What is Glitter?

Glitter is made up of hundreds — even thousands or tens of thousands! — of tiny pieces of various materials. What types of materials? Some common glitter materials include copolymer plastics, aluminum foil, titanium dioxide, and iron oxides.
These materials are usually produced in thin sheets that are painted with bright metallic or iridescent colors that reflect light. The sheets are then cut up into tiny pieces to make glitter that sparkles brightly when its many pieces reflect light in a colorful spectrum!
To keep it from being too messy, glitter makers usually package glitter in small containers that have small holes that help control the flow of glitter. To apply glitter to an object, you will usually use glue or another type of sticky substance that the glitter will stick to. In addition to arts and crafts projects, glitter can also be used in combination with cosmetics. You may see people wearing glitter make-up or using nail polish that contains glitter. If you want to look sparkly, there’s no better way than adding some glitter to your clothes or body!
So how long has glitter been around? In its present form, glitter has only been around for about 75 years or so. However, scientists have found cave paintings over 2,000 years old that include mica flakes that give the paintings a sparkly appearance.
Modern glitter as we know it was invented in 1934 by a New Jersey cattle rancher named Henry Ruschmann. Henry also dabbled as a machinist. His hobby led to the accidental discovery of a process that used a machine to precisely cut plastic films into thousands of tiny pieces.
All those tiny pieces of plastic eventually became the product we now call glitter. Ruschmann started a company called Meadowbrook Inventions to produce glitter in large quantities. His company is still in business today and is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of Glitter Transfers.

Applying Studs and Nailheads with Heat

Metal hot fix studs or nailheads come in all different sizes and shapes and makes a wardrobe pop. They can be used in place of or with glass hot fix rhinestones for that glamorous look. If you apply them yourself to the clothing you have on hand or bought from the secondhand store, you can achieve that mall or boutique look for a low price and high personalization points. (Also, they are more gentle on you because they have flat backs in place of prongs.)
Hot fix studs or nailheads can be applied to clothing with a household iron or a heat press machine, on cotton settings. Instructions vary on how to put them, and you have to plan your design before merely ironing them on. Transfers generally have less of that problem because they are premade and can be placed on your garment or other surface with less planning.
A general rule of thumb of heat-setting is to press the iron or heat press steady for 10-15 seconds (add an additional 5-10 seconds if your transfer has rhinestones) and let cool after pressing. Check the studs if they are secure. Some people suggest waiting for at least 24 hours before using to set the glue.
For more precision, you may want to apply them with a heat applicator tool with the flat tips. First, screw the tip on when the tool is cool, heat according to directions. Next, place the stud on a desired spot and use the hot tip to touch the top of the stud for 10-15 seconds. It’s an ideal method for use with delicates, but some people suggest that you test the material before using.