Why you shouldn't use craft glitter in your nail services

There are many techs using craft glitters in their nail services because they may have seen someone else do it, it is low cost and easy. You may think it’s only glitter and can’t do any harm, right? However, the type of glitter you use is significant to the success of your service and client’s health. As well as aesthetic concerns, not using cosmetic grade products runs the risk of causing allergies, skin irritation and service breakdown.

When you are using cosmetic grade products, you know what you are using and putting on your client’s nails. Cosmetic grade has a certain standard to meet. Cosmetic grade glitters will come with an MSDS sheet so you know what your product contains and whether it meets the standards for cosmetic grade. It is also important that you invest in a high quality cosmetic grade glitter from a reputable company and brand.

Cosmetic grade glitter won’t heat up when filing off because it is made of plastic where craft shop glitter is usually made of metal which will heat up very quickly when filing and can cause skin reactions and irritation. Cosmetic grade glitter is made of special plastic that is non-toxic, even if ingested in small quantities. It’s coloured with pigment rather than dye. You can run the risk of your monomer melting the glitter, the colour bleeding from a craft shop or filing off the coating. Cosmetic glitter is much finer than craft glitter, and the individual particles are usually rounded rather than hexagonal making them safer to use in contact with the skin of you and your client.

You will not be insured if you do not use cosmetic grade glitter if something was to go wrong. Craft shop and other glitters are not suitable for nails or the process of doing L&P acrylic or gel polish. Some techs are led to believe that because this is not directly in contact with the natural nail and is usually sandwiched in between the layers of L&P or gel polish for example that no problems will arise.

It is highly unlikely that you will be able to guarantee 100% that the product will not come into contact with the skin of yourself or the client during the service at any point. Non-cosmetic grade is usually cheap to purchase and made out of unknown materials. When you are working with a material that you don’t know where it was made, how or what with, problems can arise with no back up from the company you purchased from. When you do not know the material of the product, you do not know how it will react with the products you are using.

As well as the glitter itself, there are also cosmetic standards to packing cosmetic grade glitters as defined by good manufacturing procedures which helps make sure that those packing the product are following proper sanitary conduct and there is no risk of rust from machinery that could possibly get into the glitter.

This also applies to all products you use in your nail services such as paints; bling and other nail art mediums. Invest in your products safely and wisely. 

It is essential to store your nail products correctly, learn more here.

Let me know in the comments what glitters you use.


1 comment


  • Lisa a May

    I only use premier,cjp, and kirsty meakin products which have glitters in the top coats, of client wants that effect thanks Lisa x


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