Glitter

Glitter is an assortment of flat, small, reflective particles that are precision cut and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.

[12] The Ancient Egyptians produced "glitter-like substances from crushed beetles"[13] as well as finely ground green malachite crystal.

[14] People of the Americas 8,000 years ago were using powdered galena, a form of lead, to produce a bright greyish-white glittering paint used for objects of adornment.

[15] The first production of modern plastic glitter is credited to the American machinist Henry F. Ruschmann who invented a machine to cut photo films and paper in the 1930s.

Sometimes, the machine "stuttered," generating small pieces of glossy cellulose that employees picked up and used as "snow" to decorate their Christmas trees, and modern glitter was born.

[16][1] With his partner, Harry Goetz, Ruschmann cut mica into washers and glitter from metallized cellulose acetate film.

First, flat multi-layered sheets are produced combining plastic, coloring, and reflective material such as aluminium, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, and bismuth oxychloride.

The flashy, sparkling nature of glitter allows users to push standard ideas of beauty and what is and is not considered "excessive" in terms of make-up.

[36] Trisia Farrelly, an environmental anthropologist at Massey University, has called for a ban on glitter made of polyethylene terephthalate (PETE) and aluminum, as it is a microplastic that can leach hormonal disruptors into the environment.

[7] Furthermore, plastic glitter takes about one thousand years to biodegrade, according to Victoria Miller, a materials and engineering scientist at North Carolina State University.

[40] According to Chris Flower, director-general of the Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association, "the total contribution to marine plastic litter from glittery cosmetic products is negligible when compared to the damaging effects of bags and bottles... [While the] total effect of giving up traditional glitter might not be great in comparison with other harmful plastics, we should still do everything we can.

"[41] Since October 2023, some types of glitter have been restricted in the European Union as part of a ban on microplastics intentionally added to products.