Is glitter harming the environment? From David Bowie to Britney Spears, celebrities have used sparkling make-up for extra star power – but now the EU is curbing its environmental footprint

Glitter – the tiny particles that speckle your face with stardust – has been both a staple and an enigma in the world of cosmetics. From disco queens of the 70s to 90s pop divas, it’s been a trusty sidekick to countless celebrities wanting to sparkle on the red carpet, runway or stage. Yet glitter has always had a bad boy image too, arching an eyebrow or two over its environmental footprint, a sustainability puzzle that recently spurred the European Union, no less, into action.

As it turns out, in the glitter cosmos, options abound. Loose glitter offers artistic versatility, ideal for mixing and layering, but requires a steady hand and patience due to potential fallout. On the other hand, pressed glitter is tidy and easy to apply, making it perfect for beginners or those attempting more complex designs.

For the artistically inclined, glitter gels and liquid glitters, available in tubes or pens, also go on easily and can be used to draw intricate designs and body art, as celebrity make-up artist Humberto Moya, explains that, “I usually recommend getting started with small palettes, small glitter pots or some sort of formulation that’s already mixed with a medium that’ll help with adherence instead of getting the powder kind. Loose glitter tends to spill and go everywhere; it’s way harder to control.”

While glitter has become a global beauty staple, with brands worldwide weaving it into product lines in various forms, a chosen few have gone beyond to claim a spot in the glitter Hall of Fame. From the light-catching neutral and classic shades of Chanel’s Les Beiges Healthy Glow palettes to the deeply nourishing and high iridescence of Tom Ford’s Soleil Balm Frost lip balm; from Valentino’s runway-glam-inspired Dreamdust lip and cheek loose glitter to the creamy glimmering shades in Makeup by Mario’s Master Metallics eyeshadow palette; from Clé De Peau’s dewy and three-dimensional Cream Rouge Sparkles liquid lipstick to the sparkling nude-pink finish of Chantecaille’s Lip Crystal lipstick, the possibilities for adding a little glitter to your make-up are legion.

Some brands have led the charge in innovation and artistry, elevating the world of shimmer to new heights and turning their formulas into coveted collectibles among beauty aficionados worldwide. Pat McGrath Labs, spearheaded by the mother of modern make-up, McGrath herself, has rewritten the rules of glamour, incorporating glitter into the DNA of her brand. Her Mothership palettes and Blitz Astral Quad eyeshadow palette are testaments to her commitment to formulating glitter that’s much more than simple sparkles, promising a multidimensional shimmer that captures the essence of the cosmos, no less.

Another contender on the glitter stage is Rabanne, formerly known as Paco Rabanne. After a sleek rebranding in June, the brand unveiled a mesmerising make-up line catering to Gen-Z consumers, a demographic that has candidly embraced the brand’s space age aesthetic. The Eyephoria collection embodies the late Paco Rabanne’s daring vision and legendary metal creations with high-impact palettes and 12 dazzling shades of cream-to-paint liquid eyeshadow, leaning on the brand’s metal-chain, metal-mesh, silver and gold elements.