When we asked Huynh
to create sparkling lids
and lips using only
biodegradable glitter,
it was for a good reason.
See, the thing about
most standard glitters
is that they’re
made of polyethylene
terephthalate plastic,
and each piece is
teeny-tiny (less than
five millimeters in length).
That makes glitter a
“microplastic.” Which
means that after you’ve
washed your face, glitter
sails through filters at
water treatment plants
and hits our waterways.
“Baby fish could
be tricked into thinking
it’s food and potentially
die of malnutrition,” says
Jonathan Whitney,
a postdoctoral research
fellow at the
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration.
Microplastics can also
absorb toxins in
the water and may be
dangerous to fish and
the people who eat
them. (Some glitter is
made of natural mica, but
reports that its mining
can involve child labor
make that backstory no
better.) Responsibly
sourced, biodegradable
alternatives, such
as EcoStardust and the
brands Huynh used
here, are made of plant
cellulose. When these
glitters come into
contact with water, they
start biodegrading. Now
you’re free to shine on.
—KATHLEEN SUICO
A Trail
of Glitter
wat c h you r mouth
If you’re not planning on eating, drinking, or even talking too much, this may be the
most beautiful look imaginable. The secret? “I used a blue eyeliner pencil to give myself
a guide and to intensify the color,” says Huynh. He topped the liner with a blue glitter
paste (again, made with MAC’s gel and EarthShine’s biodegradable glitter) and finished
with a healthy layer of Shiseido Crystal lip gloss. Best advice for the night (and maybe
life?): Embrace the fallout.
Below, on Lumia Nocito: EarthShine Plant Based Glitter in Sapphire.
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58 ALLURE APRIL 2020
