I intended to write about the makeup trends we can expect to see in 2018, but it turns out there's only one trend on the horizon:
The glitter is here to stay.
Often, holiday looks are all sparkle, and makeup trends tone down in the new year. Not so for 2018. Many of the new beauty products being released in January are shimmery, glimmery, and sparkly.
Here, some of those new products are ranked from shimmer all the way to sparkle.
Stila Shimmer and Glow Liquid Eye Shadow, $24 at Sephora, glow without glitter. The liquid product is applied with a doe-foot applicator and dries down to budge-proof color. The shadow can be applied sheerly for a daytime look, or layered for more drama.
Bite Beauty Prismatic Pearl Multistick, $24 at Sephora, is easy to apply and offers a metallic, pearly finish. It looks like a tube of lipstick, but the cream product can be applied to eyelids, cheeks, or lips.
Cover FX Shimmer Veil, $28 at Sephora, is a cream product that can be used as a highlighter or an eye shadow, though some shades — like amethyst, an iridescent lavender — I would reserve for use only as an eye shadow. (If you opt for lavender stripes on your cheeks, though, know that you'll look very trendy.)
TooFaced Chocolate Gold Soleil Bronzer, $30 at Sephora, is a shimmery version of my favorite matte bronzer. Because it offers a golden glow, use this version of the bronzer on the cheeks only — you can't contour with it as you can with the matte version.
Kat von D Metal Crush Extreme Highlighter Palette, $36 at Sephora, offers three highlighting shades — peach, gold, and pink — in a liquid-to-powder formula. The colors can be layered to create new shades and even more metallic impact.
TooFaced Diamond Light Multi-Use Highlighter, $34 at Sephora, can be used dry for a holographic sheen on eyes and cheeks, or wet (use a setting spray like the e.l.f. Makeup Mist and Set, $3 at drugstores), which Too Faced calls "instant bling." Probably not an everyday look for most of us, but it looks really cool.
Cover FX Glitter Drops, $44 at Sephora, are ultraconcentrated liquid glitter that can be mixed into any other product (glitter foundation or moisturizer, maybe?) or used alone on eyes, cheeks, and lips for an intense glitter effect.
Alison Smith never turns down sparkle. Got a burning beauty question? Email asmith@philly.com.