Ever since I embarked upon my path towards becoming the total makeup addict that I am today, I've embraced all manner of beauty products without judgment. Violet eyeliner? Why not? Body temperature-influenced blush gel? Bring it on! Vibrating mascara? Send it my way! Yes, I've been up for trying almost any product at least once. Anything, that is, except for products containing glitter or sparkles of any sort.

You see, way back in the mid-1990's, I had an unfortunate--albeit mercifully brief-- rave-attending phase. Fortunately, I never did anything more wild than wear a pacifier necklace and dance (poorly), but the true battle scars of that time evidently left their mark. I speak, of course, of the apparent need I had at the time to QUITE LITERALLY DOUSE MYSELF WITH GLITTER before leaving the house.

Lest you think I an exaggerating, during our Thanksgiving jaunt to my parents' house, I dug out this little beauty to demonstrate the severity of my earlier rave-induced sparkle addiction. I think you'll all agree that I was in dire need of an intervention, or at the very least, a scouring pad to the face:

I was, for all intents and purposes, a human disco ball. Once I realized the error of my ways (the glittery hair gel! The hologram-like eyeshadow and lavender iridescent lipstick! The forehead sparkles! MY GOD, THE FOREHEAD SPARKLES!), I distanced myself from anything even remotely shimmery. A few years ago, however, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps I'd been too hasty in my decision to completely abandon all things sparkle-related. I grew tired of suspiciously inspecting tubes of lip gloss for even the faintest hint of glitter, and rejecting otherwise-lovely eyeshadow compacts simply due to their pearlescent qualities.

And so, I set about on an exhaustive quest for products that would enable me to make the whole shimmer thing work for me. Without, you know, looking like a Twilight vampire in direct sunlight. (Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, because I know that you do.) After spending quite some time on this little project, I wanted to share some of my favorite finds with you, especially now that the holiday season is upon us.

My most fundamental piece of advice I can offer is to seek out products that aren't obviously sparkle-laden. That means NO ACTUAL PIECES OF GLITTER IN THE PRODUCT, PEOPLE. If you can see tiny, shiny squares in it? THE PRODUCT IS NOT FOR YOU.

(Unless, of course, you are a Las Vegas showgirl.)

(In which case, carry on.)

(And I'm super jealous of your legs.)

Now, on to the products!

Face

One of my favorite products is this Radiant Glow Lotion from Target's Boots No. 7 collection ($15.99).

(photo credit:target.com)

It creates a light, overall glow and contains the faintest whisper of pearly iridescence. But in the "gorgeous, subtle radiance" kind of way, and not the "gasoline puddle in the rain" one.

Another favorite is Giorgio Armani's Fluid Sheer Radiance ($35).

(photo credit:giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com)

This lotion is "infused with ultra fine particles of pigments that brighten the complexion with its radiant color." I have it in the "light sheer apricot" shade, and it's the perfect touch for a night out; it almost gives you a candlelight-like glow.

Cheeks

Benefit's Dallas blush has an extremely subtle shimmer (i.e., completely daytime-appropriate), and appears to be one of those magical, universally flattering shades.

(photo credit amazon.com)

I sweep this on as an allover color, which is particularly useful for keeping me from looking like a zombie during the winter.

Lips

For the perfect subtle, sparkly lip color, for me, nothing compares to Nars lip gloss in Supervixen ($24).

(color swatch courtesy of sephora.com)

In addition to having the most awesome name ever, the shade is divine. While Sephora describes it as a "shimmering nude beige," I much prefer my description of "a conglomeration of pinky/mauvey, shimmery golden taupishness."

Eyes (and more!)

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips is technically an eyeshadow compact, though it should probably get some sort of award for "most bang for your buck."(In fact, what the heck? I'm giving it one right now. WITH MY MIND.)

Now, I don't know about you, but I LOVE when I find a drugstore product that is virtually indistinguishable from its department store counterpart, and I must say, this easily passes for Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick Compact, which is over triple the price. This Shimmer Strip compact can be used as an eyeshadow, blush, or bronzer, and I can attest to its efficacy in each of these capacities. It comes in a variety of gorgeous, subtly shimmery and sheer shades, and at $12.95, it basically pays for itself.

So, shine on, you crazy diamonds, and don't fear The Shimmer! And to sum up: DON'T apply scary glitter all over your face and hair like me, circa 1997, and DO seek out some of my tried-and-true favorites for a touch (and JUST a touch!) of sheer sparkle.

Happy holidays!

Metalia also writes at Metalia.blogspot.com.