There was a time when rhinestones belonged strictly on low-rise jeans, tiny handbags and anything worn by Paris Hilton circa 2003. Now they’re back, and apparently nothing is safe.
From phone cases and hairbrushes to coffee cups, makeup packaging, birthday cakes and even skincare, everything is getting the bedazzled treatment. What started as a a Y2K revival has quickly turned into one of 2026’s most fun little DIY obsessions. Give someone a packet of tiny gems and suddenly the most ordinary object in the house is being covered in rhinestones. Because if it can be bedazzled, it probably should be.
Rhinestones Are Back, Baby
After years of muted fashion, clean lines and everything being an alarming amount of beige, it was only a matter of time before rhinestones came back for us. There’s something so gloriously unnecessary about covering an everyday object in crystals simply because you can. No manifesto, no grand philosophy. Just a little sparkle for the sake of it and honestly, what’s wrong with that?
Kylie Jenner’s recent rhinestone-filled birthday celebrations only added fuel to the fire, with her princess-pink party featuring bedazzled glasses, decorations and a particularly sparkly cake. If that wasn’t proof of the rhinestone comeback, we don’t know what is.
But unlike the rhinestone craze of the early 2000s, this time, rhinestones are much less prescriptive. You don’t need to commit to a full Y2K wardrobe or walk around covered in glitter. A few gems on your compact mirror, claw clip or sunglasses are more than enough.
The Bedazzling Has Begun
The beauty of bedazzling is that almost anything can become the next victim. Phone cases might be the obvious starting point, but the trend has moved well beyond them. Hairbrushes, perfume bottles, makeup compacts, water bottles, mirrors and coffee cups are all getting their own little dose of sparkle. Even workout equipment and everyday household objects are being turned into tiny pieces of maximalist decor.
And then there are the cakes. Once the domain of bows, vintage piping and delicate florals, birthday cakes are now getting a generous dusting of sparkle, covered in colourful gems for a finish that sits somewhere between jewellery and dessert. Honestly, we’re not mad about it.
Your Next DIY Obsession
The best part of the trend is that, despite living all over TikTok and Instagram, bedazzling gives you a pretty good reason to put your phone down. Give yourself a few tiny gems, some glue and something that needs a little sparkle, and ta-da, you’ve got an activity for the evening.
The process is slow, tactile and slightly hypnotic, especially in an era where most of our hobbies seem to involve opening another app and immediately losing an hour.
It also makes for a pretty good girls’ night. Put on a movie, order something sweet and spend the evening bedazzling your phone cases, cups or makeup bags together. There’ll probably be more gems on the table than on your actual project by the end, but that’s part of the fun.
Put Your Spin On It
The best thing about the rhinestone revival is that there are no real rules. Go subtle with a tiny constellation of crystals around a mirror, spell out your initials on a phone case or go all the way until you’re not entirely sure where the object ends and the rhinestones begin.
Stick to one colour for a cleaner finish, mix bright gems for a more maximalist finish or just see where the rhinestones take you. There’s really no wrong way to do it.
After years of being told to streamline, declutter and keep things minimal, maybe we could all stand to be a little more extra. A little more sparkle. A little less beige.
