As a beauty editor, many trends and products come through my inbox daily that seem interesting, though not necessarily suited for everyday life. But, thanks to perennial muse Rihanna, I have recently become obsessed with the current glossy eye trend. After seeing countless street style snaps of her out and about with gleaming lids and a perfect pout, I decided to see if it was something I could incorporate into my daily routine. The concept is pretty simple: Use any sort of product that has shine—vaseline, lip balm or face oil—to add sheen to your lids. After testing for the past couple of days, and polling hard-to-impress co-workers, these are the tricks and products that I found delivered the best subtle shiny eyelids. 

1. Milani Brilliant Shine Gloss in Nude Touch, 2. elf Smudge Pot in Cruisin Chic, 3. Bite Beauty Mix and Mingle Lipstick Duo, 4. Topshop Eyeshadow in Explorer (similar), 5. Elizabeth Arden Grand Entrance Mascara, 6. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

Tips and Tricks

1) When it comes to the actual balm (especially the Eight Hour Cream), a little goes a long way. Overusing it can quickly turn your look from dewy to disaster.

2)  The glossy lid actually looks more natural when eye shadow is involved. Dab your chosen balm over a shadow with a bit of shimmer. I prefer gold, gunmetal or purple metallic shades. Don’t worry about using a heavy hand with the shadow because once the balm goes over it, the color is evened out. 

3) I found that eyeliner looked a little racoon-ish with this technique, so it’s best to just stick to a volumizing/lengthening mascara to make your eyes pop.

4) Balance out the shiny lids with a nude lip with a hint of shimmer and a bit of highlighter.

And voila! This was done without foundation and at my desk in less than 4 minutes, so it is definitely something to try for spring.