Hollywood’s glitterati seem to be taking the term literally. Lately, models and pop stars have been finishing their stage and red-carpet looks with full-on body glitter.
Case in point: Most recently, on Dec. 1, Anok Yai showcased the trend at the British Fashion Awards, where she accepted “Model of the Year” shimmering in silver from head to toe. She paired her ivory Dilara Findikoglu mermaid-style gown with cool-toned sparkle swept across her neck and chest, plus a dusting of the same icy highlight on her nose, inner corners, and lips. Fans were instantly obsessed. “We should all wear body glitter when we go out,” one user posted on X. Another replied, “I’ve started doing it recently, and now I can’t stop.”
Honestly? Same. Because as it turns out, Yai isn’t alone. A constellation of it-girls — Rita Ora, Tyla, Zara Larsson, Addison Rae — have been showing up to events dipped, dusted, and drenched in sparkle. Collectively, they’ve turned body glitter into winter’s glitziest beauty trend.
Body Glitter Is Back
Millennials will remember the early-aughts ritual: heading to the mall with your mom to stock up on Bath & Body Works’ shimmery gel or Claire’s glitter brushes. Bonus points if you owned something from Club Libby Lu’s Ashley Tisdale–fronted Pink Twinkle line.
Today’s version won’t make you cough when you accidentally puff loose powder into your face, but the overall effect is essentially the same. It’s all about chunky Y2K glitter that melts into your skin for an almost icy, holographic look that leans futuristic versus Claire’s. Celebrities have figured out what millennials knew all along: a well-placed shimmer should never have gone out of style. It’s like your own personal spotlight, which explains the recent flood of sparkling collarbones and shoulders on stages and carpets.
Also spotted at the British Fashion Awards, Rita Ora wore a champagne-toned shimmer across her chest that perfectly matched her frosted eye look. Tyla, whose glam always skews dewy, has been incorporating cool-toned white and purple glitter throughout her tour across Asia. Makeup fans can’t get enough of Zara Larsson’s Y2K-inspired concert looks, complete with facial rhinestones and shimmering silver flecks across her body. Even Addison Rae — who has long cited Britney Spears as her pop-girl inspo — embraced a wet-crystal finish during her shows, proving glitter can feel modern with just the right amount of nostalgia baked in.
And if these looks feel surprisingly cohesive, you can thank two of makeup’s rising stars: Sophia Sinot and Ngozi Edeme. Sinot’s Y2K-futurism glam often features a metallic finish that looks airbrushed by Edward Cullen himself, while Edeme favors buildable sparkle that melts onto the skin like liquid chrome. Together, they’ve made glitter their calling card — you can think of them as the fairy godmothers of the shimmer renaissance.
Why Is Body Glitter Trending Again?
It’s humbling to admit that millennials might have been right about more in the beauty department than Gen Z initially let on. (Side parts are back now too, FYI.)
But the return of glitter glam just makes sense. No matter how trite it can be to disparage the past few seasons of the “clean girl” aesthetic, it’s been a long run of pared-back makeup. Now, finally, people are craving glam again — not necessarily 2016 Instagram levels, but something more joyful and expressive.
Plus, there’s the winter of it all. Everyone is collectively tired of the sun setting in the afternoon, and glitter feels like an instant serotonin boost. It catches whatever light is left and can make even a little black dress feel like a main character moment. It’s also incredibly forgiving to beginners, adding dimension and blurring texture.
Whether you go for the Anok-style face-to-body gleam or a subtle collarbone twinkle, the effect is the same. Cue that Twilight scene: “I have the skin of a killer, Bella.”
