Frequently Asked Questions

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Policy Questions

Do you have a minimum order size?

Mad Micas currently has no order minimums.

What are your shipping policies?

Please see our shipping information here.

What is your order processing, or turn-around time?

We always post our current processing time in the banner at the top of every page on our site, but typically ship within 1-2 business days.

What is your return policy?

Please review our return, refund and cancellation policies here.

What happens if an item I just ordered is Out of Stock?

While the website is generally accurate regarding stock status, occasionally we may over-sell a product. If an item is out of stock on your paid order, we will reach out to you immediately, create a back-order statement for the item and ship the in-stock items in your order.

Back orders will be shipped immediately when the product is back in stock, and we ship out back-orders at our expense.

If you wish to receive a credit instead of the back-ordered item, please let us know as soon as possible and we will issue a refund to your original method of payment.

You can read more about our return, refund and cancellation policies here.

Are all Mad Micas vegan?

Yes! Our micas contain no animal products and have not been tested on animals, either by us or by our suppliers.

We require declarations from all of our suppliers indicating that our micas contain no animal products and are never tested on animals.

You can read our Animal Cruelty Statement here.

What about child labor and fair and ethical employee practices among suppliers?

Mad Micas has a strong commitment to social responsibility and ethical business practices.

While we purchase our colors and supplies from all over the world, including here in the United States, we know that other countries have different regulations and practices.

So, we pre-screen all of our manufacturers and suppliers and require declarations stating there are no children employed (monetarily or otherwise) by the company or any sub-contractors of that company. Further, we require declarations of safe and healthy working environments for their employees.

We believe that by requiring these declarations we are helping to support safe, healthy working conditions as well as children's rights and well-being worldwide.

You can read our Ethical Supply Line Statement here.

Product & Use Questions

 

 

Do you have a “true red mica”? 

Yes, we do! The True Red Blend is perfect!

 

Are micas natural?

Most mica used in cosmetics and soap, begin with naturally mined mica that is ground to a fine powder. This mica powder is grey-white in color until it is then coated with pigments (iron oxides, ultramarines or dyes).

Therefore, colored micas are comprised of pigments on a mica substrate (underlying substance). Those pigments, however, are not natural. They are lab-created to avoid the unhealthy levels of lead, arsenic and mercury that mined pigments contain.

Thus, there are no colored micas that are 100% natural. If they contain a pigment (ultramarine, iron oxide or dye), they are not natural.

Special note: Some of our micas are made with synthetic mica substrate called Fluorphlogopite. Fluorphlogopite is brighter and smoother than natural mica, and makes a fantastic substrate for some applications (for example, all of the cosmetic and bath bomb-safe glitters in our Bath Bomb Safe Glitter Collection!).

How many teaspoons are in an ounce of mica?

Some of our recommendations for coloring soap are by volume, though we package and sell mica by weight. We understand that this may be confusing.

Unfortunately, different micas have different densities, so the answer to this question can vary widely depending on the mica being measured.

About 60 of our micas have very similar densities and in these cases an ounce contains approximately 12-18 teaspoons.

However, some ounces may contain more teaspoons, and some less (like our Glow Blue and Glow Green, both of which are very dense).

How much is in a sample bag?

Sample bags are the one size that we sell that are filled by volume, not weight.

Each bag contain approximately one teaspoon. They are delivered in clear resealable bags.

NOTE: We have begun transitioning to 5-gram bags in most cases. These are clearly listed as 5-gram bags, not sample sizes.

Can I use Mad Micas colorants in bath bombs? Cosmetics?

Most of our micas (but not all of our colorants) can be used in bath bombs and cosmetics. However, some micas contain ingredients that are not FDA-approved for lips, such as chromium green oxide and ultramarine blue, while others may contain ingredients not approved for eye use.

Each product page includes the FDA-approved safety applications for that product. Please make sure that what you're buying is safe for its intended use before purchasing it. If you have any questions, please call us at 561-845-0050.

Note: If you are using micas or other oil soluble colorants, we recommend that you use polysorbate 80 at approximately 2% in your liquid stage to properly disperse your colors in the bath. This should eliminate the "tub ring" or floating mica that can occur if you don't incorporate it in your recipe.

Can I use Mad Micas for bath and body products other than soaps?

Yes!  While all of our micas can be used in soap (don't forget to check for CP stability on the product pages), many can be and are regularly used in other bath and body products (not to mention cosmetics, art applications, nail polish and much more).

Remember: each product page lists the FDA-permitted uses for that particular product. Please review this information to make sure that the mica you want is appropriate for the use you have in mind.

Material Data Safety Sheets are also available for all products if you have additional questions.

How do I mix mica to color my soap or scrub? 

You can mix it directly into your soap batter or sugar scrub recipe, but we recommend premixing in oil first to eliminate the possibility of clumping in your recipe (although mica rarely clumps).

Use a cup to mix your mica powder and oil. Measure your mica powder into the cup along with the same ratio (or a tiny bit more) of a carrier oil you already use in your recipe.

For example: combine 1 part mica powder with 1- 1½ parts oil. Mix thoroughly with a small spatula, craft stick or mini mixer until all clumps are blended. It helps to push the lumps to the sides of your container to release the pockets of trapped dry powder.

If you use melt and pour soap base, mix mica either with 90% isopropyl alcohol or vegetable glycerin before mixing into the soap base. Many people add the mica directly into the soap base, but we recommend pre-mixing first to ensure it is fully clump-free.

Where are the Safety Data Sheets for your micas?

Most products have links to data sheets on its product page. The rest are located right here. 

Color additives are regulated by the FDA. Why?

FDA regulation ensures that color additives are safe for use in various applications. To read more about about FDA regulations regarding color additives in bath bombs and cosmetics, check out our blog post on FDA regulations. If you want to go directly to the FDA website to see what color additives are permitted for use in your products, please go directly here.

Does Mad Micas offer 'batch certified" dyes and lakes?

Yes, we do, but only for large volume purchasers - we have discontinued retail-level dyes and lakes.

Mad Oils, Inc. d/b/a Mad Micas is certified by the FDA to repackage FDA-certified dyes and lakes. We send samples of every batch we receive to the FDA for analysis before making them available on the site.

What colors need to be "batch certified?"

All single-color dyes and lakes are required to be batch certified in order for them to be legally used in bath bombs and cosmetics (though technically, bath bombs are considered cosmetics).

Mad Micas submits sealed samples from every single-color dye and lake shipment we purchase to the FDA for lab testing and analysis. Only after they are analyzed and approved by the FDA do we offer them for sale. Full test results are included with every purchase. 

Dye or lake mixtures, however, do not need to be batch certified. They are exempt from batch certification requirements as long as the mixture is comprised of colors each already batch certified by the FDA.

A mica (or pigment) I bought looks slightly different from the last time - is that normal?

Not necessarily normal because it doesn't always happen, but it's normal in the sense that it can happen. We manufacture colors in large volume and are each run can vary slightly due to manufacturing conditions and/or slight variances in the ingredients that go into each color.

If you take a look at an SDS, each ingredient has an acceptable range (as a percentage of the total of all ingredients) that must be hit, and the subtle movements within that range can account for a slight color shift between batches. Batches are spot-checked from time to time and put through an analysis to ensure they are within range and that the manufacturing process has not drifted (that's the data you'll find on a COA).

However, the changes are slight enough that there is no substantive difference in the end use product made from that color; if there were, we would address it.

You can be assured that after decades of experience selling and working with color, we have found that the standard differences found in the batch-to-batch production of soap, or epoxy, or freshies etc. are far greater that the effect of a slight change to the colorant.

General Questions

Where are you located?

Our warehouse and offices are located in Delray Beach. Our contact information is listed on our contact page.

Can we come visit?

We are sorry, but we are closed to the public.

Why should I create an account?

Creating an account on the Mad Micas site allows you to check past orders, track current orders, and reprint all invoices from all of your orders.

Creating an account will NOT result in us storing your payment information, and is not related to subscribing to the newsletter, which is done separately.

You can request complete deletion of all customer data by contacting us.

Why do you need my email and phone number?

We strongly believe in a person’s right to privacy.

You deserve to trust your suppliers, so we promise that we will never share, release or sell your personal information to anyone (unless required by law).

We use your email and phone number only to contact you about your order. If you have subscribed to the newsletter, we use your email address for that, as well.

You can request complete deletion of all customer data by contacting us.

Why isn't my question on this FAQ?

We don't know - but if you get in touch with us, we'll be happy to answer it (and add it to the FAQ!)

Problems

My order was shipped but it's not moving. Why?

Sometimes USPS does not show tracking until days after it has been shipped. USPS First Class is the SLOWEST way and can take WEEKS to receive a package shipped this way.

We highly recommend UPS or FedEx for shipping methods.

Why is my fairy duster clogged??? Help!

Fairy Dusters (FD) can occasionally clog, but most often, it can be fixed quickly. Try this: You may want to perform this outside if it is not windy since you may end up with floating glitter everywhere...

  • Unscrew the top of the FD and remove slowly, tapping lightly to remove any excess glitter into the jar.
  • Pump the top to release any glitter in the mechanism that sits in the powder.
  • Try tapping lightly on a hard surface to jostle any more glitter.
  • Blow into the mechanism with some force to dislodge powder.
  • Screw top back onto container and test.
  • If the Duster doesn't work properly after 10 pumps, please contact us.

Other questions? Just ask!

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