• Michaels carries edible glitter — mostly Wilton, small jars, limited colors
• “Non-toxic” and “edible” are not the same thing — check labels carefully before using anything in food
• Michaels works for last-minute emergencies; for better shimmer and more color options, order online
• Our 10g jars are more than double the size of what you’ll typically find at Michaels, at a comparable price
Yes, Michaels Has Edible Glitter. Here’s the Honest Breakdown.
Michaels carries edible glitter. Not a huge selection, but it’s there — usually in the cake decorating aisle, sometimes near the candy-making supplies. The most common brand you’ll find is Wilton, occasionally some off-brand options depending on the store. If you need shimmer today and there’s a Michaels ten minutes away, you can make it work.
But there are real limitations worth knowing before you make the trip.
What Michaels Actually Stocks
Wilton’s edible glitter line is the main thing. They carry a few color options — gold, silver, some pastels — in jars that typically run 3-5 grams. The formulas vary by product, so read labels carefully. Some Wilton products are genuinely FDA compliant food-grade glitters. Others are labeled “for decorative purposes only” or “non-toxic” — which sounds fine until you realize that’s not the same as actually edible.
Non-toxic means it probably won’t hurt you if you accidentally ingest a little. Edible means it’s been formulated as actual food, using food-grade ingredients. Big distinction. We wrote about this in detail in our post on whether edible glitter is actually safe — worth a read if you’re buying from any source and aren’t sure what you’re looking at.
The short version: always look for “FDA compliant” on the label. “Non-toxic” alone isn’t enough.
The Jar Size Problem
This is the thing that gets people. A 3g jar of edible glitter looks like enough. It is not. You’ll get maybe 20-25 cocktails out of it if you’re using a pinch per drink. For baking, even less — dusting a dozen cupcakes eats through a small jar fast.
Our jars start at 10g. That’s 80+ cocktails from a single jar, more if you’re using it on food. The price at Michaels for a 3-4g jar is often $5-7. Our 10g jars are $9.98. The math isn’t complicated.
Shimmer Quality: What the Difference Actually Looks Like
This part is harder to explain without just showing you. Our luster dust uses German mica pigments. That matters because the particle structure is different — finer, more consistent, and it catches light in a way that reads as genuinely luminous rather than just sparkly.
Craft store glitters often use lower-grade pigments, and you can see it. The shimmer is flatter. In a drink, it doesn’t move through the liquid the same way. On a cake, it sits on the surface instead of appearing to glow.
Gold is where the gap is most obvious. Drop our gold into a champagne glass and the warm, deep shimmer does something that catches people mid-conversation. Wilton’s gold reads as yellow by comparison. Same word, very different result.
Gold Luster Dust
Silver Luster Dust
Rose Gold Luster Dust
Color Selection
Michaels typically has gold, silver, maybe red or pink depending on the season, and a few pastels. That’s it. If you’re looking for rose gold, light blue, purple, or anything specific — you’re probably out of luck in store.
We carry 13 colors. All FDA compliant, all the same German mica base. Rose gold especially is one that stores almost never stock, and it’s one of our most-used colors. Cocktails, cakes, Valentine’s Day everything. It’s the color that makes buttercream look expensive without trying too hard.
So When Should You Go to Michaels?
Honestly? If it’s Saturday afternoon and you need shimmer for a cake that goes out Sunday morning, go. Get the Wilton stuff, check the label says edible and FDA compliant (not just non-toxic), and make it work. No shame in that.
But if you’re planning ahead — for an event, a batch of holiday cocktails, anything where the result actually matters — order online. You’ll get more product, better quality, and colors you can’t find at any craft store. Free shipping on orders over $50, so stocking up makes sense.
The Bottom Line
Michaels is a backup plan. A solid one when you’re in a pinch, but a backup. The selection is limited, the jars are small, and the shimmer quality doesn’t compare to food-specific luster dust made with proper mica pigments. For anything you actually care about, order from us and have it on hand before you need it.
Some of it, yes — but you have to check the label. Wilton makes products that are FDA compliant and genuinely food-grade. They also make products labeled “for decorative purposes only” that technically shouldn’t go in food. Always look for explicit “FDA compliant” language. “Non-toxic” alone is not enough. If the label doesn’t clearly say it’s edible or FDA compliant, treat it as decoration only.
Sometimes. Wilton makes a luster dust product and it shows up at Michaels occasionally, usually in gold, silver, and a couple of other colors. Stock varies a lot by location. The jars are small — typically 3-4 grams — and the color options are unpredictable. If you’re looking for a specific color, calling ahead is worth it, but don’t count on them having it.
Jar size, color range, and shimmer quality are the main differences. Michaels typically carries 3-4g jars with a limited color selection. Our jars start at 10g and we carry 13 colors, all made with German mica pigments that produce a noticeably richer shimmer. For quick projects or last-minute needs, Michaels works. For better results and more options, we’d go with our stuff.
Rarely. Rose gold is one of the colors that craft stores almost never stock consistently. You might get lucky around Valentine’s Day or wedding season, but it’s not a reliable find. Our rose gold is always in stock and it’s one of our most popular colors — works beautifully in prosecco, on buttercream, on chocolate. Worth just ordering directly if rose gold is what you need.
