I Got a Perfect Party Glow Using TikTok's Lip Gloss Hack

@zakheath

IT’S SO GLOSSY. Ib @inahtakeda #skincare #makeup #beauty #fy

♬ Fall In Love Alone - Super Sped Up Version - Stacey Ryan

Confession time: I am not a lip gloss fan. Despite having an overflowing stash that looks as though it belongs to an addict, I barely touch them in favour of a nourishing lip-balm or classic matte lipstick. But one thing I am always on-board for is glow — even if I'm just popping to the post office, I'll dab a touch of highlighter on my cheekbones. It cancels out tiredness in an instant, and who doesn't need that? So, when I saw people using their lip gloss as an eyeshadow and highlighter to amp up shine on TikTok, the haven for beauty hacks including oval lip-lining, "underpainting", and LED Eyeliner, I thought I can finally put my collection to good use.

Although the late '90s / early '00's favourite has attracted over 16 billion Tiktok views under the hashtag #lipgloss, it's only recently that I saw it being used as a do-it-all makeup essential, exhibited by natural makeup connoisseur Zak Heath. Using Vieve's Lip Dew Original (£19), Heath painted his lips, eyes and, well, whole face, in a golden, glossy hue. After a quick-investigation, I found that #lipglosseyeshadow has over eight million views alone, with countless more TIktok users trying the trend. Even celebrity make-up artists Katie Jane Hughes and Jaleesa Jaikaran are on-side. Surely then, it must be party-approved?

Though I'm team dewy skin all year round, the festive period is the perfect opportunity to take the shine out for a spin — and with my social calendar getting full this December, I attempted to turn my face into tinsel. I started my routine as normal, applying my base, blusher, and brows, before applying lip gloss like I usually would — on my lips. I followed suit and also used Vieve's lip dew – it seems a safer option than a bright pink gloss and has a subtle gold finish. So far, so good.

Next I moved onto the eyes. After deeper research, I saw other Tiktok users apply eyeshadow as a base for pigment. I used burnt orange shade Ghost Town from my Urban Decay Naked Wild West palette (£46). I then swiped on a layer of Lip Dew and used my fingers to smooth over any creases. Initial thought? Sticky. It's worth completely pulling your hair back as the formula is a honey-trap for rogue hair strands. It felt a little heavy on the lids too, but it did enhance the eyeshadow. The pigment underneath really popped — a handy hack if most of your palettes have matte shadows and you are in need of a metallic colour for festivities. I opted for an old eyeshadow brush at points to avoid getting any in my eye, and would recommend everyone to be extra careful when applying gloss here, and added mascara at the end.

The demand for glossy eyes has become so popular that Pat McGrath Labs has even launched a duo set complete with a Blitz Sapphire eyeshadow and Cyber Electric eye gloss to be worn over the top. The Pat McGrath Labs Dark Star 006 V4 (£36) is ready-made to help you shimmer and shine, so sheen style is definitely not going away any time soon.

Next was the cheekbones, chin, nose, and forehead. I swept the lip brush over all these areas and patted it in place with my fingers. Take this as your warning, it can get messy. Though formulas are nowhere near as sticky as they were back in the Noughties, it's still a lot more tacky than a traditional highlighter. It's a different kind of shine, too. Whereas many highlighters will give a solid glittery sheen, lip gloss gives a more glass-like effect, coating the areas in a thick, light-bouncing shine. I found myself dolloping a lot more on too, and yet, I still didn't reach the level of glossy that Heath presented (he must have used a whole bottle in the process!)

For someone that has pigeon-holed lip gloss for the lips only, I love the idea that a tiny 6ml bottle, that will require no space in my mini party bag, can now replace my lipstick, highlighter, and eyeshadow palette for night's out (trust me, I take the majority of my makeup bag with me). It also seems savvy to be utilising my stock of glosses rather than buying more metallic eyeshadows or a new highlighter when one runs out — a cost-effective and sustainable approach to doing make-up.

While I will be doing this again over the Christmas period (and beyond), my only qualm is the slippy-risk that comes with it. I noticed my eyeshadow quickly ended up just below my brow-bone and teaming it with hair down was high-maintenance. A couple of first-hand tips would be to fix the gloss in place with a setting spray and team the look with a slick-back bun to avoid glued hair strands. Other than that, lip gloss has earned itself a new, essential spot in my makeup bag.