I'm Officially Copying Sabrina Carpenter's Fairy Dust Eye Shadow All Winter Long

I know what you're thinking: Sparkly eye shadow for the holidays? That's not entirely breaking news. The holiday season begets tons of sparkle, be it a pot of ethereal eye paint, a glimmering glass of champagne, or a cloud of metallic confetti, but this year, we've seen much more minimal takes in the makeup department. Think sheer washes of shimmer as opposed to megawatt specks of glitter, almost like you sifted pixie dust onto your lids. Enter, fairy dust eye shadow.

I've seen more than a few inspiring looks over the past few weeks, but it wasn't until I caught Sabrina Carpenter's take that I decided to officially hop on the trend. Ahead, find the enchanting (and seemingly low-lift) glam I'll be copying for the rest of the frosty season.

Sabrina Carpenter posing in front of a ski lift wearing a blue snowflake dress and fairy dust eye shadow.

(Image credit: @sabrinacarpenter)

Carpenter went skiing with some friends over the holidays, as seen by a series of photos the star recently posted to Instagram. In addition to action shots on the slopes, she posed in front of the lift donning a blue, snowflake printed dress and white furry stole.

As for the glam, she ditched her signature retro cat-eye for some iridescent pigment at the inner and outer corners—the classic placement for fairy dust eye shadow. See, playing up these specific areas makes the lids look extra glossy when they catch the light. You can use any color you please, but a stark white like Carpenter's will make you look especially frosty. (A pink or purple shimmer, on the other hand, will give off more of a Sugar Plum Fairy vibe.)

Sabrina Carpenter posing in front of a ski lift wearing a blue snowflake dress and fairy dust eye shadow.

(Image credit: @sabrinacarpenter)

To apply, I'd suggest swirling your finger into the pigment and pressing it directly onto your lids. Then blend each corner with your fingertip until you have a soft, shimmery haze that gradually loses intensity towards the center. Afterwards, if you'd like, you can take a small eye shadow brush and touch up the inner corners for more brightness. That's it! Easy, no? If you notice a couple stray sparkles on the center of the lids, that's okay. It only adds to the enchanted effect, and I think the look actually leans more fairy-like when it's imperfect, anyways.

Carpenter kept the rest of her eyes minimal, opting for just a bit of mascara. Her blush, however, looks just as bright and doll-like as ever—some staples don't change!

The Best Eye Shadows for a Fairy Dust Look

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Jamie Schneider
Senior Beauty Editor

Jamie Schneider is Who What Wear’s senior beauty editor based in New York City. She has a penchant for trend forecasting, covering everything from innovative skincare launches to celebrity profiles, and her work has appeared in mindbodygreen, Coveteur, and more. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Organizational Studies and English before moving to NYC, and she's been there ever since. When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty finds, Jamie loves exploring vintage boutiques, reading mystery books (bonus points for an unexpected twist), and she’s always down for a park picnic in Brooklyn.