Color is one way to give your bath and beauty projects personality and flair. But with so many colorant options, it can be hard to choose! One of the most popular type of colorant in soap and other bath and beauty products are micas. Micas are a powder colorant which usually contain a slight to intense shimmer. Extremely fine, micas are a great choice because they are easy to mix into a variety of mediums. But, micas can often morph in the high pH environment of cold process soap.
In the soaping world, micas conjure images of rainbow-hued powders with lots of sparkle. In geology, mica refers to a group of metamorphic minerals. Metamorphic rocks and minerals are formed from pre-existing rocks by exposure to extreme heat and pressures. Micas come in many different forms due to the wide array of ways in which they can form within the earth. In fact, there are more than 20 different kinds of mica mineral!
While all slightly different, mica minerals can be described as a shiny, flaky substance that can be peeled off into thin layers. Mica minerals come in a variety of naturally occurring colors. In addition to soap and cosmetics, mica minerals are used in a wide variety of applications including electronic equipment. Once the mica mineral is mined, it’s coated with FD&C colorants, pigments or a combination of both to achieve different colors.
Are micas considered natural? It’s important to remember that the term “natural” is not regulated* and means something different to everybody (click here to read more about the term “natural”). The majority of Bramble Berry’s micas contain only mica and iron oxides, which both readily occur in nature and can be considered natural. If the mica is colored with FD&C colorants, the mica is not considered natural. Below are a list of micas that are colored using FD&C colorants. You can find the ingredients of each Bramble Berry mica in the mica product pages.
* 4/14/16 UPDATE: While there are still no guidelines or a legal definition that constitutes a “natural” product, the Federal Trade Commission (which enforces truth-in-advertising laws) charged five companies for falsely promoting their products as being “all natural” or “100% natural” when the product contained synthetic ingredients. Read more about the charges here.
Bramble Berry Micas Containing FD&C Colorants:
Blue Mica -Cellini Lip Safe Mica
Cellini Red Lip Safe Mica
Coral Mica
Shamrock Green Mica
Yellow Lip Safe Mica
Mica colorants can be used in a wide variety of projects. Unfortunately, most micas morph in cold process soap. For example, Amethyst Purple Mica looks beautiful in melt and pour, but nearly disappears in cold process. Just check out the photo below! Typically, whether or not a mica works in cold process depends on what type of colorant is used to dye the mica. We recommend doing a small test batch to make sure the color is stable in your particular recipe. Morphing is not always a bad thing. Sometimes a mica can morph into a shade that’s still beautiful! For example, Coral Mica results in a soft peach color in cold process, while Cellini Blue Mica turns into a lovely lavender tone.
Even if a mica does work in cold process, it often isn’t very sparkly. That’s because there is no light for reflection (since cold process soap is opaque). To use it in cold process soap, start with 2 teaspoon of colorant per pound of soap, and feel free to add more if you want a brighter color. Because micas are fine and easier to incorporate than oxides, dispersing the colorant in oil is optional.
If a mica morphs in cold process, don’t fret! You can still incorporate them into your cold process projects with mica lines and mica painting. In the Lemon Poppy Seed Cold Process, Luster Black Mica is used to create a thin line between layers of white and yellow soap. The mica line (also known as mica vein) technique can also be seen in the Striped Berry Champagne Cold Process Tutorial.
Mica painting involves mixing the colorant with a liquid oil, which is then applied to the top of the soap and swirled. In the Black, White and Gold All Over Cold Process tutorial, Gold Sparkle Mica creates stunning contrast against black soap. Looking for a brighter color palette? Gold Sparkle Mica painting also looks glamorous against hot pink soap in the Vibrant Mehndi Cold Process tutorial.
Top row, left to right: Vibrant Mehndi Cold Process, Black, White and Gold All Over Cold Process
Bottom row, left to right: Stripped Berry Champagne Cold Process, Lemon Poppy Seed Cold Process
Micas work great in melt and pour soap, with no possibility of morphing. If you are using a clear, transparent or translucent base, we recommend about 1/2 a teaspoon per pound to achieve a nice, strong pearl effect. Simply add the powder into your melted melt and pour soap base. If pesky little “mica bubbles” float to the top, spritz them with a bit of 99% isopropyl alcohol and you’ll see them burst open. Just stir everything in until the mica is well incorporated. For even easier mixing, disperse the mica into a small amount of rubbing alcohol with a ratio of 1 tsp. mica into 1 Tbs. alcohol and add to the melted soap base. You can also use micas in the form of color blocks! Click here to learn how to add color blocks into melt and pour soap.
Dispersing micas into alcohol before adding them to melt and pour soap makes them easier to mix in.
With a fine texture and lots of shimmer, micas are the perfect choice for eye shadows and lip products. While all Bramble Berry micas are skin safe, rules regarding eye and lip safe colorants are more stringent. Click here to see a list of lip safe micas and colorants, and click here to see a list of eye safe micas and colorants. When adding micas and colorants to lip products, the frozen spoon trick is a great way to check the color before the entire batch of balm hardens. In the Creamy Marsala Lip Tint tutorial, Merlot Mica gives the balm a wine color inspired by the Pantone color of the year, Marsala. If you’re looking to add color to your lids, check out the Mystic Mermaid Eye Shadow + Application Tutorial and the Glamorous Gold Eye Shadow Quad.
Left to right, clockwise: Creamy Marsala Lip Tints, Glamorous Gold Eye Shadow Quad, Mystic Mermaid Eye Shadow + Application Tutorial
Speaking of micas, we have several new mica colorants that work great in melt and pour soap, lotion, and makeup. The King’s Gold Mica is a wonderfully warm, and rich gold color. The new Snowflake Sparkle Mica is a large particle mica that is incredibly sparkly. Looking for a new shade of pink? The Party Pink Mica and Rose Gold Mica are wonderful options. For a darker, richer hue, the new Desert Red Mica looks fantastic in soap and other projects.
Top row, left to right: Snowflake Sparkle Mica, King’s Gold Mica
Bottom row, left to right: Party Pink Mica, Desert Red Mica, Rose Gold Mica
What is your favorite way to use mica colorants in your projects? Do you have a favorite color?
Hello! I mainly make HP soap. What can you tell me about how micas hold color after HP cook? I’ve been looking for info on coloring HP, but most of what I find is CP. Thank you!!
If the micas work well in cold process, they will work well in hot process too! However, the same goes for micas that morph – they can in hot process too. Just make sure to check the descriptions on BrambleBerry.com to see how those colors perform. If they don’t work well in the soap, they can be sprinkled on top for a fun finishing touch. 🙂
Learn more about micas here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/sunday-night-spotlight-mica-colorants/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hello! I have a question.. I’m looking to just add shimmer to my creations, and I want to use Mica.. but I don’t want to use colors with it, because I am trying to avoid that all together! Any suggestions? Any of the Mica’s pure?
You can use Snowflake Sparkle Mica! It is a light colored mica that adds shimmer but not a lot of color. You can find that here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Snowflake-Sparkle-Mica-P6225.aspx
Most micas are a mixture of the mica and another colorant. In Snowflake Sparkle, it’s mica and titanium dioxide. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
are these safe for hair conditioners and butters?
They are! The micas are skin and hair safe. You can mix them with your fragrance oil before adding, or just add to the shampoo or butter and stir well. 🙂
We used micas in the Whipped Amber Bronzing Butter tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/whipped-amber-bronzing-butter/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
may i know why my lip safe mica turns crystallized after adding into my lip wax base mixture?
It looks very vibrant at first while i’m mixing then , but after i stir for few mins it crystallized ,look salt alike….
Hmm, I’m wondering if the lip balm is cooling down and starting to harden when you add the mica, causing that texture. How warm is your mixture when you add the micas? Also, are you using any butter in your recipe? Let me know and I’ll help you out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I didn’t use any butter but only oils, that affects the texture? I’m sure my mixture is still in liquid form and hot when i add in mica , but when it is cooling down and forming solid in my lipstick mold, those colors split like salt inside.
Can you tell me what’s in your recipe? Also, are you pouring the balm when it’s still fairly hot? We have found that the micas can settle or clump up a bit if the balm is too hot. Letting it cool to 130F before pouring helps the mica distribute evenly. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi I need lipstick recipe and lipsafe mica powder. How can I placed order?
We have some great lipstick recipes! You can find those here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lip-products/how-to-create-lip-product-recipes/
Also, find our lip safe micas here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Lip-Safe-Colors-C679.aspx
You can place an order on BrambleBerry.com. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I start mastering my lipstick making after a few months now, but I have few questions. My lipstick color cannot come out at first slipping, it only comes out after I rubbing it on my hand very hard. The color does not spread evenly and very sheer.
If I want to make very high coverage/bright color lipstick what can I add?Is that only lake/dyes can give me an intense color result? Thank you a lot for your help!
my recipe now is:
1tsp almond oil
1tsp castor oil
1/2 shea butter
1/2 beewax , 1/2 Candelilla Wax
1 drop of vitamin e
1 tsp colorant blend of Iron oxide,mica,titanium dioxide
Adding more color to the mixture will help. It’s a bit surprising how much color you need to get a pigmented lipstick. So, I would recommend adding another 1/2 tsp. of color to start, then add more from there until you have high coverage.
The Spoon Trick is really helpful because you can test the color while the lipstick is still melted: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/spoon-trick/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I made a batch of CP and used shamrock green mica and yellow mica. The fragrance oil was cucumber oak. I cut my soap yesterday and the green mica is no where in the soap. It has actually turned a cream color. Any idea how this happened and how to stop it from happening again?
Shamrock Green Mica does morph and fade in cold process soap. It works great in melt and pour soap though! We do have some greens that work well in cold process. How they perform in cold process soap is always included in the descriptions on BrambleBerry.com. I’ll link them below. 🙂
Hydrated Chrome Green: https://www.brambleberry.com/Hydrated-Chrome-Green-Pigment-P4050.aspx
Chrome Green: https://www.brambleberry.com/Green-Chrome-Oxide-Pigment-P4042.aspx
Kelly Green Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Kelly-Green-Mica-P6353.aspx
Apple Moss Green Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Apple-Moss-Green-Mica-P6350.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is it also possible to mix the micas in fragrance or essential oils to dissolve the powder before adding them into the melted soap? Thanks in advance!
Absolutely, you can mix your micas in your fragrance or essential oil! That will help them mix in smoothly. 🙂
We did that in this Burnt Sugar Shimmer Lotion tutorial: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/burnt-sugar-shimmer-lotion/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
RED
I mix red mica or even use liquid red in clear and it still comes out pink? There must be a trick to getting red??
Hi Tami!
Red can appear more pinkish if it’s used in smaller amounts in clear soap! How much are you adding? A few more drops may do the trick!
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
When using mica colors for bath bombs, when do you add the mica colors for the darkest color?
Hi Lynette!
You can add micas for a more saturated color in the bath bombs! However, the more color you add to your bath bomb, the more likely it is to transfer to the tub. I would recommend starting out with about 1/4 tsp. of mica in your recipe and testing it out. If you find the color is transferring, you may want to add a bit less. You can also keep a towel handy to wipe of any transfer. 🙂
Read more about coloring bath bombs here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/bath-bomb-questions-answers/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi, I have a question. To make a face highlighter, can I just mix the mica powder with rubbing alcohol (95%), or is that not safe?
Hi Maria!
You can mix the mica with alcohol! We like to mix the micas with sericite, because it gives the powder a smooth texture. Then, you can add alcohol and put it in a container. The alcohol will evaporate out and leave the powders behind. We did that in the Rose Gold Cosmetic Collection: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/rose-gold-cosmetic-collection-eyeshadow-lip-shimmer-nail-polish/
Sericite: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sericite-P3603.aspx
We did find that the eye shadow in that post was quite loose, and was similar to a loose pigment rather than a pressed one.
We also have a recipe for solid highlighter sticks you may like! I’ll link those below. 🙂
Moisturizing Highlighter Sticks: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/moisturizing-highlighter-sticks/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I usually dissolve 1-1,5 tsp mica with 1 tbs almond oil.
I add 1tsp of the dissolved mica to my soap.
My soap looks vibrant the first two days on the mold but after the third day the colour goes away….
What can i do to prevent that?? May adding 1 tbs of dissolved mica to my soap?
I use about 1,3 pounds of olive oil to make 1,8 pounds soap…
Hi Sussie!
Hmm, I’m wondering if it may be the micas themselves. Some micas tend to morph or fade in cold process soap. Which micas are you using? Let me know and we’ll get this figured out. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
It’s Clementine Pop Mica (a vibrant orange colour)… Does it tend to fade on cp soap?
Some micas can! I would recommend contacting the manufacturer to see how that mica performs in cold process soap.
We have some great oranges that are stable in cold process soap you may like! I’ll link those below. 🙂
Nuclear Orange Pigment: https://www.brambleberry.com/Nuclear-Orange-Pigment-P6346.aspx
Racing Stripe Orange Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Racing-Stripe-Orange-Mica-P6457.aspx
Sunset Orange Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sunset-Orange-Mica–P6348.aspx
Tangerine Wow: https://www.brambleberry.com/Tangerine-Wow-Colorant-P4964.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Thank you Kelsey! I really appreciate your time to answer my questions!
You’re welcome Sussie! 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How would you mix mica or colorants with just an oil and not have them separate? Like for a body shimmer oil?
Hi Lauren!
The micas will naturally separate – that’s normal! I would recommend shaking the bottle before each use to distribute them nicely. 🙂
You can also use a thicker oil, like castor, to suspend that mica. However, castor oil can feel a bit heavy and sticky on the skin. For a body shimmer I would recommend a lightweight oil and shaking the bottle before each use!
Castor oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Castor-Oil-P3195.aspx
You may also like body butter! Body butter moisturizes the skin and you can add micas that leave a shimmer on the skin. We used Copper Sparkle Mica in this Whipped Amber Bronzing Butter with great results: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/whipped-amber-bronzing-butter/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Is there any use for micas in salt scrubs? I wondered if it would add a shimmery effect but was concerned about it leaving residue on the skin after use.
Thanks
Hi Donna!
You can absolutely add micas to scrubs! They add beautiful color and a slight shimmer to the recipe.
It may leave a tiny bit of shimmer on the skin. I would recommend adding a small amount, about 1/2 tsp. per pound of scrub, to help minimize the shimmer. You can also add potassium cocoate or liquid soap to the scrub. They are both cleansing, so they will help wash away any mica residue. 🙂
We used liquid soap and Racing Stripe Orange Mica in the Orange Spice Salt Scrub with great results: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cleansing-orange-spice-salt-scrub/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Potassium cocoate: https://www.brambleberry.com/Potassium-Cocoate-P5902.aspx
Liquid soap bases: https://www.brambleberry.com/Liquid-Bases-C15.aspx
Hello there! I am new to the homemade bath product world, I was wondering if Mica’s could be used to color shower melts? And also, will they stain?
Hi Hannah!
Micas can be used to color products like bath melts and bath fizzies! They add gorgeous color and a hint of shimmer.
If you do add too much, the color can transfer to your bath tub. I would recommend starting out with just a small pinch of color and mixing that in. To avoid coloring your tub, you’ll want your fizzies to be a pastel color, rather than a brighter hue.
We used Cappuccino Mica in this Tiger Stripe Bath Bomb Tutorial for a gorgeous brown shade: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tigerstripebathbombs/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hey there! I have a couple questions about colorants: 1) Do you know if the Ultramarine Blue Pigment morphs in CP or HP? How is that colorant different from blue mica? 2) I am wanting to make clean, straight stripes, avoiding bumps, hills and varying thicknesses. Any advice on how to obtain a clean consistent stripe would be much appreciated! I usually do HP but I have no idea if I would be successful using that method for the look I’m going for. I’m definitely open to suggestions! TIA 🙂
Hi Rebecca!
Ultramarine Blue performs beautifully in cold and hot process. It stays a true blue. You can see a picture of that color in cold process soap here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Ultramarine-Blue-Pigment-medium-P4043.aspx
In general, pigments work really well in both cold and hot process soap. 🙂
Pigments: https://www.brambleberry.com/Pigments-C45.aspx
Cellini Blue Mica, on the other hand, morphs to a purple color in soap. It’s actually a beautiful purple color, but can be surprising if you’re expecting blue. See that color in soap here: https://www.brambleberry.com/Blue-Mica-Cellini-Lip-Safe-Mica-P3069.aspx
Read more about coloring your soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/talk-it-out-tuesday-colorants/
It can be a bit tricky to get very straight lines in hot process soap because of the thick texture. To help even the layers out, it helps to tap the mold firmly on the counter after each layer. That will help settle the soap and even it out. We used that technique in the Luck of the Irish Hot Process Soap: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/luck-irish-hot-proces/
You can get nice even layers in cold process! The trick there is to have a thicker trace so the bottom layer will support the next one. You can also pour the color over a spatula so the layers don’t break through. Learn how to work with cold process layers here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/layered-lilac-loofah-cold-process/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
OK, maybe I don’t mean mica painting for the top of CP soap. I would like to do swirls in soaps, and swirls on the top with the mica.
Thank you.
Hi JCC!
Swirls in soap look awesome! There are several options for swirling, including the in the pot swirl method. See how to do that here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/pot-swirl-cold-process-soap-queen-tv/
You can also create a gorgeous swirl right in the mold, as seen in the Pumpkin Spice Latte Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/pumpkin-spice-latte-cold-process/
Then, you can mica paint on top using the method I discussed in the comment below. You can also sprinkle the mica on top for a gorgeous finish. We sprinkled Gold Sparkle Mica on top of the Christmas Tree Swirl Cold Process Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/christmas-tree-cold-process/
Hope that helps! If you have any more questions let me know. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How do you do mica painting for the top of cp soap?
How do you mix it up?
Hi JCC!
To paint with micas on top of the soap, we recommend mixing 2 teaspoons of mica with 1 tablespoon of a liquid oil like sweet almond oil. You can mix that with a whisk, or a Mini White Plastic Mixer. Then, drizzle that on your soap using a dropper. That will create beautiful shimmery mica painting on your soap. 🙂
Mini White Plastic Mixer: https://www.brambleberry.com/Mini-White-Plastic-Mixer-P4721.aspx
See how to do that process step-by-step in the Black, White and Gold All Over Cold Process Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/black-white-gold-cold-process/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Sweet almond oil: https://www.brambleberry.com/Sweet-Almond-Oil-P3205.aspx
I just made my second batch. I had time to add colors, I used mica’s, 3 colors and 1 titanium dioxide for the main soap color. It is not quite 24 hours, but touching the top with a cloth the color comes off, colors the cloth. Does this dry up when cured and not color everything?
Is mica the wrong colorant to use? Thank you.
Hi JCC!
If too much colorant is used, it can transfer to a washcloth. However, soap is still fairly soft after 24 hours. It may just be that the soap itself is so soft it’s transferring to the washcloth. I would recommend letting that soap harden up for another week or so and check again. 🙂
You can use micas in cold process soap if you like! However, some micas can morph or fade. Each description on BrambleBerry.com will say how the mica performs in soap.
To use them, mix at a rate of 1 teaspoon of mica in 1 tablespoon of a light carrier oil, like sweet almond oil. Then, add one dispersed teaspoon at a time until you get your desired color. We recommend starting with about 2 teaspoons of color per pound of soap. If you add more than 2 tablespoons of dispersed colorant, it may transfer onto a washcloth.
We love using oxides in cold process soap because they don’t morph or fade. You can add them the same way as the micas. 🙂
Learn more in the Talk it Out Tuesday: Colorants post: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/talk-it-out-tuesday-colorants/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Hi!
I keep reading about dispersing colorants in a small amount of oil – The lye vs oil calculation seems so precise, and I am wondering, if that is not enough to worry about in the soap recipe? I guess the same goes for the essential oils – the 2oz or so of essential oils are not used in the lye calculator either. Thanks!!
Hi Ame!
We do not subtract the oils used to mix colorant from the total amount of soap. We consider them additives, so it’s extra oil going into your soap. It helps that color disperse nicely and adds more luxurious oil to your soap. 🙂
If you’re worried about too much extra oil in your soap, you can decrease your superfat slightly. You can also mix the colors in your premade oils. To do that, use a spoon or a dropper to transfer some of your soaping oils into a separate container. Then, mix your colors in and add them at trace. You can see that in action in the Making Sunshine Soap video on Soap Queen TV: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/making-sunshine-cold-process-soap/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Droppers: https://www.brambleberry.com/Droppers-With-Suction-Bulb-P3802.aspx
Hi,
Looking at the possibility of making soap. Read a lot of literature about it. I would like to know if any liquid like aloe Vera juice could be used instead of water and how will that affect the soap. Also looking at using fruits like papaya and pineapple.how do I calculate the amount of liquid and lye. Please help. Thanks
Hi Yewande!
You can definitely use aloe vera liquid in place of water! You can also use liquid like goat milk, beer, wine, etc. There are lots of possibilities. 🙂
When working with alternative liquids, we recommend having them cool or frozen before adding your lye. Lye can react with the natural fats or sugars in the liquid. Keeping them cool helps prevent an unpleasant smell or a lot of discoloration.
This tutorial uses aloe vera liquid in place of water: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/defying-the-rules-of-soapmaking-100-coconut-oil-soap-with-aloe-vera-and-a-mantra-swirl/
As you can see, the liquid turns a yellowish color. That’s something to keep in mind when adding it. 🙂
Learn more about using milk in cold process soap here: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/tips-and-tricks/how-to-add-lye-to-milk-for-cold-process-soap/
Also, you can find out how much lye and liquid to add using our Lye Calculator: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/using-the-bramble-berry-lye-calculator-2/
That calculator will give you a liquid amount. That is the amount for any liquid, including aloe vera liquid, milk, etc. You can also do a mix of distilled water and alternative liquid. They just need to add up to the total amount. 🙂
As for fruit, you can definitely add fruit puree to your soap! We typically add purees at trace. Because they contain extra water, you may want to discount your liquid by 10% or so. That way the soap doesn’t get too watery.
The natural sugar in fruit can cause your soap to overheat. To prevent that, we recommend putting it in the fridge or freezer for 4-24 hours after it’s in the mold. Then, remove it and let it sit at room temperature for another 3-4 days. Also, natural products like fruit will eventually turn brown in soap.
Learn more in the Strawberries and Cream Cold Process Tutorial: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/cold-process-soap/strawberries-cream-soap-a-cold-process-tutorial/
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Aloe vera liquid: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aloe-Vera-Liquid-P3704.aspx
Do your micas contain aluminum or aluminum hydroxide?
Hi Kim!
Some of our colorants, like our neon pigments (Electric Bubble Gum, Fizzy Lemonade), do contain aluminum hydroxide. However, most of our micas don’t! If they do contain aluminum or aluminum hydroxide, it will say so in the “Ingredients” section in the description on BrambleBerry.com. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Electric Bubble Gum: https://www.brambleberry.com/Electric-Bubble-Gum-Colorant-P4966.aspx
Fizzy Lemonade: https://www.brambleberry.com/Fizzy-Lemonade-Colorant-P4965.aspx
I’m learning so much from the amazing articles’ that are posted. Thank you all so much! My question is centered around how to use them in bath and body products’ such as lotion, bath bombs, and bath melts’. I recently purchased some of the beautiful rose gold mica and while it stunning in the jar with it’s deep pink and gold shimmer, I’m not having any luck bringing out it’s brilliance in my bath bombs’ and lotions’. Any suggestions’ would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Eve!
That’s great to hear! So glad you’re finding the articles helpful. 🙂
The gorgeous shimmer in mica is brought out when the light hits it. That’s why it looks so amazing in Clear Melt and Pour! However, in opaque products like lotion and bath bombs, that shimmer may not be as evident, because the micas aren’t reflecting light.
However, once the lotion is applied or the bath bomb is dropped in the tub, you should start to see that sparkle!
If you find you want even more shimmer, you can add a little bit more mica to your products. For instance, in our Beautiful Bronzing Lotion Tutorial, we used 3 tsp. of mica in 8 oz. of lotion. That created a rich color that left a shimmer on skin.
Beautiful Bronzing Lotion: http://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-body-tutorials/lotion/bronzing-lotion/
You’ll want to be a bit more careful with bath bombs. Too much mica can actually color your tub. We recommend keeping your bath bombs lighter and more pastel in color to avoid that. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
How do the mica’s work out in Hot Process soap?
Hi Christi!
The micas will work in hot process like they do in cold process. That means the ones that morph or fade will do the same in hot process, while the ones that work well in cold process should work well in hot process. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Do you have a list somewhere that lists which Micah’s will morph in cold process soap?
Hi Jeanne!
In each description on our website, it will say which micas morph in soap. We don’t have a list, but we will definitely keep that in mind! Thanks so much for your suggestion. 🙂
Micas: https://www.brambleberry.com/Micas-C46.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I have so many micas, have had nothing but bad luck with them in CP soap 🙁 I havent tried them all but when your first 3 tries morph, then you kind of want to stay away…I’ll try more I am sure.
Hi Tammy!
Micas can definitely morph in cold process soap. However, they work great as mica lines or mica painting on top of soap! You can even dust some on top for a little bit of shimmer. 🙂
Also, the descriptions on BrambleBerry.com will tell you if the mica morphs in cold process. Some micas, like Aqua Pearl, perform great in cold process: https://www.brambleberry.com/Aqua-Pearl-Mica-P5348.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Wow those new micas are fab!! How does the Snowflake Sparkle compare to the Super Pearly White? I have the latter and love using it. It add shimmer to colors without really whitening. It makes my green oxide sparkle even in CP soap, and when I use it with TD I get a gorgeous sparkly white. I am curious how they compare.
The desert red is just too pretty for words!
So glad you like the new micas Magaret! The Snowflake Sparkle is very neutral in color, and has a lot more sparkle than Super Pearly White Mica. We like to think of it as a very fine glitter. 🙂
Snowflake Sparkle Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Snowflake-Sparkle-Mica-P6225.aspx
Super Pearly White Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Super-Pearly-White-Mica-P3463.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
I’m going to be placing an order tonight for all of the new micas.
The rose gold is perfect for my summer recipes to make rose gold nude lip and cheek makeup.
That’s awesome, thanks so much for your order Robin! I absolutely love the Rose Gold Mica. I think it will look great in makeup. 🙂
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry
Rose Gold Mica: https://www.brambleberry.com/Rose-Gold-Mica-P6226.aspx
I love that Desert Red mica. Too bad it’s not for CP. 🙁
Hi Martina!
I love that color too! Although it doesn’t work well in cold process soap, you can still use it in your cold process recipes! It would look great as a mica line, or swirled on top with mica painting. 🙂
You may also like this Burgundy Pigment, which works great in cold process soap: https://www.brambleberry.com/Burgundy-Pigment-P4051.aspx
-Kelsey with Bramble Berry