So sometimes it's really nice to add a little bit of sparkle to your products and not just at Christmas time.
You can make a product look just that bit more luxurious or different from everyone else's by adding a relatively inexpensive extra (with both glitter and mica - remember a little goes a very long way).
Main question - What's the difference?
Glitter gives a - well - glitter, sparkley look.
A mica glitter gives a pearlescent sheen or shimmer to a product.
It's important to remember that neither will colour your product. They will add a little bit of colour as they are coloured themselves but they will not colour your product like a dye or pigment will do.
Don't get confused with mica colourants which are designed to colour products.
Another interesting point to consider when adding anything including glitter or mica it that it can sink to the bottom of the product. This is especially true if you add too much or, in the case of hot molten soap, too soon. You will get better results if you add it to molten soap that has cooled a little.
The sparkly stuff can be used to good effect if you are using a mould which there is a lot of cut outs in it or intricate designs as the glitter/mica will highlight the pattern. We recently experimented with sprinkling a small amount of mica into the mould first and then pouring the soap on top. The finished result looked simply stunning when the soap had popped out of the mould.
Interesting point number 2 is to try and remember not to add too much. The "fairy at the top of the tree" look is not one that all people aspire to when they get out of the bath. With glitter, just remember that it's a case of less is more.
On a technical note, all of our glitters and micas are approved for cosmetic use and all comply with EU cosmetic regulations. You can add them to your soaps, bath bombs, bath gels, etc and don't keep glitter just for Christmas.
Posted in Adding Things to Your Products
