MICAS ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as a mineral pigment and visual effect agent, adding shimmer, pearlescence, opacity, and slip in color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, and body products.
What does MICAS do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as a mineral pigment and visual effect agent, adding shimmer, pearlescence, opacity, and slip in color cosmetics, skin care, hair care, and body products.
Is MICAS clean?
It is generally well tolerated on skin and is widely accepted by clean-beauty standards, but quality control matters because mined mineral powders can carry trace impurities. The bigger clean-standard friction is supply-chain transparency, especially responsible mining and labor verification.
Is MICAS sustainable?
This material is mined, nonrenewable, and not biodegradable in the usual organic-material sense, although it is largely inert in the environment. Sustainability depends heavily on mining practices, dust control, land impact, and traceable sourcing.
Is MICAS COSMOS-approved?
It is generally permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic products when it meets mineral-origin criteria and contaminant limits, though it does not contribute organic content. From a Green Chemistry lens, it scores well for inertness and low reactivity, but less well for nonrenewable extraction and mining impacts.
How does MICAS work chemically?
This material is a layered sheet mineral made of stacked silicate plates, which reflect and scatter light to create shimmer and pearlescence. It is chemically stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges and is often used from low levels for glow to much higher levels in pressed powders, eye products, and high-impact color formulas.
Last updated 2026-05-13