Mica Colorant Instructions

Micas use light reflection, refraction, and transmission to exhibit their effects much like a prism creates various colors as light passes through it. Therefore, micas work best in clear soap.

Our pigments and micas are sold by weight – not volume – so you’re getting the most for your money!

Mica Colorant Instructions:

Cold Process (CP) Soap Making:

Micas work in CP soap, but only marginally, as there is no light for reflection (since CP soap is opaque). To use it in CP soap, use 2 tsp. per pound of soap to achieve a good color. Simply add the mica directly to the soap and stir. Make sure you add it at very thin trace so that you have enough time to stir the colorant in.

Melt and Pour (MP) Soap Making:

1. If you are using a clear, transparent or translucent base, we recommend about 1/2 tsp. per pound to achieve a nice, strong pearl effect.
2. You can use micas in opaque base at 1.5%-4% of the total weight to achieve good color, but micas work best in clear soap. Light is needed for the true reflective qualities of the micas to work properly.

Micas are relatively simple to use. Just add the powder to your melting soap base, wait for your base to melt and stir the micas in. If pesky little “mica bubbles” float to the top, just spray them with a bit of rubbing alcohol and you’ll see them burst open. Just stir everything in until the mica is well incorporated, then add your fragrance.

Micas can be heavy and therefore may settle out in low viscosity. To use in soaps, pour your soaps at cooler temperatures, as they will suspend the micas better. To achieve the real effect of mica in soap, the particles need to be aligned in the same direction – you can try pouring your soap and then “combing” the surface of the soap in one direction using a spatula.

You will get different results when you add micas to colored verses non-colored soaps. Having a background color enhances the effects of the mica.