100% USA Mica

Look for the 100% USA Mica Label on Your Store Shelves.

100% USA Mica: Ethically and Responsibly Sourced from Hartwell, Georgia

Mica in Beauty, Nature's Glitter

The shimmer and sparkle in your favorite makeup product could be derived from natural mica or “mica” as noted on the ingredient label. Mica is a naturally occurring mineral found all over the world. It is referred to as “nature’s glitter” because of its flaky structure and shiny appearance.

Mica is safe and is commonly used as a substrate in pearlescent pigments that add luster and sparkle. Mica is mined from the ground, processed into fine powder, and coated with metal oxides and/ or colorants, to create colorful and sparkly effect pigments.

Get more information about mica from the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC).

The 100% USA Mica Label: Mica You Can Feel Good About

Mica is an abundant mineral found all over the world, meaning that the current known sources today are considered by the USGS to be more than adequate to meet anticipated world demand in the foreseeable future.

Although abundant, safe, and a staple in many color cosmetics, mica makes headlines for its sourcing methods, particularly in India where there are instances of child labor, corruption, and a complex supply chain making it difficult to trace mica back to a sustainable source to ensure responsible sourcing.

Launched in July 2022, the 100% USA Mica Label is an easy way for beauty consumers to identify and ensure the mica used in their favorite products is sourced ethically, responsibly, and consciously. USA-sourced mica ensures workplace safety, transparency and traceability of mica and mining practices.

Benefits of USA Mica

Absolutely No Child Labor

At the Hartwell, Georgia site, only highly trained and certified miners are employed or contracted to mine mica. Our employees each have an average of 20 years of work experience.

Regulated by the U.S. Federal Government

The Mining Safety and Health Association is a U.S. federal government agency under the Department of Labor. It was created to ensure safe and healthful work environments for all mines in the USA. The Hartwell mine is audited at least twice a year and audit results are publicly available.

Environmentally-Conscious Processes

Mining is a dirty job. At the Hartwell site, we minimize the environmental impact by:

Using recycled water from an onsite pond
Refilling mining plots and reforesting land
Continuously improving processes to mine less and yield more

Easy Traceability, Highest Transparency

The Hartwell, Georgia is site is one of the few places to see mica mining and processing firsthand. We host several visitors every year to see and audit our mica mine. Bagging and tagging the mica, allows us to easily trace mica batches throughout the supply chain and to our customers.

Learn how our natural mica is sustainably sourced.

Download Presentation to Learn More

From Flake to Fabulous: How Mica Becomes a Part of Your Favorite Beauty Products

Mined in the USA

The Hartwell, Georgia mine is owned and operated by Sun Chemical. Mica flakes are mined from the ground, processed, and then bagged and tagged for easy tracing. Mica alone can be used as a filler for cosmetic formulations or sent to manufacturing sites to become sparkling effect pigments.

Manufactured in the USA

To become an effect pigment, mica is sent to one of our two manufacturing facilities – North Charleston, South Carolina or Peekskill, New York. Mica is poured into a reactor and coated with a combination of metal oxides and colorants to create a rainbow of sparkles and colors.

Used Around the World

Let’s make a fabulous lipstick! Our effect pigments are shipped and used around the world in countless beauty products. The dazzling sparkle (and color) is created by mica-based effect pigments that originated in Hartwell, Georgia, USA.