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Looking for a non-toxic, natural coloring dye for DIY projects or your next cosmetics creation? Consider mica powder!
Mica powder is a versatile colorant for arts and crafts projects, epoxy resin crafts, soaps and cosmetics. Just a teaspoon of this natural mineral can add shimmer, sparkle and vibrant color to any project. Unfortunately, it&#;s not as widely known as other industrial colorants like dyes.
We think that should change. That&#;s because mica powder is:
Natural
Non-toxic
Free of heavy metals
Available in hundreds of dazzling colors
A source of natural shimmer
You might be wondering: What is mica powder exactly? And what is it used for? This guide features everything you need to know about mica powder, with tips and ideas for how you can use it in your next project.
Need some inspiration? Check out the Quickstart Mica Guide for project ideas and tips.
Mica is a colored powder that&#;s made from a natural mineral called muscovite. Muscovite is a silicate mineral, in the same family as quartz. Before it&#;s processed, mica comes out of the ground in large pearlescent sheets or flakes, which have a naturally shimmering, iridescent property.
Mica flakes are ground into a fine powder, which is usually an off-white or khaki color. Natural oxides are then applied to the mica with heat to transform it into a vibrant color. Mica powder can also be made from the lab-created version of the muscovite mineral, which is called fluorophlogopite.
Natural mica is mined muscovite, which is prized for its glittery appearance. Synthetic mica, on the other hand, is made from natural minerals, but is created in a lab. The result is a mineral called fluorophlogopite, which mimics the shimmering effect of natural mica. Key differences between natural and synthetic mica include:
Synthetic mica has a higher purity, and therefore bolder, more consistent colors are possible.
Synthetic mica is smoother in texture. Therefore, it&#;s a popular choice in cosmetics like eyeshadow and lipstick.
Some prefer synthetic mica to natural mica due to the environmental and mining practices. Because natural mica is mined in poverty-stricken areas, there are concerns over child labor practices. (Note: All of our natural micas are ethically sourced. See FAQs to learn more.)
Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions about mica powder:
What&#;s the difference between mica powder and pigment powder?
Pigment powders are either natural or synthetic colorants used in art projects. The biggest difference between mica and pigment powder is in appearance. Pigments have a matte finish, whereas mica adds color along with a natural shimmer.
What&#;s in mica powder made of?
Natural mica powder is made from mica minerals, typically muscovite (although there are about 30 different types of mica minerals). The muscovite is ground into a fine powder, and mixed with natural oxides to color the powder. Synthetic mica is made similarly, but the base mineral is lab-made fluorophlogopite.
Where does mica powder come from?
The majority of mica is mined in India. In fact, more than half of all mica originates in two Indian regions: Bihar and Nellore. Countries like Belgium, Brazil and China also produce mica and mica powders.
What is ethical mica powder?
You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Pairs Horses Chemical.
Ethical mica refers to mica that&#;s sourced from mines which do not rely on child labor and explotative practices. Because mica originates in areas of extreme poverty, illegal mines can and do rely on child labor. That&#;s why when shopping for mica powder it&#;s vital to source from ethical suppliers.
All Slice of the Moon mica powders are child labor free. We work with organizations to verify that every step of the supply chain, from the mine, to manufacturing, is free of child-labor or exploitative practices.
Is mica powder considered natural?
Natural micas are made from naturally occurring minerals, which are ground down, and tinted with tin or iron oxide or dye. Therefore, for most natural micas, all of the components can be found in nature. Browse our selection of natural mica powders.
Synthetic mica powder is different. Synthetic mica is created from a lab-made mineral, fluorophlogopite, which has similar chemical properties to muscovite. Synthetic mica isn&#;t mined, and it tends to have a smoother texture and higher color purity than natural mica. See our synthetic mica powders.
Is mica safe?
Mica powder is prized for cosmetics, as it is non-irritating, skin-safe and non-toxic. However, because mica is a fine dust, long-term inhalation can cause lung scarring and other respiratory ailments. Always use a mask when working with mica powder.
DIYers, artists, soapmakers and cosmetics makers all use mica powder to add color and shine in their work. Really, there are numerous ways to use mica powder. Here are a few of our favorites:
There are really endless uses for mica powder in arts and crafts projects, in soap making, epoxy/resin crafts, DIY cosmetics and for creating custom paint colors. (See our guide: How to Make Watercolors with Mica.)
Shop Our Mica Powders Now
Get started using mica powder! Read our Mica Quickstart Guide for some tips. We offer a wide range of vibrant micas and glow-in-the-dark pigments that are perfect for a wide range of projects.
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Recently I&#;ve noticed much confusion about the difference between mica powder and pigment powder. Both can be mixed into and used to add color to resin, soap, candles, and translucent polymer clay. They are both colorants and can be used to color the surface of polymer clay. But they are not the same thing. Here&#;s the difference.
Mica is sparkly. Pigment powder is matte. They behave differently. But online listings are often confusing and they&#;re sometimes sold mixed together in the same packet. And that can mean the powder you bought won&#;t work as you expect.
Mica is a natural stone mineral with shiny flakes. When mica is ground into a powder, you get mica powder. Mica powders are therefore sparkly, sort of like very fine glitter. They&#;re used to give a metallic or shimmery pearl-like effect. They come in many colors. Pearl Ex is a popular brand of pure mica powder. (See a color chart of all Pearl Ex colors here.) While mica powders do often have color, they&#;re not optimal for coloring things because their main purpose is to create sparkle or shine. They won&#;t create a solid wash of bright color.
Pigment powders are ground-up colors, sort of like powdered colored chalk. Pigments are the actual colors themselves and have names such as ultramarine blue, cadmium red, yellow ochre, and titanium white. There are also artificial pigments with names like Pigment Blue 15. Pigments are what manufacturers use to give paint its color. They are not sparkly. Pigment powders are excellent at coloring things (this is their job, after all). Pure artist&#;s pigments (pure color) are fairly expensive, so pigments you buy from cheap sellers online are usually mixed with fillers (such as chalk) that make the color go farther. (For the nitpickers among us&#; in recent years the word pigment occasionally refers to mica and synthetic mica particles. Therefore it can be said that mica is a type of pigment, but pigments are not mica. But in reality, these materials are two different things and are very dissimilar materials.)
Confusion happens when sellers of craft materials try to gain buyers by using confusing keywords. You often see listings in online marketplaces &#; like this one on Amazon (Affiliate Link &#; learn more here) &#; where the terms are used rather loosely. In this case, I&#;m not exactly sure what you&#;d get. You might get pigments, you might get mica powder, or you might get a mixture. And while we&#;re at it, these colorants are not a dye, contrary to what the listing says. Pigments and dyes are completely different things, as explained in this article.
Both mica powders and pigment powders are used in the cosmetics industry. In fact, a combination of pigments and mica powder is used to create eye shadow, blush, and powdered foundation makeup. These can be used with polymer clay. You can read about Using Eye Shadow with Polymer Clay here. Cosmetic supply companies are excellent sources of both pigments and mica powder. But choose a reputable company to be sure of exactly what you&#;re getting.
While both mica powders and pigments can be used to color the surface of polymer clay, they do behave quite differently. Knowing which material you have will help you know how to use it in your clay project. These are both incredibly versatile materials that can be used in so many ways beyond adding rosy cheeks to a cherub. For example, about a third of the veneers in my 100 Days Project are done using mica powders and pigment powders. Here&#;s an example of a veneer using only pigment powders, mica powders, and a stencil.
Do you want to know more about using mica powders and pigment powders on polymer clay? You&#;re in luck. I wrote a huge 90-page guide called &#;Powders &#; using mica, pigments, metal powder, and dyes with polymer clay.&#; It explains all about these beautiful powdered colorants and how to use them in and on polymer clay and explains how to use them on both raw and baked polymer clay. This information will also be invaluable if you use these powders with other media. Check it out, I know you&#;ll love it!
Get the Powders Guide
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