Tis the Season To Sparkle: Why We Love To Shine

We people, not unlike animals, do like shiny things. For both, it’s due to evolutionary traits, signalling vital resources like water. In addition to mimicking vital freshwater, we receive neurochemical rewards, a dopamine rush, from bright light, and they also hold cultural significance, signifying purity, wealth, or joy. This all stems from our brains being wired to notice light glints for survival and finding them aesthetically pleasing. While magpies are famous for collecting shiny items, we humans are not so different, which is why new shiny makeup always catches our eyes. Meet the latest set of shimmering colours. Lune Liner, from Violette Fr here in Tis the Season To Sparkle: Why We Love To Shine

Sparkle and Shine

We, too, like the magpie, are drawn to shiny things as they help us spot life-sustaining water and also trigger happiness, making sparkle a powerful visual cue for both necessity and delight. The strongest theory suggests our innate draw to shininess comes from needing to find fresh water, which reflects light. The changing light from sparkle floods the brain with dopamine, a “feel-good” neurotransmitter, creating feelings of happiness and excitement.

New Makeup from Violette FR

Formulated with colour-shifting pigments, the Lune Liner by Violette FR is designed and crafted for both artistry and ease. It combines a high-performance multichromatic metallic formula with an ultra-fine precision applicator that offers both accuracy and freedom, resulting in luminous colour that wears up to 16 hours without smudging, flaking, or fading.

The Colour Palette

The collection of four shades celebrates the full spectrum of chromatic light, shifting colours depending on angle, light and movement. The tones are called Aurora, Coup de Foudre,  Cuivre 29 and Ultraviolet.

Exclusive

We asked Violette Serrat, Founder and CEO of Violette FR, about her latest shiny launches.

How do you choose to make these kinds of colours?

For Lune Liner, it’s pretty close to my heart. Honestly, it’s funny to say, but these colours kind of chose me in a way. I had a series of dreams while I was pregnant with my daughter, where she was this glowing golden moon, guiding me through these magical, otherworldly desert landscapes. She even told me her own name in them. I vividly remember the colours in those dreams; they were surreal, shimmering, and alive. It reminded me that magic is always around us, especially in nature. So while I’m always inspired by the natural world, with these shades I went deeper. I looked to the elements—to copper, to the aurora borealis, to ultraviolet light and flashes of lightning. Each one felt like its own form of glowing energy. And that became the vision for Lune Liner’s shades: a way to bottle that energy into something wearable. 

What is the process like, since these aren’t easy colours to make?

Multichromes are definitely delicate, especially when you’re working with clean, vegan formulas as we do. There are already multichrome liners out there, but I wanted to create something that felt more refined. Less over-the-top, more wearable. Something that adds a flicker of light or a subtle shift in mood and still feels chic and elevated. For me, “maximalism” isn’t about piling things on. It’s about intention. I love a little surprise, a touch of light that catches the eye and makes someone do a double-take. That’s the idea behind Lune. 

The biggest challenge was creating a formula that glides on effortlessly but still delivers that multidimensional payoff. The texture is almost like nail polish, smooth and fluid. You can sheer it out or layer it for a bolder look. And the applicator is needle-fine, it’s practically mistake-proof. We designed it so even someone who’s never worn liquid liner before could feel confident using it. The combination of all of these things is what makes the formula so innovative. 

Does technology help when making things like this? And if so, how? 

Absolutely. I work really closely with our labs throughout the entire development process. But I’ll admit, I can be a bit stubborn once I have a specific vision in mind. It often takes years to get a formula just right. Thankfully, we have an incredible product development team that helps me find the highest quality ingredients and pigments available. That might mean sourcing rare raw materials or building our own packaging completely from scratch. But the goal is always the same: high quality, minimal waste, and formulas that feel effortless to use. And as much as we prioritise artistry and performance, we’re also mindful about keeping things accessible from a price perspective. That balance is really important to me. 

What is the lead time from idea to production?

It really varies; new formulas take three to six years to develop, and new shades can take up to 1.5 years. A formula like Lune Liner takes quite a long time. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes steps people don’t always see, from early forecasting (to avoid overproduction and waste) to countless rounds of formula testing and colour trials. 

Once the formula is finalised, I work closely with our creative and marketing teams to shape the story around the product. Sharing my creative process with my community has always been important to me, and with Lune, it was no different. I wanted them to hear the authentic story, from those early dreams to the elemental inspiration behind each shade. This one felt deeply personal, so I wanted to weave that sense of wonder into everything, the packaging, the campaign, the copy. The goal was to bring people into my creative process in a very real, emotional way. 

Why is the idea of luminosity so important in makeup right now?

Was it ever not important? (laughs) I think luminosity has always been key. I often look to Renaissance painters who used different techniques to bring light to the skin, and that has informed many of my formulas, the glass-skin effect of our Baume Shine highlighter or the light-reflection of Lune Liner, which gives skin the feeling of being alive. 

But beyond the aesthetic, I think we’re all craving a little light right now, literally and metaphorically. Maybe that’s why we’re drawn to shimmer and shift and surreal, magical textures. It’s a bit of escapism. A way to express joy and curiosity even when things feel heavy. For me, working with light, whether it’s in makeup or in mood, is a way of tapping into something universal. It reminds me of the magic that surrounds us every day, and I think that’s something worth sharing. 

Find The Lune Liner Collection Here at VioletteFR.com

If you enjoyed reading, Tis the Season To Sparkle: Why We Love To Shine, then why not read What’s under the Christmas tree 10 here

.Cent Magazine London. Luxury Mindset