One of my only claims to some sort of familiar fame is a distant relation to J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan. Cool, eh? I remember telling this story to a classmate in elementary school, only to have him call me a liar and insist that there was no way that Walt Disney was in my family tree. Um… yeah. Anyhow, one of my favourite parts of the Peter Pan story is the addition of fairy dust to the story.
You see, in the original version of the play, there was no fairy dust. The Darling children just had to think happy thoughts and they could fly. Unfortunately, after the curtains closed on opening night, a bunch of children ran home and threw themselves off their furniture (whilst furiously thinking happy thoughts, of course). Needless to say that ended in many bumps and bruises across London, so J.M. Barrie hastily added fairy dust to the flight equation. Obviously the idea of children hurting themselves isn’t the highlight of the story—it’s the wonder of the human imagination. I think it’s rather sweet, and it makes me nostalgic.
Anyhow, this light fairly dust won’t make you fly, but it will lift your brows and bring your eyes and cheekbones to life, and when combined with happy thoughts, you’ll positively glow.
It gets its brightness from titanium dioxide, a bright white powder. When combined with sericite mica (USA / Canada) for lustre, silver mica for shimmer, and just a hint of blue ultramarine for a wee touch of coolness, the final powder has the power to make eyes pop. I think you’ll love it.
Fairy Dust Highlighting Powder
2 tsp sericite mica (USA / Canada)
1 tsp white kaolin clay (USA / Canada)
1/8 tsp magnesium stearate
¾ tsp silver mica
1 tsp titanium dioxide (less if you’re not as pale as I am—work up to it if in doubt)
Speck blue ultramarine (optional)
15 drops jojoba oil (USA / Canada)Blend everything together in your DIY coffee grinder. Transfer to a small jar.
To use, blend in under the eyebrow, underneath the outer lower corners of your eyes, and in by your tear ducts. It’s also great as a highlighting powder for your cheekbones.
You made my Monday!! I love you blog!! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading 😀
you’re soooooo cute!! I love your ideas even though I can’t get a lot of the ingredients here. I deff have a diy crush on you! Thanks!!!
Aww shucks, thanks Dorey 😀
This is so awesome! I’m gonna try this!!
Let me know how it goes 😀
hello! so happy to have found your site, I’m always excited to come across recipes for homemade versions of store-bought products, it’s nice to control what ingredients are used for products going into or onto your body. I noticed mica is an ingredient used in this particular recipe, I’ve read that overexposure to mica can be dangerous but I’m not sure as to what amount. My question to you is whether you know anything about whether it is dangerous and what amount would be considered dangerous? Once again, thank you for sharing your recipes and ideas, I look forward to using them myself!
Hi Holly! From what I’ve read, mica is quite safe (2/10 on Skin Deep) and it is naturally occurring. It’s also the only source of natural shimmer, so if you want shimmer, you’re tied to it. Be careful not to inhale it (along with all fine particulates, really), and don’t eat it for breakfast. You can read more here, but it does look like they only have conflicting data on the only thing they’re really concerned about.
I might be concerned if I worked in a factory with it where large amounts of cosmetics were produced, but for the small amounts I use in my home, I’m not concerned.
Must I use a coffee grinder to mix the ingredients? Will a small food processor or just by hand do? Thanks very much in advance 🙂
A coffee grinder will give you a nice, fine powder. I’ve found a food processor basically just stirs things together, but that should work, more or less 🙂 If you find you are unhappy with the texture you can check your local op-shops for a cheap, used coffee grinder.
Thank you for your reply! I will wait to by a coffee grinder and give this diy a shot then. I love your site, its the best 😉
Ok! Places like Value Village can be a jackpot, but I’d also recommend checking classified websites like Kijiji—apparently coffee grinders are an in-demand item around here, so I’ve only found a coffee grinder at Value Village once. Thanks so much for reading 🙂
Is there something I can use to substitute the Titanium Dioxide in both this recipe and the healing concealer? I have read a number of articles that say it is carcinogenic.
Hi Jenna! The short answer is generally “it depends” leaning towards “no”. I’d recommend reading the comment thread on this post for more discussion. If you read the TD profile on Skin Deep you can see that most of the risk is based on use (inhalation concern) and wanting to avoid the micronized version (which none of my recipes call for). When used properly, TD gets a 1/10 for safety, which is almost as safe as it gets. Wear a dust mask when blending to avoid inhalation, and never omit the small amounts of oil I call for in recipes as that is to weigh the powder down so it doesn’t become airborne easily.
Hi!
First, I just want to say that I adore you and your generous blog! You’re the most detailed and trustworthy source I have found for recipes thus far, and it’s SO empowering to have the tools you provide!!! It’s been a dream trying everything I can. Thank you for what you do. I can’t tell you how much brighter I feel from reading these entries.
My question is – would zinc oxide work well enough (and in the same amounts) as a substitute for titanium in any of your highlighter recipes? I have read that it can be grittier and offers less opacity, but that accepted, I’d be willing to try it.
I’ve tried blending kaolin with amped up amounts of mica, which works relatively well but requires quite a bit more powder than what you’re using in your oil based highlighters.
I ask because I’ve had trouble finding a good source of titanium from US dealers, and NDA seems to have discontinued it.
Hi Brianna! From experiments readers have done, zinc oxide is not a particularly good alternative for titanium dioxide. You are, of course, welcome to try it, but I really cannot vouch for what might happen :/ Brambleberry carries titanium dioxide, though!
So glad to have found your website. Thank you for sharing your recipes. They are wow!
Thanks so much, Koko!
Marie,
I was just wondering if you could, for fun, sub another color for the ultramarine blue? We are a color loving and loud family and I know my girls love offbeat colors Like Red or green eyeliners and neon eye colors, so using purple or green or red in a ‘fairy dust’ type make-up would definitely make them smile.
Thank you so much for all you do!
Be blessed!
Jamie
Definitely! I’d recommend checking out TKB Trading as well for fun micas—they have a ton of stunning hilite/colour-shifting noes that are AMAZING!
Marie,
Will definitely do that. I’ve been looking at their colors for soap making already and the colors are gorgeous. Thanks again for sharing your craft with us. You are amazing!
Blessings,
Jamie
Thank you so much! If you like DIY cosmetics you should check out my book as well (if you haven’t already) 🙂