How-to: DIY Body Glitter from Healthy Ingredients

add glitter to the container
Add glitter to the container. A little goes a LONG way!

It’s easiest to add the glitter to the container first. A little glitter goes a LONG way, so start off with a light hand, or, if you’re like my kid, just dump a ton in anyway. It’s going to look great regardless!

Add aloe vera gel to the glitter.
Add aloe vera gel to the glitter.

Next, squeeze in plenty of aloe vera gel. I like to have my kids pretty much fill the container. They use it up like it’s going out of style (and why not, since it’s so easy and cheap to make?), so the more we make at once, the less often we have to make it.

Finally, take a popsicle stick or bamboo skewer and stir the glitter into the gel. The transformation as you do this is pretty special to see–a layer of glitter and a blob of aloe vera gel cohere into a shiny, lustrous material!

Apply your body glitter with a finger or a sponge away from all orifices that you don’t want glitter to get in. To remove it, use a wet washcloth.

P.S. Interested in skin care without freaky ingredients? Try DIY lotion next.

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Written by Julie Finn

I'm a writer, crafter, Zombie Preparedness Planner, and homeschooling momma of two kids who will hopefully someday transition into using their genius for good, not the evil machinations and mess-making in which they currently indulge. I'm interested in recycling and nature crafts, food security, STEM education, and the DIY lifestyle, however it's manifested--making myself some underwear out of T-shirts? Done it. Teaching myself guitar? Doing it right now.

Visit my blog Craft Knife for a peek at our very weird handmade homeschool life, and my etsy shop Pumpkin+Bear for a truly odd number of rainbow-themed beeswax pretties.

13 Comments

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  1. This is really exciting! We bought some glitter body powder a while ago from a tiny little herbal shop, but one can never have enough ways to spread glitter all over the body.

    Thanks!

    • I’ve also found a place where you can buy “cosmetics grade glitter”–http://www.smokymountaincraftsupplies.com/glitter.html–although I haven’t yet figured out how my Joann’s brand assorted glitter set specifically differs from something labelled “cosmetics grade.” Glitter isn’t absorbed by the skin, and shouldn’t be contaminated with heavy metals regardless of what it’s for, but craft glitter probably isn’t hypoallergenic?

      • From what I can tell, it’s more about the shape of the glitter flake. Craft glitter tends to be cut in shapes like hexagons or squares, which tessellate, meaning you don’t waste much (or any) of your material. Cosmetics grade glitter is always cut round, which is less likely to scratch your cornea if any accidentally gets in your eyes. It is often made from higher-quality plastics as well, but the difference is mostly in the cut. Careful when applying craft glitter-based body glitter near the eye area!

  2. I Don’t Have any glitter left.my mum won’t take me shopping so how can i get some glitter.i know how to make glitter but my mum won’t let me use the oven.can you help me if you can.

  3. How well would this hold up for adding to face painting? Im a face painter for kiddos and want to make sure it will last.

    Thanks so much,
    Julie
    Bling It On FaceFX

  4. This is not a healthy recipe , the glitters you have in the pictures are not cosmetic grade. Craft glitters shouldn’t be applied to the skin.
    Do your research craft glitters vs cosmetic grade glitters.

  5. Not really natural because your sending tons of micro plastic right down the drain when you wash it off. The glitter part is the problem, not the gel. Currently searching for diy natural glitter recipe.

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