.

Staying on theme with this look's fresh, glowy skin, I kept things fairly simple for the rest of my makeup routine.

You could take things up a notch by cocktailing these M.A.C eyeshadows with a matte shade underneath, such as a pink or neutral tone. A swipe of eyeliner wouldn’t go astray either.

That said, I think these little pots do most of the heavy lifting for you.

Which is excellent news, if you’re a makeup novice or a fan of low-effort, high-impact products like me.

So, if you're on the hunt for a remedy for sparkly, glossy, wet-looking eyes, waste no time – add one of these stunning shades to cart ASAP.

You never know, they could very well be the next thing to pop off on TikTok. And if not, they'll remain our best-kept beauty secret

We've got plenty more makeup where that came from. Check out these Beauty IQs:

• Now I Understand Why Everyone Loves These MAKE UP FOR EVER Products

• 4 of the Best Affordable Foundations for Oily Skin

• Capture Golden Hour on Your Face With This Affordable Radiant Makeup Tutorial