FAQ 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.