The Best Ways to Remove Glitter from Your Skin, Hair, and Clothes

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Clean those sparkles off your skin with our complete guide

Co-authored by Barbie Ritzman and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: October 18, 2023 Fact Checked

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Removing Glitter from Skin

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Getting Glitter Out of Your Hair

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Getting Glitter Off of Clothes

Glitter is a great addition to your look, but you may find it sticking to your skin even a few days after using it. Whether you used a glitter bath bomb or applied makeup with glitter in it, oily substances and cleansers work great for removing any stray sparkles. If glitter accidentally gets into your hair or on your clothing, we’ve got solutions that will make removing it so easy. Keep reading, and we’ll cover all the best ways to get glitter off your body, hair, and clothes within minutes.

Things You Should Know

Apply coconut oil or olive oil to your skin with a cotton ball to loosen and wipe off the glitter. Alternatively, try using lotion or conditioner instead.
Clean glitter off your skin and face using cotton pads soaked with a gentle cleanser, like cleansing oil, micellar water, or makeup remover.
Try pressing playdough or fashion tape onto the glitter to lift it up without removing your makeup.

Section 1 of 3:

Removing Glitter from Skin

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1
Work coconut oil or olive oil over the glitter to quickly remove it. Put a dab of coconut oil or olive oil on a cotton ball. Then, just gently wipe it against your skin to remove any glitter that’s leftover from cosmetics, bath bombs, or paints. Once the cotton ball is covered in glitter, toss it in the trash and wet another. Keep wiping your skin until you lift up all of the glitter.^{[1]
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- Coconut oil and olive oil will both remove any makeup you’re wearing.
- If you have dry skin, rub the leftover coconut oil in to help moisturize. If you already have oily skin, then dab the oil off with a paper towel or a washcloth.
2
Clean the glitter off using a gentle face wash. Wet a cotton pad with a face-cleansing oil, micellar water, or makeup remover and hold it against your skin. As you hold the cleanser against your skin, the glitter won’t be as sticky and will easily come off.^{[2]
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- Any type of cleanser could remove other makeup, so use it carefully if you don’t want to ruin your cosmetics.
- Avoid using makeup wipes to get glitter off because it could dry out your skin and it may just move the glitter around without picking it up.^{[3]
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3
Rub lotion or conditioner over the glitter. Because lotion and conditioner are a little greasy, it will help loosen the glitter so it doesn’t stick to your skin. Just dab some onto your fingertip or a cotton ball and rub it over your skin. Then, take a clean washcloth or cotton pad to wipe the lotion and glitter off.^{[4]
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- Lotion and conditioner may smear your cosmetics, so avoid using them if you want to preserve your makeup.
While you can use regular cellophane tape or masking tape, opt for fashion tape that’s made to use on your skin. Gently press the tape against your skin, and slowly peel it off. The glitter will stick to the tape and quickly come off of your skin.^{[5]
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Pick up loose glitter on your skin using playdough. Knead the dough until it’s soft and malleable. Whenever you see glitter sparkling on your skin, press the dough on top and lift it up to remove it.^{[6]
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- Playdough also works great to pick glitter up from surfaces like countertops or bathroom sinks.
- Avoid playing with the playdough you used because the glitter could transfer to a different surface.
6
Soak glitter around your nails with nail polish remover. If you need to remove glitter nail polish you got on your skin, wet a cotton ball with your nail polish remover. Place the cotton ball onto the glitter and hold it there for about 3–5 minutes. Then, just wipe the excess glitter off your skin.^{[7]
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- If you’re trying to remove glitter polish from your nails, then wrap your fingertips in aluminum foil after placing the cotton balls on your nails. Keep your hand in direct sunlight for a few minutes to help speed up the removal process.

Section 2 of 3:

Getting Glitter Out of Your Hair

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1
Work coconut oil or olive oil into your hair. If you’re trying to remove glitter from your hair, then first start by combing or brushing out as much as you can. Then, massage a fingertip-sized amount of coconut oil or olive oil into your hair and scalp for a couple of minutes. Let the oil sit for about 10–15 minutes before washing it out with your regular shampoo.^{[8]
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- Using coconut oil will also help strengthen and moisturize your hair to give it more volume and shine.^{[9]
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Start by spraying a paper towel with hairspray until it’s wet. Then, blot your hair with the paper towel to remove the glitter. The hairspray will be sticky enough to lift the glitter out from your hair and scalp with ease. Then, just rinse or wash your hair in the shower like normal.^{[10]
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Section 3 of 3:

Getting Glitter Off of Clothes

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Wrap a piece of masking tape around your hand so the sticky side faces out. To get the glitter off your clothes, simply press the tape or lint roller against the fabric and lift it up to remove any sparkly residue there.^{[11]
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Coat your clothes with hairspray before washing them. Lay the garment flat and spray any spot that has glitter with your hairspray so it’s completely covered. Let the hairspray dry for about 15–20 minutes before putting the garment in your washing machine. Use your standard detergent and wash cycle to help get rid of the glitter from your clothing.^{[12]
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- The hairspray sticks to the glitter and rinses out of the fabric. If you still see glitter on your clothes, try washing them again.
- If you notice glitter inside your washer or dryer, then just wipe it out with a wet paper towel or pick it up with playdough.
- If you have glitter on sensitive fabrics or clothes labeled “dry clean only,” then avoid using hairspray so you don’t accidentally damage your clothes. Instead, try using tape or take them to a professional cleaner.