Louise McSharry: How to rock the ‘glazed eye look’ like a glamazon

The thing is, the glazed eyes we see in fashion shoots or on runways look perfect because they don’t need to last. In the real world, it’s a little more difficult. But I think, in 2023, we’ve found a way.

The first step to success with a glazed eye is to realise it can’t actually be wet. If you use a wet product that stays wet on your eyes, it’s going to get messy. If all you want is a photo, then you’re on to a winner, but most people want their makeup to stay roughly where they put it. A wet or super-glossy product will mess up anything else you wear with it, from mascara to liner. The trick to a lasting glossy or glazed look is to use a product that looks wet, but isn’t.

My favourites for this effect are shadows that feature super-fine shimmer or are totally metallic. As I recently mentioned in this column, Urban Decay’s 24/7 Moondust Eyeshadow in Space Cowboy (€22 via arnotts.ie) is ideal for this. It’s a very finely milled shimmer shadow with a champagne colour at its base. As with all shimmer products, your finger is the best application tool, and one sweep of this shadow will give the eye a silvery, shimmery look. A few more layers will allow you to see the base colour as well as the shimmer.

As an eyeshadow topper, this guy will add a perfect hint of gloss. Simply apply your eyeshadow look as usual, and then tap a layer of Space Cowboy over the centre of the top lid (I like to add it to the bottom as well for full effect). This will create the illusion of wetness every time it catches the light.

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MAC’s Dazzleshadow Extreme in Discotheque, €24, boots.ie

Other solid options for this style of application include MAC’s Dazzleshadow Extreme in Discotheque (€24 via boots.ie). This is a metallic silver shadow with a hint of sparkle, which will add glossy dimension to a dark smoky eye, be it black, brown or aubergine.

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Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow in Smoke, €32, brownthomas.com

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Hourglass’s Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow in Smoke (€32 via brownthomas.com) is a hazy taupe that will up the glossy ante on its own or on any smoky eye, while many of Pat McGrath’s shimmer shadows work in this way too, if you feel like splashing out (from €55 via patmcgrath.com).

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Pat McGrath’s shimmer shadows

If you’re feeling especially brave, a little white liquid liner dashed in strategic spots on the lid can mimic the appearance of light hitting the surface of liquid. Think comic books!

As always, play around and find what works for you. Makeup is meant to be fun!

Buying Irish

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Chroma Cover 2 Foundation, €24.95, bperfectcosmetics.com

Belfast’s BPerfect Cosmetics continues to go from strength to strength with the launch of the new Chroma Cover 2 Foundation (€24.95 via bperfectcosmetics.com). The sister of the brand’s original, full-coverage Chroma Cover Foundation, this formula is lightweight and delivers a luminous finish. Available in an impressive 36 shades, Chroma Cover 2 includes skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E. This is a good foundation: it delivers a luminosity that still looks skinlike and natural, and solid buildable coverage that lasts.

Something old…

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Makeup by Mario’s Master Metals palette, €60, makeupbymario.com

Our ‘something new’ today immediately reminded me of Makeup by Mario’s Master Metals palette (€60 via makeupbymario.com) so despite the fact that it’s only a couple of years old, it felt right to talk about it here. This palette by the long-time makeup artist to Kim Kardashian includes five metallic shades, designed to be used wet or dry. Wet, they provide a liquid metal finish, while dry they deliver a sparkly sheen. The shades include a silver, gold, copper, bronze and a dusky rose, and the versatility of this palette makes it ideal for those who like to experiment and play with makeup. On its own, or in combination with other shadows, this palette provides all the drama you could possibly desire.

​… Something new

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Bobbi Brown Luck Blooms, €54, arnotts.ie

I gasped when I opened the new Limited Edition Luxe Eyeshadow Quad from Bobbi Brown in Luck Blooms (€54 via arnotts.ie), such was my delight. As the name suggests, this palette features four eyeshadows, three of the Rich Sparkle formulation and one Lustre (still shimmery but not engaging in full-time sparkle life). The three sparkle shades are Moonstone, a champagne colour; Citrine, a vivid bronze; and Sun Flare, a gorgeous copper. The Lustre shade is Metal Rose, a deep and dusky pink, which serves as a great base for the sparkly shades. These shadows can be used dry for a sparkly effect or wet for full foil impact, and are beautifully encased in a vivid pink peony design. When I brought this palette on a recent hen, three people declared that they were going to buy it in the airport on the way home. It is a thing of beauty.