The FDA has already banned plastic micro beads in cosmetics and there is good reason to speculate that glitter may follow. The issue is not whether it is hazardous to humans but the environmental impact on our waterways and fish.
Glitter is made from plastic sheets and used in a wide array of products, including cosmetics. When washed down the drain, glitter becomes a subset of marine plastic litter known as microplastic.
Many of our customers are jumping ahead of the possible FDA ruling and looking for safer alternatives. Our Superstars are earth friendly replacements and many of our customers are already using them for face makeup and tattoos. At this time the FDA has not banned the use of synthetic mica with micron sizes over 200 microns so they are a very super nice glittery replacement. Even the superstars with micron sizes of 150 and under are very popular for this use. Synthetic mica is a man-made material designed to mimic the shimmer effect of natural mica, which is made up of natural minerals. So, instead of filling your bathroom with plastics that aren’t biodegradable and are potentially toxic to marine wildlife, you can sit back and enjoy your bath safe in the knowledge it won’t have a negative impact on the environment.
To read more about this issue here is a very good article from National Geographic.