Frequently Asked
Questions
FAQs about GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter
(and environmentally friendly glitter in general)
Environmentally friendly glitter alternative questions, answered.
We know you have a lot of questions since this is a pretty exciting, relatively new industry, so we'll try to answer them best we can. If you have a specific question, click it below to go straight to the answer, or browse through all of them if you'd like to get your reading in.
Or, you can skip the FAQs and browse articles here.
Eco-friendly glitter, environmentalism, science, and usage:
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Is there a good eco-friendly glitter alternative to plastic-based glitter?
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What's the difference between mica powder and eco-friendly glitter?
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How does it break down, and how quickly? Will my glitter biodegrade in the bottle?
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What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable glitter?
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Why is GLITLICKER an environmentally friendly alternative to glitter?
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What's the best way to apply GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter to my face/eyelids/lips/body?
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What's the best way to get GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter off when I'm done?
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Can you use it in soap/crafts/bath bombs/candles/lip gloss/nails?
GLITLICKER shipping, lead times, stock, covid-19, and more:
Learn more:
Eco-friendly glitter, environmentalism, science, and usage:
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Is there a good eco-friendly glitter alternative to plastic-based glitter?
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Yes, there are several alternatives, and GLITLICKER chooses the closest alternative to traditional plastic-based glitters, that behaves as similarly as we can find. Many people use tiny flower petals and leaves as a totally plant-based and confetti-like alternative to glitter, many use mica powder to create sparkle in cosmetic products, and many artists use tiny pieces of broken glass, but if you're looking for a glitter that is environmentally friendly, cosmetic-grade, skin-safe, glitter-shaped, that behaves exactly like the glitters we're used to while reducing your plastic waste, there are a handful of manufacturers that create consistent glitter-shaped glitter from eco-friendly materials. These are the traditional shapes we're used to from plastic-based glitter -- hexagons, stars, flat and consistent pieces of glitter. GLITLICKER is sourced from multiple of these distributors of eco-friendly glitter, and we're proud of the amount of research we do to confirm we're sourcing ethically and receiving true biodegradable and compostable glitter. We're still a very small business so we're not certified to say exactly which manufacturers originally created the glitter we use, but we're working on getting to a place that we can become a certificate-carrying small business and buy straight from the manufacturers. But for now, we're happy to support other ethical brands that supply wholesale eco-friendly glitter. GLITLICKER is NOT mica powder, it's NOT flower petals (though we do think the petals confetti idea is cute), and it's NOT glass (which, not gonna lie, we do think that one's pretty awesome. Shoutout to "the glitteriest glitter" over at one of our owner's favorite art brands Culture Hustle, we're terrified of and in awe of your work). What GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter IS, is skin-safe, cosmentic-grade, eco-friendly, ethically sourced, and just as sparkly as plastic-based glitters, without the plastic! Sparkly earth-lovers, rejoice
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What's the difference between mica powder and eco-friendly glitter?
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Mica powder is a sparkly powder that comes from pulverizing a specific type of glittery rock, and eco-friendly glitter is created by cutting glitter shapes out of a layered sheet of plant-cellulose plastic-like material (like those clear compostable food containers, but thinner), colorant, and sometimes aluminum. Mica can be problematic because many mines use child labor and/or low wages to mine the mica, and it's hard to determine whether the mica is truly ethical, even if it's biodegradable. Granted this is not always the case, of course, there are ethical options but it is a big problem and we've had a hard time researching and finding out which mines are ethical. Plus, we like the way GLITLICKER looks for our glitter applications anyway.
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What is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter made of?
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There are a few different ways for eco-friendly glitter to be made, but usually there's a plant cellulose base, lined with a very tiny layer of aluminum, and some colorant. Our biodegradable ocean-safe glitters (the ones with the blue-lip stickers) are made from eucalyptus cellulose, and our compostable glitter (the ones with the green-lip stickers) are usually made from corn cellulose. Some of our glitters are aluminum-free in case that's a worry, and they're labeled in the product description, or you can find a list of aluminum-free GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter at this link.
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Wait, aluminum? Is that healthy? Is it still biodegradable?
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We've done a lot of research on this question, and our answer is that in the glitters that have aluminum, there is only have such a small amount that it has still been determined skin-safe and cosmetic-grade by our sources. It is also a natural ingredient necessary to the planet, and while we absolutely would not condone doing something like tossing aluminum cans anywhere that's not a recycling facility, we still think this glitter alternative is better than plastic glitter regardless (which also often contain aluminmum in addition to plastic). Eco-friendly glitter is still a relatively new industry, and the science of creating better options is being supported by switching from plastic glitters to the current best eco-friendly options, and adjusting when we have a new better option. If the aluminum bothers you, that's okay, we have a list of aluminum-free GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter at this link.
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How does it break down, and how quickly? Will my glitter biodegrade in the bottle?
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Eco-friendly glitter only begins to break down once it is provided the environment it needs to biodegrade. GLITLICKER lasts longer if kept dry in the bottles it comes in, with the lid tightly shut and stored in a cool, dry place, because it requires moisture, microbes, and oxygen to begin the breakdown process. Once introduced into the environment, eco-friendly glitter takes between 28 days and a few months to break down, depending on conditions (compared to plastic-based glitters, which last for hundreds of years in the environment). If kept in your cosmetic pot with the lid tightly closed in a cool, dry environment, GLITLICKER should last a very long time (we recommend using it before one year after you receive it though).
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What's the difference between compostable and biodegradable glitter?
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Compostable glitters (labeled with green GLITLICKER lips) break down in industrial composting environments, and biodegradable glitters (labeled with blue GLITLICKER lips) are ocean-safe from the getgo. If you're tossing glitter in the air, wearing it at a festival, or doing anything that would cause the glitter to become litter, biodegradable glitter is the way to go because unlike compostable glitter, as soon as biodegradable glitter will easily meet its water, microbes, and air requirements to begin the breakdown process when in the environment. If you're washing the glitter down the drain after use, either compostable or biodegradable glitter are good choices. To learn more, check out our article on compostable vs biodegradable glitters here.
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Why is GLITLICKER an environmentally friendly alternative to glitter?
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Regular glitter is created from tiny pieces of plastic, and microplastics are causing severe environmental destruction to marine wildlife, ancient coral reefs, our water supplies, and filling up landfills. There is so much research out there about the damage caused by plastic glitter specifically, that scientists and environmentalists are pushing to ban glitter outright. Fortunately there are many eco-friendly glitter companies working on helping create a better solution, and GLITLICKER is a very small business that focuses on doing the research to make sure we're making ethical choices in the products we make available. We also do everything we can to keep our products economically accessible. As Salt Lake staple drag queen Aphrodiety put it, "I can literally get this much plastic glitter from walmart, and GLITLICKER has prettier colors, sparkles more vibrantly, AND isn't terrible for the environment? Why are we even doing this anymore."
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Is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter makeup safe?
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All GLITLICKER products are cosmetic grade. Not all eco-friendly glitter is cosmetic grade, and it takes a bit of research to be sure of what you're getting, but we strive to only supply cosmetic grade glitter. However, this does not always mean it's technically perfectly makeup safe. There are some glitters that are not safe for lips (because ingestion is NEVER recommended, but some are especially not FDA approved for use on lips), but we'll try to be clear on which those are. It is also not recommended to use larger sizes of glitter flakes on or near your eyelid, because if it gets in your eyes it can cause dangerous cuts to your eyeball. If you do get glitter in your eye, we're not doctors but we've heard that saline solution can help (there's a post over here for information). That being said, if you do use glitter on your face or body skin (and keep it out of your eyeballs!!), eco-friendly glitter is consistently softer and less abrasive to the skin than plastic-based glitters, and we regularly hear how much of a relief it feels to use eco-friendly if you've gotten used to the other stuff. For facial products it sticks well to, we recommend experimenting to find out what works best for your unique skin and wear requirements, starting with liquid-based or cream-based facial makeup products like foundation, primer, moisturizer, clown makeup, eyelash glue, liquid lipgloss or lipstick, patting the glitter into the wet product before it dries, and finishing with a sealant like makeup setting spray or hairspray. Look up the use and safety and allergen info for any product you try, and if it didn't stick well in your first experiment, try something else.
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Is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter body safe?
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Yes, we only stock cosmetic grade glitter that is safe for use on body skin. Just don't let it get in your eyes, nose, or any other holes. There's a post for eye safety and glitter over here. For body products it sticks well to, we recommend experimenting to find out what works best for your unique skin and wear requirements, starting with something liquid-based or sticky like aloe vera gel, moisturizer, sunscreen, clown makeup, body paint, or body-safe glue, patting or sprinkling the glitter into the wet product before it dries, and finishing with a sealant like makeup setting spray or hairspray. Look up the use and safety and allergen info for any product you try, and if it didn't stick well in your first experiment, try something else.
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What's the best way to apply GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter to my face/eyelids/lips/body?
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For facial products it sticks well to, we recommend experimenting to find out what works best for your unique skin and wear requirements, starting with liquid-based or cream-based facial makeup products like foundation, primer, moisturizer, clown makeup, eyelash glue, liquid lipgloss or lipstick. Then gently pat the glitter into the wet product before it dries, and finish with a sealant like makeup setting spray or hairspray. For body products it sticks well to, we recommend experimenting to find out what works best for your unique skin and wear requirements, starting with something liquid-based or sticky like aloe vera gel, moisturizer, sunscreen, clown makeup, body paint, or body-safe glue, patting or sprinkling the glitter into the wet product before it dries, and finishing with a sealant like makeup setting spray or hairspray. Look up the use and safety and allergen info for any product you try, and if it didn't stick well in your first experiment, try something else.
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What's the best way to get GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter off when I'm done?
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We recommend either regular makeup remover, or coconut oil, almond oil, or vitamin E oil as a makeup and GLITLICKER remover. If that doesn't work for you, try looking up the products you used to apply it to find the best recommended remover for you. Every body and skin type is different, so what works for you might not work for someone else and it may take some experimentation. We have heard (from a professional clown, among others) that eco-friendly glitter tends to be more easily removable than plastic alternatives, but we're unwilling to try it because we don't want to waste any more microplastics.
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Does it hold up if mixed with lotion, oil, or sunscreen?
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It's been done! But since eco-friendly glitter alternatives is such a new industry, there's still a lot of unknowns and a few types of glitter used in certain products will lose their color, become misshapen, or dissolve, so we recommend testing a small amount first, doing allergen tests, checking the usage info on the product you're mixing it with, and making only as much as you need per batch. Usually everything we've seen or done has been fine (or something minimal like a hardly noticeable amount of colorant bleed), so it's often worth trying and if it doesn't work, try something else. If you're worried about it beginning to break down, GLITLICKER definitely lasts longer dry in the bottles it comes in stored in a cool, dry place, but it requires moisture, microbes, and oxygen to begin the degredation process. If the medium you mix it with isn't already biodegrading itself, it will not cause eco-friendly glitter to biodegrade (it could dissolve though, which is why we recommend tests and batches).
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Is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter vegan?
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Yes, GLITLICKER only stocks vegan products never tested on animals, so all our eco-friendly glitter is safe for the environment AND vegan-friendly. It is a new industry so if we or any of our suppliers make a mistake in something like supply or colorant, we will be open, honest, and communicative about it and do what we need to in order to correct it. So far, we haven't had this happen (knock on wood), but we've seen it happen to others (that pesky red #4 vs red #40)!
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Can you eat it?
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No, GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter is NOT edible. The name GLITLICKER comes from a pun because our owner is a sapphic mess with a terrible sense of humor, and it's a nod to our owner's other work industry. and if you don't get it, that's okay, I suppose you'll learn when you're older. For an edible glitter, we recommend googling sugar glitter recipes.
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Can you use it in soap/crafts/bath bombs/candles/lip gloss/nails?
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It's been done! But since eco-friendly glitter alternatives is such a new industry, there's still a lot of unknowns and a few types of glitter used in certain products will lose their color, become misshapen, or dissolve, so we recommend testing a small amount first, and making only as much as you need per batch. Usually everything we've seen or done has been fine, so it's often worth trying and if it doesn't work, try something else. When we get capacity to, we'll release an artisan's test packet for people who make stuff and want to try colors and compile test feedback to put on our listings, but since we're still such a small company we haven't made it to that step yet. You'll hear about it on Facebook and Instagram once we do! For now, there's crowdsourced info on forums that you can research by googling your medium and "eco-friendly glitter."
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GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter shipping, lead times, stock, covid-19, and more
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Will you refill my empty glitter container?
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YES! We love doing this, and we're so stoked on the idea of reusing packaging that we will refill them at a discount if you're getting the same color. We haven't sorted a good system yet, but we're working on it, and you can contact us here to let us know you'd like a refill. If you're in or near Salt Lake City we can sort out a socially distanced pass off, and if you're anywhere else, you can send us the bottle and we'll send it back for just the cost of glitter and shipping.
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How long does shipping take?
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For domestic Turtle Island (continental States), usually 3-5 days. Because of Covid-19, it's usually taking around 5-8 days. If it's been longer than 2 weeks, you can contact us and we'll help figure out what's going on.
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Global shipping takes 3-5 weeks, probably more during Covid-19 but we haven't sent anything out since the virus showed up. If you're international and worried, you can contact us, or google other eco-friendly glitter suppliers in your country (we appreciate you thought of supporting us, but keeping down on the travel distance of prodcts is helpful for the environment too).
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What if the color I want is out of stock?
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Since eco-friendly glitter is such a new industry, availability varies pretty wildly. We'll do our best to keep up stock on our bestsellers and search for multiple sources of our favorite colors, but sometimes they just won't exist. Best bet is to let us know what you're looking for, and we'll shift our focus to making sure we have that stock asap, keeping you in the loop. Red is especially hard, because some reds are made from beetles (and all our products are vegan), so it takes us a while to find a good source.
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What is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter packaged in?
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We only use compostable, biodegradable, recyclable, recycled, and reused packaging materials. Our padded mailers and packing slips are biodegradable and compostable made with recycled paper by Ecoenclose, and our filler is repurposed packing paper and newspaper (probably Salt Lake City Weekly that our owner read before packing your order). If there is anything plasticky in there, it is either a reused thing that our owner ran out of and repurposed from their personal incoming mail in order to keep shipping times down, or it is an eco-friendly plant based plastic that breaks down naturally like the glitter. We're currently working on our last step in the transition to totally green packaging, moving from regular stickers to eco-friendly stickers on our cosmetic pots.
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Will my order arrive safe?
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We pad each order comfortably with an eco-friendly padded envelope stuffed with last week's newspaper or reused crinkle paper, and all of our products have arrived safe and unharmed so far. If something happens in transit, contact us and we'll get it taken care of.
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Why glass bottles? Won't they break? Is it safe?
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We chose glass cosmetic pots with metal lids because, as a plastic-free glitter business, we wanted to remove plastic in all our supplies as well, and we wanted a solution that looks beautiful even in its container. The glass pots are stout and thick, and we've only broken one by tossing one at the ground without a lid (for science). Do your best not to drop it, keep it on a sturdy shelf or in a nice pocket and they'll be fine. They are very unlikely to break in your bag but if one does, it will be obvious so you can be careful with the glass shards as you clean it up, and replace the glitter in case any small shards got mixed in with the glitter.
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Will a lid unscrew in my bag and get glitter everywhere?
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This has happened to our owner, but they have a very chaotic makeup bag and it took several months of being tossed through the ringer for it to happen. You can avoid it happening by tightly closing the lid after every use, and keeping it on a shelf or in a pocket of your bag that doesn't get quite so jostled.
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What are you doing to keep customers safe from covid-19?
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We clean our workstation and disinfected with alcohol, wash our hands thoroughly before working on pouring glitter or packaging orders (we do this anyway), and wear a mask as we package and send them out. Studies have shown that mailed items are not a high risk method of transmission, and we keep social distancing practices both in daily life and in packaging GLITLICKER orders. We also transitioned to online orders only, and are not participating in any in-person vendor events until it is safe to do so.
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How is GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter impacted by covid-19?
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We started as a mainly in-person vendor events business, working out of a vintage suitcase and mainly selling at local cabarets and drag shows. Our main goal was to make eco-friendly glitter accessible to our local performing arts community. When the virus shut down live events and left our owner with little-to-no income, we shifted to building our online presence and have been hoping to take this devastating event as a way to grow and improve. And by we, I mean me, Havoq Luscivia, and my cat Orchid. That's all "we"are. We don't test on animals, but she always steals the show (and tries to steal my packaging filler. She likes newspaper).
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Learn more!
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How do I learn more about GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter and environmentally friendly glitter?
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We're always learning and sharing more of what we learn about eco-friendly glitter. Follow us on social media for future updates, and scroll below to browse through all the educational articles we've written about GLITLICKER eco-friendly glitter, biodegradable and compostable glitter. Or click Here for all posts, including ideas for how to use eco-friendly glitter and the fun sparkly science behind it all!
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