Glitter describes an assortment of small, colorful, reflective particles that come in various shapes. Glitter particles reflect light at different angles, which leads to shine or shimmer. Glitter is similar to confetti, sparkles or sequins, but slightly smaller. Since prehistoric times, glitter has been made and used to decorate many different materials, including stones such as malachite, galena, mica, as well as insects and glass. Modern glitter is usually made of plastic and is rarely recycled, which leads to the fact that the calls from scientists for plastic glitter should be banned.

Today, more than 20,000 varieties of glitter are produced in a huge number of different colors, sizes and materials. More than 10,000,000 pounds (4,500,000 kg) of glitter were purchased between the years of 1989 and 2009. Commercial glitter ranges from 0.002 inches (0.051 mm) to 0.25 inches (6.4 mm) a side. First, flat laminated sheets are made in combination with plastic, dyeing and reflective materials, such as aluminum, titanium dioxide, iron oxide and bismuth oxychloride. Then these sheets are cut into small particles of various shapes, including squares, rectangles and hexagons.

Glitter Uses

Prior to fabrics made with modern glitter, the sequins were sewn or woven into fabrics to get a shiny look. Edible glitter made from gum arabic and other ingredients is even used by culinary artists.

Glitter is used in cosmetics to make the face and nails look sparkly or shiny. It is also used in children’s art and crafts for color and texture items. Small, bright colored particles often stick to clothing, skin and furniture and can be a hassle to remove.