Wondering about the ingredients that go into your favourite cosmetics? I’ve taken a look into the glittering world of mica, to uncover what it is, and just how ethical and sustainable it is, or isn’t.
If your makeup bag contains eye shadow, blusher, lipstick, lip gloss, bronzer, highlighter, mascara, concealer, or foundation then the chances are it has mica powder in it. Mica, is, after all the key ingredient that provides the shimmer and sparkle of these products.
And even if you don’t wear makeup, then you probably still use a product with mica in it every day. That’s because it pops up in toothpaste, deodorant, shaving cream and shampoo, amongst myriad other health and beauty products that help make us glow.
But what is mica? And how ethical or sustainable is this omnipresent ingredient? Well, with a dash of child labour, a pinch of deforestation, and a sprinkle of unfair wages, join me as I take a look at what hides behind the sparkle, alongside the brands doing better.
What Is Mica Exactly?
Mica powder provides the natural sparkle to many cosmetics and health and beauty products we use.
It’s primarily sourced from naturally occurring minerals. This includes shale, granite, slate and phyllite, a type of rock that’s derived from slate. Thanks to recent innovations, it can also be sourced synthetically in laboratories.
Despite being derived from rocks, when ground down into a powder, it is incredibly soft. Mica also has reflective and refractive properties that shimmer and shine in the light. It’s these key properties, alongside the fact that it’s cheap to source, that means it is in high demand by the cosmetics industry.
Is Mica Ethical Or Sustainable?
Unfortunately, most of the mica used by the makeup industry is neither ethical nor sustainable. This is because behind the veneer of colourful shades, expensive marketing, and fancy packaging is an ugly truth.
So what are the ethical and sustainability issues? Let’s take a look:
Illegal Mining
Mica may be derived from rocks, however it’s not as innocuous as it sounds. Before it can be processed and added to your makeup, those rocks have to be mined.
India is the largest producer and exporter of mica in the world, with most mines located in the Bihar and Jharkhand regions of the country.
These regions are amongst the poorest parts of India. With few alternatives in the way of employment opportunities, cartels are operating illegal mines. So much so, that it is estimated that as much as 70% of mica production in India is sourced from illegal mining operations.
The environmental impact of mining includes deforestation, with large stretches of forest being illegally cleared to make way for mines. The forest is home to species such as elephants, wild boar and rare bird populations, and it’s being reported that these populations are declining.
Water and soil pollution is another key concern. Researchers have found that mica mining activities in the Giridih district of India have led to toxic metal pollution of agricultural soil. Other studies have found metal contamination of groundwater in the mining areas of Jharkhand.
Child Labour
Beyond the environmental impact is the rampant use of child labour in the industry. Here, as many as 20,000 children are believed to be working in the mainly illegal mica mines.
Children as young as six have been found working in precarious mines – forced to work to help put food on the table. This means they miss out on the education that could lift them from this spiral of poverty.
In return for meagre wages, the children have to tunnel into the hillside to reach the mica deposits. They do so without any protective equipment.
And without any regulation, the poorly constructed illegal mines often collapse. In 2017, it was estimated that between 5 and 10 children were dying in the mines each month. Meanwhile, adult fatalities are unreported and estimated to be much higher.
How To Spot Mica In Your Makeup
If you want to know how to spot mica in your makeup, the bad news is the makeup industry does not make it easy. It’s not as easy as just looking for the word in the ingredient list. As well as looking out for anything that contains the word mica, you need to be on the lookout for:
- C177019
- The word Sericite in any ingredient
- An ingredient called Pigment White 20
Can Mica Be Sourced Ethically?
In response to the issues surrounding mica mining, many brands have started to switch to using ethical mica, that is mined without the use of child labour.
The Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI), for example, is a global coalition that has been set up to establish a fair, responsible and sustainable supply chain in the states of Jharkhand and Bihar in India. The RMI is working towards eliminating unacceptable working conditions and eradicating child labour by 2030.
Members include L’Oréal, Coty, Estée Lauder, Clarins, and Chanel, who account for a large proportion of makeup sales in the UK.
Other brands are sourcing synthetic mica that is formulated in laboratories. Unlike glitter, which is formulated from plastic, the synthetic version is made by melting manganese, metal, and aluminium together, before cooling it to form a crystal. The crystal is then ground in a powder, which can be used as a substitute known as fluorphlogopite or synthetic mica.
It’s a safe and non-toxic alternative, that doesn’t contribute to the issue of microplastics and does away with the need to mine mica. However, synthetic mica is more expensive to produce. This means many brands shy away from the synthetic stuff.
The Brands Using Ethical Or Synthetically Sourced Mica
With the RMI committed to phasing out illegally mined mica by 2030, this means mica sourced from unsustainable sources could still be found in your makeup in 2025.
If you want to make sure your makeup isn’t contributing to illegal mining and child labour, here are five sustainable brands available in the UK, that are committed to using only ethical or synthetically sourced mica:
Jane Iredale
Jane Iredale – the cruelty-free and organic beauty brand – says it uses only synthetic mica in its makeup. Find Jane Iredale cosmetics in the UK at Face The Future.
Odylique
Odylique – a certified organic and cruelty-free natural beauty brand – says it uses only ethically sourced mica in all of its cosmetics. Find Odylique at Ethical Superstore.
RMS Beauty
RMS Beauty – available in the UK at Space NK – says its mica is ethically sourced without child labour. This means you can enjoy its organic makeup – including its natural mascara without worry.
Lush
Lush has been mica-free since 2018. It now uses only 100% synthetic-based mica in all of its products.
Dr Hauschka
Dr Hauschka – the natural skin care experts – promise that all of its makeup products are made with mica that is free of child labour.
The Bottom Line
Mica may be shiny and sparkly, but all that glitters isn’t ethical or sustainable. Behind the glossy veneer of many makeup products lies a trail of child labour and illegal mining, that’s harming both people and the environment. Thankfully some brands are stepping up, and switching to ethically sourced or synthetic mica that sidesteps all the issues associated with traditional mica.
Reader note: This article was originally written by Georgina Rawes from Ethical Consumer Magazine, and was published on 8th March 2017. It was significantly reworked and rewritten by Wendy on 16th January 2024 to provide more up-to-date information, and further updated on 29th October 2025.
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