The Easiest Ways To Remove Glitter Everywhere Once And For All
Everyone who's used glitter knows it feels almost impossible to clean up completely. Whether it's in your makeup and hair or on your nails and clothes, it won't budge once you put it on. There are multiple theories on why this happens, per Live Science. One has to do with air viscosity. If you purposely apply glitter or spill the container, each piece is so tiny and flat that it pushes the air underneath it when it's on a surface. Then the air above it pushes down, making it hard to pick up.
The surface tension of water is one reason why glitter gets stuck on the skin. The moisture from your body and any sweat attracts the specks because water molecules have positively and negatively charged sides, which attract any charged glitter. That's why removing makeup and body glitter may be extra tricky.
Luckily, there are products you can use to make the cleanup process more manageable. Once you know what works best for you, you can effortlessly wear glitter on your face, hair, and nails.
Face
When removing glitter from your face, you can take steps during the application process to make cleanup more manageable. The Tab recommends adding a layer of Vaseline to your skin with the glitter. You can also use aloe vera gel if petroleum jelly is too thick for you. These products allow you to wear the makeup all day, but when it's time to clean your face, they act as a slippery barrier, so everything wipes off.
The best way to wash glitter off your face is with hot water in a shower. If you find yourself struggling, you can also add some coconut oil. You should apply it in circular motions and then rinse your skin under water.
There may be a few specks of glitter left, but whatever you do, never use a makeup wipe. They only make it worse by adding moisture and moving the makeup around your face without actually removing it. Instead, take a piece of tape and use it to pick up the leftover specks.
Hair
It's so hard to clean glitter from hair because of all the strands it can hide in. The easiest way to remove it is with oil. Any type will work, but coconut is recommended. While you're getting ready to shampoo your hair, take a scoop of oil in your hand and apply it to your hair. Make sure you get from the roots to the ends, paying extra attention to areas with a lot of glitter. After the oil is dispersed, leave it in for 10 minutes. Once the time is up, you can jump in the shower and shampoo your hair. It's best to wash it out with a shampoo that lathers a lot. That way, the suds can pick up the glitter.
If you've recently washed your hair and don't want to get it wet, try the hairspray method. Simply spray a paper towel with the product and run it over your hair. The hairspray is sticky, so it will gently pick up the glitter without ripping out your strands. Continue to wipe your head with the paper towel until all the glitter is gone.
Nails
Anyone who's painted their nails with glitter polish knows how difficult it is to remove. The chunkier the glitter, the more it sticks. Fortunately, there are hacks you can follow to get it all off. The first step you'll want to do sounds counterintuitive, but it makes removal go so smoothly. First, paint a layer of topcoat over your glitter manicure (per Orly). It works by sticking to the old glitter polish, so it slides off with nail polish remover.
You can make this process easier by using acetone instead of other nail polish removers. Many people choose to avoid this ingredient because it dries out the nail bed, but it's the most effective option when removing glitter. Simply wipe the polish off with a cotton ball soaked in acetone while the topcoat is still wet.
If some straggling pieces of glitter refuse to budge, you can buff them away. A mild buffer is best, so it's not too rough on your nails. Then finish with one final swipe of polish remover to ensure all the dust and polish residue is gone.
Clothes
When you wear a lot of glitter with your makeup, some specks are bound to fall onto your clothes. Luckily, there are a few methods you can use for a quick fix without having to wash your outfit. If you've noticed some fallout on your shirt after doing your makeup, you can wipe it off before leaving the house with a lint roller. Make sure to always start with a fresh sheet and use a new one when the stickiness is gone. You can also use a hand vacuum if you don't own a lint roller or it's not working well enough.
Once you're home after wearing glitter all day, you don't want to just throw your clothes right in a washing machine. First, you should spray down all the glittery areas with hairspray. However, before using this method, make sure to do a test patch of the hairspray on the inside seam to ensure it won't damage the fabric. This hair product works well because it sticks to the glitter, dislodging it from your clothing. Wait for it to dry completely before tossing everything into the machine. Then run your washer on a regular cycle. Once it's done, dry everything as usual and wipe down the drum of your washer with a paper towel.