Micas, Pigments, and Pigmented Micas

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[@SoapyOaksFarm]

Great points that can always bear repeating. In addition I get annoyed at the "all natural," or "organic" claims. Arsenic is natural, and ricin is organic, folks need to educate them selves.

[@blondangel79]

This is a huge pet peeve of mine, too! I hate when people say that chemicals are bad. I've told them to stop breathing then, because the air is a chemical. Apparently, I'm insensitive. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Oh goodness YES!!! "Chemical free", too 🙄 The seller that inspired this video was all over all those claims.

[@EmunahFL]

First thing I learned in school was that EVERYTHING is a chemical. Our bodies are chemicals. These people with their claims! 😂

[@melmill1164]

I just found your channel this weekend and I am obsessed. You have a great personality and easy to watch. I like that you are simple and personable when explaining things. Great tutorials. I am trying the lipsticks and balms. Thank you

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much, Mel!

[@sammeemadison9079]

I love your book, Marie. I was excited when it arrived and I love that I can make my own eye shadow, primer, foundations etc etc on a real budget. I love it!!!!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much for buying my book, and happy making! :D

[@clarissathompson]

Thank you for always putting out such sensible information and advice! I love your videos and working with your recipes! : )

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much for watching! 😃

[@BamboozledUS]

I just bought your book from Amazon. I recently began this journey and this book looks like it has more information about the characteristics of ingredients that lets me make my own recipes, rather than just follow someone else's. The book arrives tomorrow, meanwhile, I'm watching these videos.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much for your support! I hope you love my book :)

[@zaira313]

Im really thankful for your xplanation, that topic was just flying around my head... and then i found your video talking truth, Thanks sweetheart

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks for watching!

[@reneemunn5453]

Thank you so much for your video and explanation. I have been looking at so many natural color mica powders that people are selling and wanting to know what is the ingredient of the pigment that creates and the color and so many only list the ingredient as mica.

[@AlaneLane]

Awesome vid 👍🏾🙏🏾 thank you for sharing. I'm learning about micas pigments etc.

[@LizzieWestBathandBody]

This is the best video on Mica and the difference between Lakes thank you so much for the education a lot of people don't know what Carmine really is and where that rent comes from that little Beetle loves to hang out on a cactus and loves the cactus fruit the same cactus fruit that lower your blood sugar if your diabetic those cactus fruits are gorgeous gorgeous color again thank you for the mica education a lot of people also don't know is if there is synthetic Mica colorants some are pH stable and some aren't which means and soap specially cold process your colors make morph on you the number one supplier in the entire world supplies 90% of the resellers they have a custom Color Lab which I took advantage of to get the particular colors I wanted but the minimum buy is 25 kg but when you're after that Holy Grail of red or that perfect peacock color sometimes that's what you have to do thank you again for such a great video

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks for watching! As a homecrafter who works with other homecrafter 25kg is definitely a bit much, but a girl can dream!

[@TheProcrastinatorFiles]

I love the fact you actually understand what you're talking about (and confess when you don't). DIYers on KZbin who jump on bandwagons without research need to be cancelled 😅

[@josephinejacobs2159]

The Procrastinator Files agree

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much! I do try, I've learned so much in the last 7 years that I'm getting to the point where I wonder if I really know anything anymore LOL.

[@mandimani]

Finally a YT video that is actually informative. So tired of KZbinrs “teaching” false information. Thank you for this!!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thank you so much! Don't forget to check out my blog (humblebeeandme.com)-I've been blogging for over 8.5 years while I’ve only been on KZbin for about 4, so there is TONS more content on the blog!

[@mandimani]

Humblebee & Me I will most definitely be checking you out! Thanks again!

[@shabbyhijabi4344]

I'm so happy you made this video. Seeing just Mica listed on bright colorful bath bombs drives me nuts!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

YES!

[@kathyleicester7306]

Make your own and make the labels correctly. We benefit, and you end your crazy.

[@simplybjscreations3115]

Thank you for sharing this helpful info!

[@mountainviewsoapcompany5712]

Excellent! thank You so much I didn’t know this

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I'm happy I was able to teach you something new :)

[@1gr8lpta]

Great job. Makes me more aware of ingredients inside ingredients

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much! 😄

[@PauiChu]

What pigments do they use and can be used it hair dyes?

[@Woekkie]

Awesome thanks love videos with "insider info" .

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks for watching!

[@meganaxtell8627]

Got my book for mother's day, loving it!! Next book could be all the blog posts for the non internet people? Works already done, hook could be updates to recipes with new fav ingredients... Thank you so much for the 411 on above

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yay! I'm so glad you're enjoying my book :D I can easily state there will never, ever be a book of all the blog posts. That's over 1000 posts (so it would be a HUGE book), and no publisher is going to pay to publish something that is available, in its entirety, for free on the internet. Sorry!

[@khatunjanokyere-boateng5513]

Can mica powder be added to hair butters too? & are there any side effects it may have on the hair?

[@momojackandluke]

Thanks for this educating video. Sadly I've seen a lot of online sellers in Germany not listing the full ingredients for mica when I searched for soap colorants :/

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

How frustrating! Thanks for watching :)

[@StarTiffany]

Thank you for this video! It’s very informative

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@hani007-mm2ih]

does pearl mica powder turns pink after applying??

[@LivelyLiz3]

I have a question .. What should I use to color my beard butters and whips ? I don’t want to use anything that will harm my clients l

[@edafejenni5354]

Can tkb mica pigment be safe for use

[@ShaynaReneeStyle]

Great to know. Thank you

[@Addisnegeri]

I do have tons of ground micas how can I make pigments

[@ahmadbnkhalil4668]

I found the mica on AliExpress Is it ok to use silver mica in bath bombs or it’s harmful please help

[@yeseniaherrera7992]

Are there any suppliers for mica that you trust? Thank you for the info!

[@violettracey]

Thanks for this info!

[@AnhLe-zl4ws]

THANK YOU! I know that mica and pigments are different but people keep telling me otherwise. I’ve done my research too but I’ve known people who kept telling “mica is the color” and I kept saying no it’s not, pigments make the color

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

YES! Hopefully we can spread the word on this. I think suppliers can be to blame a bit as well as many don't list in INCI for their micas, but dang... if you're selling stuff you really should know these things!

[@alannahmahon1377]

this was so helpful thank you

[@joannethompson6869]

Hi good night please can you please tell me the name for the clear mica you rub on your hand in this video you also mention it add slip and hide fine lines in cosmetic products ,can you please tell the name please write it out below in capital letters i was trying to find it but i am not successful so far , i hear you say the name but its not clear. Thank you in advance

[@billionbear4777]

thank you for this video, quick question alot of people are using rubbing alchohol when maxing their mica and in their pressing tray is there an alternative?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You can learn how to press powders properly here: www.humblebeeandme.com/turn-loose-powders-pressed-powders/ :)

[@shaghayegh1982]

Thanks for your awsome videos, do you have any advice on how to get the most color out of oxides while the lipstick is firm 🙏

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I recommend checking out my "how to formulate highlighter" video that I released towards the end of 2020 :)

[@tinabennett8980]

Great info thank you so much.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks for watching!

[@moonmagnolia7]

Thank you! This was very informative. It sort of grips my butt though that the FDA would outlaw a plant based pigment as opposed to a metal based pigment. I would think a plant based pigment like curcummin would be safer than titanium, but I’m not a chemist, just a budding artist who has learned a little bit about how cadmium and lead based pigments are hazardous to our health.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I definitely don't understand all of the motivations behind the FDA's decisions re: colourants, especially since (as far as I can tell) you can include something like beetroot powder in a product as long as it's not there as a colourant... though of course it would impart a colour. I do not know how they'd make that call. There are some more natural colours that are allowed-you can learn more here: www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-names/color-additives-permitted-use-cosmetics. I recommend clicking through the links in that list to learn more about the specific guidelines each product must adhere to for use-it's quite interesting! Lead & cadmium are contaminants the industry is very aware of and takes great care to control. Heavy metals an also be present in things we wouldn't expect, like rice cereals (www.fda.gov/food/chemical-metals-natural-toxins-pesticides-guidance-documents-regulations/supporting-document-draft-guidance-industry-inorganic-arsenic-rice-cereals-infants-action-level) so something's "natural-ness" is no guarantee of avoiding heavy metal exposure. Happy making!

[@kajae7450]

I was wondering if you know where the mica you use is comming from? Since It's a mineral, can you find it in any gravelpit or stone quary? (sorry if my spelling is wonky, english is not my first language)

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It will vary with suppliers, but cosmetic grade micas will meet safety standards that "found in any gravel pit" mica wouldn't :) Think of it a bit like water-yes, you can find it in a puddle in the road, but that's not what we drink! Happy making!

[@snowwhite1672]

Can i add safflower or babassu oil with vitamine E for pressed pigments?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You can, but keep in mind you really won't need much at all of any oil :) It is also best to choose oils with shelf lives that are as long as possible because once they go rancid you'll need to throw out your pressed pigment.

[@jenniferburns-robinson727]

Well done!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks! 😄

[@misshappy2182]

Hello!! Can i reboil lotion or creme with Mica pigment? Or I need to add it in cold lotion? Is it safe to put Mica in hot oil and vax while making lotion? Sorry for mistakes :)

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You should never boil (or re-boil) a lotion, and I don't recommend adding ingredients to store-bought products/lotions. That said, if you have made your own lotion/formulation, you can include mica in a heated phase or in the cool down phase :) Learn more in the Humblebee & Me DIY Encyclopedia (www.humblebeeandme.com/diy-encyclopedia/)!

[@kendramonae3098]

Where did you get the micas from with color?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I always link all the ingredients for any given formulation in the blog post, which is linked in the description box below the video (that's one of the many reasons I highly suggest reading the blog post as well as watching the video! If you're not sure what I mean by the "description box", read this: www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/whats-the-description-box-on-youtube/.). I also have a giant page of places to shop all over the world, which you can find here: www.humblebeeandme.com/resources/. It doesn't have every country in the world, but it does contain all the online stores I know about. If your country isn't listed, that's because I don't know about any online stores in your country. You could try looking for a local Facebook group for people who like making soap & other cosmetics-they may be able to recommend places to shop. And for some more discussion on ingredients, I recommend these FAQs: www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/why-dont-you-only-use-ingredients-that-are-easily-available-globally/ www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/what-ingredients-should-i-purchase-when-getting-started/ www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/is-there-one-place-i-can-buy-everything/ www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/why-do-you-use-so-many-new-fancy-hard-to-get-ingredients/

[@Haircarequeen]

What is best to put in body butters abs scrubs?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I'd recommend micas, generally, but there is a lot of room for "it depends" as well :)

[@moonmagnolia7]

I looked into making and selling goats milk soap, by the US has lots of laws regarding how to market even soap. If you say it’s just soap, you can sell it without much fanfare. But if you say if moisturizes your skin, then it’s a cosmetic which has additional rules regarding its sale and if you say it helps with psoriasis, then it’s considered a medical product which has even more hoops to jump through. ☹️

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yup-my inclination would certainly be to keep things simple if I wanted to sell :)

[@asialawson3792]

I’m very new to all of this, I love a lot of the mica colors that I see on TKB trading. However, a lot of them seem to have the CA Prop 65 warning on them. Does anyone have any advice on navigating through that or know of any better mica company recommendations?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Hi! The Prop 65 warnings you're seeing doesn't mean that TKB isn't awesome (they are!)-it mostly just means they're located in California. If a company doesn't have those warnings that doesn't mean their products are better/safer, it just means they aren't legally required to include the warning. Learn more here: tkbtrading.com/pages/california-proposition-65. I have zero worries about the products TKB Trading sells. If you went and bought the exact same ingredient from a different company that doesn't display those warnings it would be just as likely to contain minute traces of prop-65-able compounds because those things are inherently present in mineral colourants, but in cosmetic grade versions of those ingredients there are legal requirements that keep those levels extremely low. You can see how low in the data sheets TKB shares on all their products.

[@asialawson3792]

Thank you so much for the clarification!

[@jojojojo6104]

Where to buy mica powder in egypt??

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

I'm afraid I have no idea, sorry!

[@DanteVelasquez]

Great video thanks. Is sericite​ mica the only type of mica that is sold to be used in cosmetics?

[@catzkeet4860]

Dante Velasquez no. Sericite mica is often added to products to provide slip, but isn’t used to colour product. As shown in the video, sericite mica is just an off white powder. Coloured micas, on the other hand, start out the same as sericite but are then coloured. They only provide colour and there are many ingredients in them that you need to be aware of. Some are not approved for use in cosmetics in all countries, some are approved only for particular applications, some are vegan compatible, others are not. As Marie has said in this video, if you are making products for sale, you need to know this stuff.

[@DanteVelasquez]

catz Keet no i meant the mica itself without any pigments. Is serecite mica the only form it comes in, or is there another form of colorless mica as well?

[@catzkeet4860]

Dante Velasquez not in general supply no. Like I said, sericite is used in formulations sometimes, but there wouldn’t be much point in selling a colourless mica when sericite is already freely available.....which is colourless mica. Sericite is also milled more finely I believe as it’s used in formulations.

[@DanteVelasquez]

catz Keet ah thank you!

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

From everything I've read sericite (muscovite) mica is the only type used in cosmetics. There's eom more info here that's quite interesting! www.911metallurgist.com/blog/mica-mineral-types

[@classyjewel]

is Mica safe to use now? I saw on tkb website that it causes cancer and birth defects so I was hesitant about purchasing.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yes, mica is safe when used as directed. As with all insoluble fine powders, don't inhale it in large amounts. www.humblebeeandme.com/faqs/_____________-ingredient-safe/ cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/mica-0 Happy making!

[@bnnyrae]

Hello sweetie! I'm starting a small business and i need to know what kind of mica i can use to mix with whipped body butter? I don't want the mica to stain the skin so if you could help me i'd be sooo happy 🥺🤍🤍🤍

[@EETERNA]

X2 😕

[@nadaali4878]

Can i add mica to lip glosses?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Yup!

[@rebeccabeebe1]

Are food and plant dyes not approved in Canada as well or just not approved by the FDA in the US?... i see people selling products with natural food dyes all the time

[@clarissathompson]

It is my understanding that food dyes are not approved for cosmetic use. That being said, it's always best to consult the website for Health Canada in the section on cosmetics. I will warn you, though, that it is not great to navigate and more than once i have found myself in a loop on that site.

[@catzkeet4860]

As noted, food safe does not translate into approved for cosmetic use by national authorities. In fact many food dyes are definitely NOT approved for cosmetic use by the FDA.

[@rebeccabeebe1]

Clarissa Thompson health Canadas webpage is horrible to navigate! It took me forever to the actual CNF form insstead of just the how to fill it out page

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

As best I've been able to make heads & tails of it from the FDA... something like beetroot powder is not approved as a colourant by the FDA, but it's a perfectly fine ingredient to use. So... if you used it in something, but not "as" a colourant, but it happened to contribute colour... that would be ok?! It's very weird. Obviously there are tons of ingredients that contribute colour but aren't FDA approved colourants (seabuckthorn oil, buriti oil, palm oil, jojoba oil... so many!) so I'm not really sure what enforcement looks like there. You can see which ingredients are limited or banned by Health Canada here: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredient-hotlist-prohibited-restricted-ingredients/hotlist.html

[@stillinspirationsphotography]

I am trying to make mica powder with pigments for epoxy resin coloring, I am trying to achieve that shiny look in the pigments, will sericite mica achieve that? All I can find is sericite mica with titanium dioxide in it.

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

You don't want sericite mica for this, you want coloured micas-there are hundreds if not thousands available, so I'm sure you can find what your'e looking for!

[@SassieNewf]

@@HumblebeeAndMe I believe she wants to make her micas from scratch for her epoxy projects, which is exactly what I came here looking for. Info on where to purchase plain mica and the additives and which pigment types are good for it. I know titanium dioxide is one, but was unsure about oxides ie: if they are too heavy or if there are any types that CAN'T be used for epoxy. Then I found bath pigments and the lake ones, and now I'm lost for sure, hahaha

[@kendramonae3098]

Great information

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Glad it was helpful!

[@drewdrew8426]

Hi I have a fairly ignorant question I'd like to ask and sorry in advance to anyone this may offend, but why do people still choose micas to color their lotions, body butters, toners, etc when they can just use natural powders like turmeric, alfalfa, alkanet, annatto, etc?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It's because they work better, are more reliable, and come in a much wider array of colours. Natural powders vary in colour, aren't very potent, oxidize and fade/turn brown over time, can be irritating (cinnamon, chili), and are only available in a narrow range of colours. Many of them also aren't approved colourants, so they cannot be used as pigments in products made for sale. It's not that it can't be done, but natural products that have some colour to them have quite a lot of usage limitations. I've used them for things like colouring bath bombs (www.humblebeeandme.com/rose-spice-bath-bombs/), and they work well in such applications-there's no water to cause the colour to shift and turn brown, and we don't want a super potent pigment in a bath bomb. In something like soap the pH will cause the colour to shift to brown. In cosmetics the pigmentation is simply not sufficient to colour the skin.

[@drewdrew8426]

@@HumblebeeAndMe Ok wow. So what's the best (and safest) colorants, in your opinion, to use for skincare products if need be? I'm sure a colorant works different in a lotion compared to a face mist? And thank you so much for always answering my questions. Im trying to start a business from scratch and still have so much to learn. Appreciate it alot! Btw do you have a blog talking about all the safe colorants to use and how to use them?

[@CandyDropCosmetics]

Why does mica separate in a lip gloss? 😭 please help

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

It sounds like the gloss is not the right consistency to suspend the mica; it may be too thin, or may not have good suspending properties.

[@skatia88]

Thanks

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thanks for watching!

[@cindrellarmoyo2049]

are all micas shiny

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

In the world of coloured micas, yes. Some are more or less shiny/sparkly/glittery, but none are matte like pigments are.

[@ariassketchingandcrafty3041]

Is mica bad?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Thank you so much!

[@jayjune132]

Hi Marie what suggestions do you have for people who would like to color their products naturally since alot of these products contains dyes?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

That depends hugely on what your definition of "natural" is, what type of colour you wish to impart, and if you are subject to FDA regulations. Some plant extracts and clays will contribute a nice colour to the product, but will do nothing to colour the skin. Some clays will colour the skin, but they are not approved cosmetic colourants. Iron oxides suit the natural definitions of many people; they'd be your best option.

[@jayjune132]

@@HumblebeeAndMe ok thank u :)

[@peepla7]

😀

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

😊

[@brandenhuffmen8259]

Do you know that kids in India mine mica that you’re using and dying in the process ?

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

Did you know that many cosmetic suppliers only sell ethically sourced micas? Those are the suppliers I purchase from :) There are also synthetic micas, which don't require any mining at all. More info: support.tkbtrading.com/hc/en-us/articles/360026634832-Ethical-Mica-Mining-Statement

[@tinat4077]

first comment woohooO! :D

[@HumblebeeAndMe]

🎉