All About Micas and Pigments
Micas and pigments are our most popular colorants - they come in plenty of shades and they look amazing in cold process soap. If you want to give them a try, this article is for you! It goes over the difference between micas and pigments and how to use them in DIY bath and body projects.
Micas
They're minerals formed when rocks are exposed to extreme heat and pressure. There are more than 20 different kinds because of all the ways they're created in nature!
Mica minerals are usually a shiny, flaky substance that can be peeled off into thin layers. They're extremely fine and they come in a variety of naturally-occuring colors. Some micas are mined in unsafe conditions using child labor. Ours are not - we confirmed that with our vendor before bringing any colors in.
Are they
natural?
Micas are a naturally-occuring mineral.
However, once they're mined they're coated with pigments, FD&C dyes, or a
combination of the two.
FD&C dyes are synthetic and pigments are nature identical - that means they’re the exact same chemical structure as the platelet minerals found in the earth, but they’re created in a lab to remove impurities like lead and arsenic. Industrywide, pigments are considered natural because they don’t contain synthetic dyes.
You can find the ingredients for our micas on the product pages. The term natural is not regulated, so what you call them is up to you. If you're not sure, we always recommend erring on the side of caution and leaving the term "natural" off your labels.
Cold process
soap
Micas are a great option for cold process soap.
Just mix 1 teaspoon of mica with 1 tablespoon of a lightweight oil like
sweet almond or avocado. Add 1 dispersed teaspoon at a time at trace until
you get a color you like. We recommend about 1 dispersed teaspoon per pound of soap.
Learn more in the How to Color
Handmade Soap article.
Keep in mind, some micas can morph or fade in cold process soap. Check the product pages for performance notes. They also won't look as shimmery in the opaque bars. You can sprinkle them on top or in between the layers.
Melt and pour
soap
Micas work well in melt and pour, and the
shimmer really pops in clear bases. To use, add the color straight to the melted
soap and stir well. If you see bubbles forming, spritz with alcohol and continue
mixing. You can use up to ½ teaspoon per pound of
soap.
You can also mix 1 teaspoon of mica with 1 tablespoon of 99% isopropyl alcohol. Add ¼ teaspoon of dispersed color to the melted soap until you get a color you like. This method helps the color mix in more quickly.
Other bath and body
products
One of the reasons micas are popular is
because they're so versatile. They can be used in pretty much every DIY bath and
body product - lotion, bath bombs, scrubs, bath salts, etc. Eye-safe micas can be
used in shadow and lip-safe micas can be used in balm, gloss, and
lipstick.
If you're making a dry product like bath bombs, start with 1/8 teaspoon of mica in the powder and mix well. Then, add the liquid ingredients. For liquid products like lotion, you can start with 1/8 teaspoon of mica in the oil, or mix it with your fragrance or essential oil before adding it to the main batch.
Micas are oil-based colorants, so they will settle in water-based products like toners and room sprays.
Pigments
These are powdered colorants made from oxidized metals like iron and titanium. Compared to micas, they're not as fine and they don't have any shimmer. They create vibrant matte shades in soap - a little goes a long way.
Are they
natural?
They're nature identical. They're the exact
same chemical structure as the materials found in the earth, but
they’re created in a lab to remove
impurities.
Cold process
soap
This is where pigments work best. Just
mix 1 teaspoon of the color with 1 tablespoon of a lightweight oil like sweet almond
or avocado. Add 1 dispersed teaspoon at a time at trace until you get a
color you like. We recommend about 1 dispersed teaspoon per pound of
soap.
You can also use them to create lines of color in between layers, or to dust on top of soap. Just use a light hand so the layers stick together and there's not too much transfer when you use the bars.
Melt and pour
soap
In general, micas are better for melt and
pour - they mix in more easily because of their fine texture.
Pigments tend to clump and leave streaks of color.
If it's all you have on hand, you can make it work! Mix 1 teaspoon of pigment with 1 tablespoon of glycerin or 99% isopropyl alcohol. Add ¼ teaspoon of dispersed color to the melted soap until you get a color you like.
You can also use our Color Blocks. They're concentrated melt and pour, so they incorporate more easily into soap than loose pigments.
Other bath and body
products
We don't recommend pigments for other
recipes. They can clump and leave streaks of color in the finished products. They
work best for cold process soap.
Ready to start working with micas and pigments? Find colorful inspiration In the Studio!