The body glitter is back among us To steal the show from the New Year's Eve fireworks

Stealing the spotlight from fireworks on New Year’s Eve is no easy feat, but by rediscovering a trend from the past, you just might pull it off. In the ’90s, girls loved dusting their bodies with sparkling lights that shimmered under club neon signs, and in the early 2000s Britney Spears signed her own style manifesto by turning them into a must-have. What are we talking about? Glitter, of course. “Some loves take long detours and then come back,” as someone once said, and that’s exactly the case: the beauty industry is once again betting on body glitter with new, cutting-edge products.

Just think of the primer and setting spray by One/Size by Patrick Starr. It’s a hybrid product that not only locks in makeup with a super-glittery finish, but can also be used on the body and hair. A similar effect captured the hearts of thousands of users in 2024, when the makeup artist for Sydney Sweeney chose the Kween Silver Glitter Spray by Eva NYC as the finishing touch to her Met Gala look. All that’s left to do is grab pen and paper and jot down all the tips that will make you shine brighter than the holiday lights of a European capital at Christmas.

Body glitter sprays for New Year’s Eve

The iconic can you shake and that releases “floating diamonds on the skin,” as Melissa Hernandez so perfectly put it, is a vivid memory from our childhood. From dance recitals to Carnival parties to sleepovers with friends, glitter sprays have accompanied us through many phases of our lives, and now they’re reclaiming their place on the night we ring in 2026. The secret behind some of the most iconic looks of the past year lies in the practicality of the applicator, which allows you to mist an even layer of product over arms and décolletage. Makeup artists also love them for their strong visual impact: quick, dramatic application gives videos a better chance of going viral. It’s no coincidence that major brands have ridden the wave, like Paco Rabanne in 2023, when it debuted in the beauty universe with a shimmering spray and went on to create many other products, such as the Arts Factory Shimmer Bomb blush. For the face, you could also opt for Dewy Set by Anastasia Beverly Hills, a great classic that doesn’t contain chunky glitter but creates a radiant, “wet skin” effect. For body and hair, make a note of Superfix Glitter Shine, as well as the ultra-viral Shiny Glitter Spray, available on Amazon.

Oil, powder, or drops? A guide to textures for a custom glitter glow

If spray is king when it comes to speed and convenience, other textures offer refined customization for every need. For those who want luminous, translucent skin like a Cullen’s, illuminating oils remain the best choice, also great as a base before applying spray: from the iconic Soleil Blanc by Tom Ford, which smells like summer and sunshine even in December, to the cult-favorite Huile Prodigieuse Or by Nuxe, perfect for lovers of botanical oils. If instead you’re looking for a more intense, bronzed effect on the legs, Copacabana Bronze by Sol de Janeiro is the ideal choice, while for those who won’t give up protection even under the Christmas tree lights, there’s Sun Shield by Kopari with SPF 50. But Luminous Drops by Astra Make-up and the Body Lava formulas by Fenty are the real “can’t-live-without” essentials in our New Year’s Eve 2026 makeup bags: one pure drop on the body or mixed into your moisturizer, and instant pearlescence is guaranteed. And for a final magical touch? Don’t forget your hair. Fairy Dust powder by Lush, with its candy-like scent, can be used as a glittery dry shampoo or dusted over lengths to create a mystical, luminous texture that captures every ray of party light.