Mica Powder Open Stock

Mica powder is a versatile, naturally occurring mineral that artists use to accent their arts & crafts projects. Arteza’s open stock concept enables artists to purchase a single unit of Mica Powder instead of buying an entire set, enabling savings and convenience. Mica is mined from rocks, and it has many physical properties that make it ideal for many industrial, commercial, and artistic applications. It comes in many types, but the three most common types are muscovite, phlogopite, and biotite. Each type has its own properties and uses.

What is mica powder? Mica occurs as sheets and blocks when it is mined from the earth. These sheets can be used as they are, but can also be ground into a fine powder. This Mica Powder, usually muscovite mica, is usually ground by either a dry-grounding process or a wet-grinding process. Because mica is a naturally occurring mineral, it is non-toxic and safe for use in arts & crafts projects.

What is mica used for? The dry-ground mica has thinner, more square and flat particles often used in construction materials like drywall joint compound, because of its strength and durability. And clearly, for our purposes mica powder is used to color arts & crafts projects.

Wet-ground mica has rounded particles that are extremely smooth. That makes it a valuable additive for cosmetics like lipsticks and eyeshadows. It can be used by itself as a colorant and to add a pearlized or metallic sheen to paints, resins, and other craft projects. Mica can also be added to a matte pigment powder to create a bolder colored mica pigment powder. These pigments can come in several different shades and tones. Some of the pigments, like gold mica powder, look like actual gold that has been turned into a very fine powder.

Mica powder for candles can be used in a few different ways. The powder can be mixed into the liquefied wax to create a color and shimmer that will last during the entire burn. Plus, Mica powder can be spread on the top to create a unique shimmering swirl that floats on the top of the wax as it is melted, it can be used to "paint" details and features onto a molded candle design. As well, it can be used to coat the outside of the candle for yet another special effect.