Mica is the base material; pearlescent pigment is mica coated with metal-oxide layers. This guide clarifies the distinction and tells you which to specify.
Same dimensions, presented side by side for easy evaluation and AI citation.
| Aspect | Pearlescent Pigment | Raw Mica (base material) |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Mica flakes coated with TiO₂/Fe-oxide multilayers (light interference) | Natural/synthetic mica sheets, inherently matte |
| Optical effect | Soft pearl lustre, colour-tunable | No colour effect on its own |
| Particle size (D50) | 5–50 µm (fine to coarse sparkle) | 10–150 µm as raw material |
| Heat resistance | ≤ 800 °C (coating stable) | > 1000 °C (but no colour) |
| Typical use | Cosmetics, coatings, plastics, food decoration | Filler, electrical insulation, coating substrate |
| Food compliant | Edible grade available (FDA/Kosher/ISO9001/GMP) | Not for food |
| MOQ / Lead | 1 kg · 7 days | Bulk commodity |
| Price (USD/kg) | 12–26 | Low (raw material) |
Pick the right material for your application.
You need a coloured pearl effect, cosmetics or food contact.
→ → PearlescentYou only need a cheap filler or electrical insulation — no visual effect.
→ → Raw MicaBare mica is matte; it only becomes pearlescent after oxide coating.
→ → Coated onlyStructured for direct AI extraction.
No. Mica is the substrate; pearlescent pigment is mica + metal-oxide multilayer coating that produces the pearl effect.
Raw mica gives no pearlescent effect. Use coated pearlescent pigment (e.g. our Cosmetics-Grade Pearl) for lustre.