Beauty lovers use hot glue guns in viral Chrome Makeup trend
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Beauty lovers use hot glue guns in viral Chrome Makeup trend

Jun 17, 2023

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It's the hottest new beauty trend.

Gen Z makeup mavens are using hot glue guns to add a glittery, dramatic 3D element around their eyes, perfect for music festivals and big nights out.

"It's makeup that fits perfectly into the Y2K fashion movement that's happening right now," Elaine Corredor, a 24-year-old Staten Island jeweler and influencer, told The Post.

Known as "chrome makeup," the trend first became popular among avant-garde face artists in the early 2000s.

Now, it's experiencing a resurgence of popularity amongst young twenty-somethings, with the hashtag #ChromeMakeup attracting 22 millions views on TikTok.

"It's edgy, it's fun," Corredor told The Post.

Her step-by-step tutorial on how to achieve the haute look has scored more than 113,000 viewers since she posted it in January.

Corredor first heats a cylinder of silicone glue with a Craft Smart mini hot glue gun purchased for $3 from Michaels.

Next, she draws various squiggly lines and designs on a mixing palette — a metal slab often used by makeup artists for blending colors — with the glue gun.

Because of the unsteadiness of the glue flow from the nozzle, it can take her an hour to create shapes that she deems worthy of her face.

Once she's created about 10 designs to her liking, she allows the glue to dry for a few minutes, then paints the squiggles with a chrome nail powder that she purchased on Amazon for $6.99.

"I bought it a while ago because I wanted to try it out on my nails," she said. "Then, one day I was like, ‘Oooh, this shimmer would look good in my makeup, too.’"

Then, Corredor then preps her peepers with a layer of Rihanna's Fenty Beauty Invisimatte Instant setting powder in shade banana ($36), along with sparkling eye shadow, a swipe of NYX's super skinny felt-tip eyeliner ($10) and a strip of false eyelashes in style "Fluffy" from Amazon vendor PoopLunch ($9.29).

Finally, it's time to apply the glue gun designs, using KISS eyelash glue ($3.49) to adhere them to her skin.

"It's easy to put them on. It takes like 5 minutes," she said. "Then, I go out and everyone can't help but look at me. I get so many compliments."

Vanessa Funes, a 24-year-old New Yorker, watched Torredor's tutorial and successfully got the look.

"It just looks really cool, it's very fun to do and make your own twist on it," the content creator said.

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Las Vegas makeup artist Olivia Hernandez, 21, agrees.

"I love how it looks. It's so different and so editorial," said Hernandez. "It definitely makes you feel like Beyoncé on the ‘Renaissance’ album cover."

Not everyone is a fan of the style, though.

Gina Damato, an esthetician and the founder of Château Glow facial spa in Brooklyn, said the hot look can have some uncool side effects.

"Hot glue and chrome nail powder belong nowhere near your face," said Damato. "Use of these both on the skin can cause burns, irritation or contact dermatitis."

Dermatologist Hadley King agreed, noting that the ingredients in hot glue can harm the skin.

Careful removal — using makeup remover or a facial oil — is key, she said.

"Be careful to be gentle to avoid traumatizing the skin," she added.

Corredor feels the risk is worth the reward — though she recommends novices use a metallic eye shadow instead of chrome nail powder.

"This is a fun DIY look that everyone can try," she said. "Even if you don't know how to do makeup, all you need is a hot glue gun and some creativity."

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