A Galaxy Glam Makeup Look
Rebecca ElderA galaxy makeup look recreates the night sky on the eyes with deep purples, blues, and pinks blended into a cosmic nebula, finished with white speckled stars and glitter. Applying shadow with a thin brush gives precise, blended color, and a fine-tip liquid liner keeps the edges crisp.
A galaxy makeup look brings the cosmos to your eyes — deep nebula colors, glittering stars, and a dreamy, out-of-this-world finish. It looks intricate, but the right brushes and a few placement tricks (straight from this look’s creator) make it surprisingly doable.
Here is the step-by-step plus her original tips from the Albolene Makeup Challenge. For more bold, creative looks, browse all of our makeup artist tips & tricks.
What you’ll need
- Deep eyeshadows in purple, blue, magenta, and black
- A thin eyeshadow brush and a fine detail brush
- A fine-tip liquid eyeliner marker
- White eyeshadow or face paint, plus cosmic glitter
- A contour brush for highlighting
- Mascara or lashes and setting spray
Glitter and deep pigment cling to skin and lashes. Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser melts away cosmic color and glitter gently in one step, so removal is easy on delicate eyes.
Rather than using the normal applicator for the eyeshadow I used a thin eyeshadow brush for the top and under my eye and a fine brush to bring it out to the sides of my eye. I also use a fine tip liquid eyeliner marker, and this is a great tip for old women that have wrinkles to use rather than the typical crayon liner. I highlighted my cheek bones with the same eyeshadow using a contour brush. I've done a lot of experimenting with my mother trying to find a product that actually works.
How to Get the Look
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Prime and map the nebula
Prime the lids, then plan where your deepest colors will sit. A galaxy look is all about blending several shades into a cosmic haze around the eyes.
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Blend color with a thin brush
Rather than the standard applicator, use a thin eyeshadow brush on the top and under the eye and a fine brush to bring color out toward the sides — exactly the creator's technique for precise, blended nebula color.
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Deepen and blend the colors
Layer purples, blues, magentas, and black, blending where they meet so there are no hard lines. The goal is a smooth, deep-space gradient.
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Line with a fine-tip marker
Define the eye with a fine-tip liquid eyeliner marker, which gives more control than a crayon liner and keeps edges crisp — a tip the creator especially recommends for mature or textured lids.
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Add stars and glitter
Flick tiny white dots across the color for stars (a clean brush or toothbrush works well), then press cosmic glitter onto the lids for sparkle.
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Highlight and finish
Using the same shadow on a contour brush, sculpt and highlight the cheekbones to tie the look together, then add mascara or lashes and set with spray.
Prep & Remove Any Look with Albolene
Start with a soft, moisturized base so makeup goes on smoothly — and when the look has done its job, Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser melts away glitter, face paint, and even waterproof makeup in one gentle step. No harsh scrubbing, no stripped skin.
Shop Moisturizing CleanserFrequently Asked Questions
Blend deep purples, blues, magentas, and black around the eyes into a smooth nebula, using a thin brush for precision. Line with a fine-tip liquid liner, flick on white dots for stars, and press cosmic glitter on the lids. Highlight the cheekbones with the same shadow to finish.
A thin eyeshadow brush for placing and blending color on and under the eye, a fine detail brush to bring color out to the sides, and a fine-tip liquid eyeliner marker for crisp lines — the exact tools our challenge winner uses for a precise, blended galaxy effect.
Load a little white eyeshadow or face paint onto a clean toothbrush or fine brush and gently flick it over the blended color to scatter tiny star-like dots. Add a few larger dots by hand and a touch of glitter for shine.
Use an oil-based cleanser like Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser. Massage it gently over closed eyes to melt the glitter and deep pigment, then wipe away with a soft pad — it lifts clingy color without tugging delicate eye skin and moisturizes as it cleanses.
