Figure skaters and circus performers are onto something when it comes to makeup. Everyone needs a little bling, baby. Even us average office workers.

Calgary cosmetic line Lit adds a little glitter to your life with more than 150 colours of sparkly eye make-up that comes in four different sizes and four different textures. You can go full-on diva bar star with the chunky blend, or more likely, add subtle lustre with lightly coloured iridescent glitter. Ease into reflective makeup by going for gold with Mr. T or shimmer with Vitamin C’s pretty pink.

Sometime you have to add sparkle to shine. —Jaelyn Molyneux

$12.95 each at Merle Norman, 6455 Macleod Tr. S.W., Calgary, www.litcosmetics.com

NARS cosmetics’ bought a ticket to Japanese kabuki theatre to find its muse for a merry Christmas.

The Land of the Rising Sun’s traditional singing and dancing theatre’s make-up is bold and beautiful. Think bright white foundation with exaggerated features painted over top. Its drama is glorious on stage and easily toned down for the everyday with NARS’ Hanamichi Kabuki eyeshadow palette ($70).

White, deep rose, gold and matte black eyeshadows are pressed into a pretty flower pattern with a wisteria wrapped brush. The flower pattern is an ode to the hanamichi, which is an extra bit of stage originally built to allow actors to walk out into the audience and accept congratulatory flowers.

It’s a palette worthy of an encore. —Jaelyn Molyneux

www.narscosmetics.ca

Coco Chanel once said, “you live but once; you might as well be amusing.” She was also the designer who championed simple, elegance. So it is no surprise that the style icon’s fashion house would take the metallic make-up trend that when handled poorly can lean toward tacky and instead make it classy.

Chanel’s Illusion d’Ombre’s jelly-like cream-gel eyeshadows come in twist lid pots with an angled brush. The six shadow shades have various levels of shimmer from frosty white to black with subtle chunks of sparkle. Go intense with dark liner or lighten it up with soft sweep of all-over colour.

Either way, wear your make-up the way Chanel lived her life, with an elegant twinkle in your eye. —Jaelyn Molyneux

$37 at Holt Renfrew, 510 8 Ave. S.W., Calgary, 403-269-7341, www.holtrenfrew.com

Smoky eyes are sexy; raccoon rings are not.

Splash Proof Sealer/Base ($6.99) by LASplash Cosmetics is a secret weapon against shadow smudge and clumps in the crease of your eyelid. Apply a light coat of the base on your lid from lash to eyebrow bone and then brush on eyeshadow while the sealer is still moist.

Shadow stays, and you can play.

www.lasplashcosmetics.com

Cocktail parties and mistletoe balls are right around the corner and ‘tis the season to shine.

Be sure to sparkle all season with help from Cargo Cosmetics new Hands of Hope eye shadow collection ($29).

The nine shadows come in a sleek kit, adorned with a gold Hamsa hand (a symbol for warding off the evil eye). Inside, shadows come in hues from neutral pink (for the office party), gunmetal grey (for your bf’s mistletoe gathering) and vibrant purple (post-party dancing).

At Sephora, 6455 MacLeod Trail SW, Calgary, 403-355-3500, www.sephora.com