Natural Colorants vs. Mica in Artisan Soapmaking: Section 2: Understanding MICA

What is MICA?

Mica is a mineral known for its shimmering, reflective quality. In its raw form, mica is simply a thin, glittering, sheet-like mineral found in the earth. However, this raw mineral is not what produces the vivid colors commonly used in soapmaking. To become the bright blues, purples, pinks, and golds we see in cosmetic pigments, mica must be coated with synthetic colorants—lab-created dyes, oxides, or FD&C pigments.

This is why Mad Micas, one of the most respected suppliers in the industry, states plainly:

“There are no colored micas that are 100% natural.”

Even when the label says natural mica, it refers only to the mica plate itself—the color is still created through human engineering. In other words:

• The sparkle comes from the mineral

• The color comes from the lab

This doesn’t make mica “bad.”
It simply means that mica is not the same as a botanical or clay pulled straight from the earth.

How Mica Is Created

To understand what mica is (and why it differs from natural colorants), it helps to know the process:

1. Mica flakes are mined or lab-grown
   These flakes are the reflective, shimmering base.

2. They are ground into fine particles
   The finer the grind, the smoother the shimmer.

3. These particles are coated with synthetic pigments
   This is where the color comes from—chemically engineered colorants.

4. Then they are heat-treated and bonded
   This ensures stability, shine, and consistency.

The result is a vibrant, shimmery pigment designed for cosmetics.

Some suppliers offer synthetic mica, which is grown entirely in a lab rather than mined.
Synthetic mica solves ethical mining concerns, but it is still fully man-made.

Why So Many Soapmakers Love Mica

Mica has legitimate benefits, and acknowledging them is part of being fair and balanced. Soapmakers who value artistic control often gravitate toward mica because:

✨ Vibrancy

Mica can produce intense, saturated colors that look almost magical.
Botanicals simply cannot achieve that same brightness.

✨ Stability

Mica holds its color extremely well through saponification.
It rarely morphs, fades, or changes unexpectedly.

✨ Shimmer + Sparkle

Mica is the only colorant that provides metallic shine, pearlescence, or glitter-like effects.
Natural colorants do not shimmer.

✨ Predictability

Because mica pigments are engineered, they deliver nearly identical results every time.
This is especially helpful for highly detailed swirl designs that rely on precision.

These qualities make mica a beautiful and legitimate artistic tool, and I fully respect soapmakers who choose it.

Why I Personally Do Not Use Mica

Even with all of its strengths, mica does not align with the heart of my craft.
My philosophy centers around simplicity, creation, purity, and staying as close as possible to what God made.

Mica, no matter how ethically sourced or cosmetic grade, is still:

• processed

• coated

• engineered

• modified

• chemically enhanced

• and dependent on synthetic pigments

In other words:

Mica is not a natural colorant.
It is a manufactured pigment built upon a mineral base.

While I appreciate its beauty, it does not fit the natural, grounded, botanical aesthetic that I feel called to uphold.

My stance today:

I do not use mica.

But…

My stance long-term:

I reserve the right to reconsider in the future
if a very specific artistic vision, special collection, or design purpose genuinely needs the shimmer or precision that only mica can provide.

It is not forbidden—just not aligned with my brand at this time.