What Is Mica Powder?
Are you looking for a natural way to colour bath bombs, cosmetics and soaps?
You might have heard of mica powders and now you’re wondering what they are, if they’re natural and if they are safe.
Let us unravel the world of mica powders for you…
What Is Mica Powder?
Mica is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks all over the world. These small, shiny flakes from the rocks are then ground down to form mica powder.
This powder looks like a fine glitter and comes in a wide range of colours and effects which make great natural colourants.
Our cosmetic mica powders are mixtures of mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide and some other natural colourants.
Some mica powders are artificially dyed, but we don't stock artificially dyed mica as we try to keep our ingredients as natural as possible. Also, dyed mica powder can bleed a little in soap.
What Are Mica Powders Used For?
They are widely used in cosmetics from soap making to bath bombs, lip balms, eye shadow and much more.
Take a look at our lavender melt and pour recipe for a great example of how to use mica powders in melt and pour soap making.
Outside of the cosmetic world they can also be used for arts and crafts for beautiful colours and effects, think scrapbooking and card making.
Are Mica Powders Natural & Safe?
In our opinion, yes, mica powders are the most natural type of colourants available, especially when compared to liquid colourants.
There are no usage limits on mica powders and all of ours meet the required purity criteria. All are approved in Annex IV of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.
The only colour you need to be careful with is green, which is not suitable for use on the lips.
How Do Your Source Mica Powders?
We are very careful to source all our mica from Europe and only from reputable suppliers.
We do not source any mica from India as there are issues with the use of child labour in the production of Indian mica.
How Much Mica Powder Do I Need To Use?
Of course it’s hard to give exact quantities as of course mica powders have so many uses. However, we’ve put together some guidelines to get you started:
Melt and pour soap: 1-3 %
Cold process soap: 3-5 %
Nail varnish: 8-12 %
Liquid soap: 0.2-1 %
Lip balms: 3-5 %
Lipstick: 10-20 %
These percentages are based on the total finished product weight, so if you intend to produce 1kg of melt and pour soap, you need 1-3% of that weight in mica powder - which is 10-30g.
If you use an amount towards the lower end of the scale you will have a more subtle colour, and a higher amount will give a more intense colour.
Can I Use Mica Powders in Bath Bombs?
Absolutely! Mica powders are a wonderful way to naturally colour bath bombs.
However, we strongly recommend using polysorbate-80 in your recipe otherwise the mica powder will not be absorbed into the bath water and will float on top, leaving a stain on the bathtub - which no one wants!
Can You Provide All The Technical Information About Your Mica Powders?
If you’re selling bath bombs, soaps or other products that you have made using our mica powders then you might want the technical information for your ingredients lists etc.
We’re always happy to help, simply contact us and we'll send it right over to you!
Come and see our range of mica powders today!
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Now you've learned more about mica powders, why not continue your DIY beauty journey?
- See how mica powders are used in soap in our goats milk melt and pour soap recipe.
- Learn to make lip balm with our vegan lip balm recipe
- Try making a foot scrub with our peppermint foot scrub recipe
