Mica: The Sparkle That Comes With a Choice

When you see a gentle shimmer in your eyeshadow, foundation, or highlighter — chances are, it’s thanks to mica. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral that adds a soft, luminous sheen to many cosmetic products. But behind that innocent sparkle lies a troubling truth — and a powerful opportunity to make ethical choices.

 

At English Mineral Makeup, we’re proud to say we only use mica that is ethically sourced, with full traceability and zero tolerance for child labour. Here’s what you need to know — and why it matters.

 

 

Mica is a group of silicate minerals that form in thin, flat crystals, which can be peeled apart into shiny, reflective sheets. These sheets are ground into fine powder and used in products to give a soft glow, silky texture, or pearlescent effect.

 

Mica is found naturally in metamorphic rocks, especially in countries like India, Madagascar, China, and Brazil. It doesn’t grow, per se — it forms over millions of years under heat and pressure, then is mined from the earth, either from deep shaft mines or surface quarries.

 

 

Unfortunately, up to 25% of the world’s mica comes from unregulated mines in India and Madagascar — and this is where things get dark.

 

In regions like Bihar and Jharkhand in India, much of the mica is mined by hand, often by families living in extreme poverty. The work is dangerous and dusty, and children as young as five are regularly sent into narrow, unstable tunnels, risking their health and safety for pennies.

 

This is known as “blood mica” — mica extracted using child labour or under exploitative conditions. And the heartbreaking reality is: if a company doesn’t know where its mica comes from, it may very well be complicit.

 

 

At English Mineral Makeup, we go beyond “natural” — we go ethical. We only use mica from certified, ethically managed sources, primarily from fully traceable suppliers who meet strict fair trade and safety standards. This means:

We partner with suppliers who are part of initiatives like the Responsible Mica Initiative, which is working to eliminate child labour and improve conditions in mica-producing regions.

 

For us, it’s simple: no sparkle is worth a stolen childhood.

 

Its heat resistance, electrical insulation, and shimmering effect make mica a true multitasker.

 

 

Mica is so resistant to heat that it’s been used in NASA spacecraft as thermal insulation! It’s one of the few natural materials that can withstand the extreme conditions of space — and still shine.

 

 

When you choose English Mineral Makeup, you’re choosing products that align with your values. You’re choosing beauty without compromise, where performance, purity, and ethics all work together.

 

Because real beauty should never rely on exploitation, and every shimmer should come from a place of light.