How Glitter Became A Marathon-Day Essential For Runners

While Manhattan is known for its twinkling skyline and big city lights, the 2025 New York City Marathon brought even more sparkle to the five boroughs — this time in the form of copious amounts of face and hair glitter.

Whether you ran the race, cheered from the sidelines, or caught up on TikTok, it seemed like every other runner was covered in shimmer. On the app, creator @justjulesit applied glitter freckles before the race, saying, “Guys I felt SO CUTE with all of the glitter and all of the things, HIGHLY recommend!!”

The trend even extended to the crowd. Some attendees had pots of glitter on hand, ready to cover people like @alexanavarrooo in shimmer. “To the girl who sparkled up my face — you made my marathon pics so on point,” she said.

Racing In Glitter

Creator @femaria, who has run the Boston and NYC marathons (among many others), says the glitter trend really seemed to take off this year, likely thanks to Taylor Swift’s recent glitter freckles moment at a Kansas City Chiefs game.

Fe Maria says she was also inspired by creative festival makeup looks that are heavy on shine. “I wanted to do something fun, and thought it would be perfect for race day,” she tells Bustle.

As she ran, Fe Maria says it felt good to see other sparkly athletes. “There was plenty of glitter on the course during the NYC Marathon, and it’s always so fun to spot fellow runners sparkling in the crowd,” she says. “To me, it also feels like a small celebration of womanhood and our place in running.”

For so long, marathons were male-dominated, she adds, and for years, women weren’t even allowed to participate. “Seeing women owning the course with glitter feels like a reminder that we are here to take up the space that we deserve to have.”

Scroll through running content on TikTok, and you’ll see that many see glitter as the final finishing touch before they lace up their sneakers and attach their bibs. “It’s the last step in my race day routine and always makes me feel put-together and ready to run,” Fe Maria says. “You can’t really see your own glitter while you’re running, but it still gives you a little boost.”

It’s one of those “if you look good, you feel good” tricks that fills you with motivation — something you need when you’re tired and crampy at mile 20. “Whenever other runners or spectators compliment my glitter, it always puts a smile on my face and gives me an extra push to keep going,” she says.

How To Get The Look

Fe Maria is a big fan of Meicoly’s body-safe glitter gel. “They have tons of colors, but my favorite is the white because it goes with everything,” she says. “I’ve also tried temporary glitter freckles and shimmery spray, but the hair gel is my go-to since it’s the easiest to apply and remove while still giving that bold sparkle effect.”

She applies it along the part of her hair and near the front of her face for maximum visibility as she zooms through the course. “For me, the main reason is personal,” she says. “It’s a reminder that marathons, while tough, are also a celebration of all the hard work and training that I have put into getting to the start line — and to enjoy it. Also, I like looking cute.” Sometimes all it takes is a little shining confidence to make it to the finish line.