· By Sarah Chacon
A Guide to Makeup Finishes
If you've ever shopped for glitter, eyeshadows, or other sparkly makeup, you've probably come across terms like metallic, iridescent, duochrome, holographic, and translucent. But what do they actually mean?
These words describe the finish of a product, or the visual effect it creates once it's applied. They're not tied to one specific type of makeup, which means you may see the same finish across glitter, loose eyeshadows, water-activated eyeliners, and more.
While the finish stays the same, the intensity can vary depending on the formula. For example, glitter usually creates the boldest sparkle because of its larger reflective particles, while loose eyeshadows tend to create a smoother, shimmery finish.
Here's what each finish means.
Metallic
Metallic is probably the easiest finish to recognize. Think of the shine you see on metal, foil, or chrome.
A metallic product has a solid color with a reflective finish. The color doesn't shift into another color, but the shine becomes brighter wherever the light hits it. If you want something colorful, bold, and shiny without a color shift, you're probably looking for a metallic finish.
Iridescent
Iridescent products change and reflect different colors as they catch the light. Instead of displaying one solid color, they reveal soft flashes of different hues
Not all iridescent products look the same, though. We generally separate them into two types.
White Iridescent
White iridescent products usually look white, clear, or very pale in the container. They have a translucent base color that sometimes looks invisible over the skin. Once the light hits them, they reveal colorful reflections. Because there isn't a strong base color, whatever you're wearing underneath can still show through.
Color-Based Iridescent
Colored iridescent products have the same type of semi-transparent shifting reflection, but they also have a noticeable color of their own.
For example, you might see:
- A pink base with green reflections
- A blue base with gold reflections
- A lavender base with aqua reflections
These products still shift beautifully in the light, but their base color plays a much larger role in the overall appearance.
The easiest way to understand the difference is that white iridescent glitters get most of their color from the reflection, while colored iridescent glitters already have a visible color before that reflection is added.
Duochrome & Multichrome
Duochrome and multichrome finishes are all about shifting from one color to another. A duochrome shifts between two main colors, while a multichrome can shift through three or more depending on the angle and lighting.
This can sometimes get confusing because iridescent products can shift colors too. For our collections, we use duochrome and multichrome when the color shift is the main feature of the product. You might see one strong color straight on and a completely different color as you move or turn toward the light. Our color-based iridescents still have colorful shifts and reflections, but the overall effect is more iridescent.
There can definitely be some overlap between the two. Some duochromes and multichromes have a deeper iridescent quality, and some iridescents can have a noticeable shift. We separate them this way on our website simply to make it easier to narrow down the type of effect you're looking for.
View Duochrome/Multichrome Makeup
Holographic
Holographic finishes reflect the full spectrum of the rainbow.
Instead of shifting between one or two colors, holographic particles separate light into tiny rainbow flashes that become especially noticeable in direct lighting. Good lighting makes a huge difference with holographic finishes. Direct sunlight and other strong light sources will usually make that rainbow effect much easier to see. Dimmer lighting might make it more difficult to see the full shine.
A holographic product can still have a color of its own, too. Now all holographic makeup comes in silver. For example, black holographic glitter will look black overall, but each holographic piece can reflect little rainbows when the light hits it.
Translucent
Translucent finishes allow light to pass through them instead of completely covering what's underneath.
A translucent product doesn't completely cover the color underneath it. Instead, some of that original color still shows through. Many iridescent finishes are also translucent, making them excellent toppers, but not every translucent product is iridescent. What this means for our products is that translucent glitter will add subtle sparkle or shimmer while allowing your base makeup to remain visible and they won't change color.
Matte
Matte finishes contain little to no shimmer or reflective particles.
Instead of reflecting light, they provide smooth, even color with a flat finish. Matte products are often used to create contrast against shimmer and sparkle or to add definition to a makeup look.
Can a Product Have More Than One Finish?
Yes! Makeup finishes often overlap.
A product can easily fit into more than one category. For example, something may be:
- Colored iridescent and translucent
- Metallic and holographic
- Duochrome and iridescent
The easiest way to think about finishes is that each word is giving you another piece of information about what you're going to see when you actually wear the product.
Choosing the Right Finish
Each finish creates its own unique effect, and none is better than another. It all comes down to the look you're trying to achieve.
- Metallic: One main color with a shiny, metal-like reflection.
- White Iridescent: Little to no base color with colorful reflections that appear in the light.
- Colored Iridescent: A visible base color plus an additional iridescent reflection.
- Duochrome/Multichrome: A noticeable shift between two or more main colors.
- Holographic: Rainbow reflections across the full color spectrum.
- Translucent: Allows the color underneath to show through.
- Matte: Solid color without shimmer or reflective shine.
Understanding these finishes makes it easier to picture how a product will look before you buy it and helps you find the perfect sparkle for your style.