Colour Pearlescent Pigments

Also called Mica-based pigment powders and pearl pigments

A selection of high-quality Coated Mica Pearlescent Pigments that impart a beautiful metallic hue & lustre. They have an excellent tolerance to a wide temperature and pH range and have excellent chemical resistance. All the pigments excluding "Natural" and "Silver Sparkle" have strong colours meaning that a good degree of opacity can be achieved with them. To achieve a translucent appearance, use a low amount of pigment. 

Importantly, all the pigments excluding "Magic Violet - Fine (Interior)" are lightfast and can be used in exterior applications.

We have selected these pigments specifically because they have these properties, so they are perfect for use in epoxy resins, paints, slime, candle making, soaps, bath bombs, crafts, jewellery making, plastics & industrial applications. They can be added to most clear mediums.

If you are looking to create special effects, then pearlescent pigments may be just what you need. They look best when added into totally clear mediums such as epoxy resins.

Many people want to add these pigments into paints. This can be done but note the following:

• Normal clear base paints are not very clear. This will result in a dull effect due to the slightly opaque nature of these paints.
• Paint films are very thin so only true metallic pigments give sufficient hiding power and lustre to create an optimum paint. Rather use our Metallic Paints that all contain some real metal pigments. We use coated aluminium, copper and zinc pigments together with pearlescent pigments in our paints. We also sell an Aluminium Pigment Powder for resins and water-based applications.
• The pearlescent pigments will settle to the bottom of normal paints and varnishes. 

Videos

The difference between pearlescent pigments, metallic pigments and glitter powders

Glitter powders are usually of larger particle size. They are cut out of a large sheet and all particles are the same size unless they are intentionally mixed. Most glitter is manufactured with a coloured plastic layer over an aluminium base and is rarely recycled leading to calls from activists for plastic glitter to be banned.

Metallic Pigments are fine particles of actual metal. We sell Aluminium Metallic Powder that gives excellent hiding power and an excellent shiny metallic effect. We use these in all our Metallic Paints to impart high hiding power (opacity).

Pearlescent Pigments are made by coating small plate shaped particles of mica, synthetic mica or glass with various compounds. All our pigments in this section are based on coated mica. A more expensive type of pearlescent pigment is made by coating glass. We offer a large particle size Gold and Silver pearlescent glass pigments which you will find in a product called "Cosmetic Diamond Pearlescent Pigments". Although our Diamond Pigments are certified for cosmetics they are also wonderful to create sparkle in resins and in general arts & crafts. 

The difference between Colour Pearlescent Pigments and Interference Pearlescent Pigments

In our product types we differentiate between pearlescent pigments with a stronger colour and those that have a subtle colour and are almost transparent which we call Interference Pearlescent Pigments. To avoid confusion our Interference Pearlescent Pigments are a totally separate product.  

Technically all pearlescent pigments 'interfere' with light but colour pearlescent pigments have both a very thin titanium dioxide coating and a coloured coating layer over the mica particle which results in a lot of the colour being visible due to reflection of light. Our Interference Pearlescent Pigments only have a thin coating of titanium dioxide over the mica particles.. Most light passes through the titanium dioxide layer and the mica particle and is refracted as it passes through. Refraction of light creates a translucent subtle colour effect.