Mica
Also known as Mica, Muscovite mica, CI 77019, Potassium aluminum silicate
“US FDA says: safe as used in cosmetics.”
Mica (CI 77019; CAS 12001-26-2) is a naturally occurring potassium aluminum silicate mineral with a long history of safe cosmetic use. The FDA explicitly approves it as a color additive for all cosmetics, including eye-area products, exempt from batch certification (21 CFR 73.2496). A 2025 peer-reviewed safety study (PMID 40951932) confirmed that cosmetic-grade mica samples yielded a Primary Irritation Index of 0.00 (non-irritant), with heavy metal levels below internationally accepted thresholds, and non-carcinogenic risk indices well within acceptable ranges for both adults and children. The CIR Expert Panel has not issued a standalone assessment of Mica; it is absent from all reviewed QRT versions (Sept 2022, Sept 2020). Inhalation of mica dust in occupational settings is a known concern distinct from dermal cosmetic use; no EU restriction on mica as a cosmetic colorant exists.
Provides pearlescent shimmer, sparkle, and optical brightening in color cosmetics (eyeshadow, highlighter, bronzer, blush, lipstick)
Inert mineral with negligible dermal absorption; does not penetrate viable skin layers under normal cosmetic use conditions
Approved for eye-area use under FDA 21 CFR 73.2496, making it one of the few colorants permitted in all cosmetic categories including around eyes
Non-sensitizing and non-irritating in cosmetic concentrations; Primary Irritation Index of 0.00 confirmed in peer-reviewed testing
Functions as anticaking agent and bulking agent in addition to colorant function, improving texture and skin adhesion of powder formulations
- · Occupational inhalation of mica dust has been associated with pneumoconiosis (mica pneumoconiosis); this is an industrial exposure concern distinct from normal cosmetic use
Mica as a raw material may contain trace impurities (quartz, feldspar, heavy metals) that are controlled by the FDA's specifications in 21 CFR 73.1496(b): lead ≤ 20 ppm, arsenic ≤ 3 ppm, mercury ≤ 1 ppm
Ethical sourcing concerns (child labor in mica mining in India and Madagascar) are a supply chain and social responsibility issue, not a cosmetic safety regulatory concern, and are outside the scope of this safety assessment
21 CFR § 73.2496 — Mica (Color Additives Exempt from Certification, Subpart C: Cosmetics)
“Mica is safe for use in coloring cosmetics generally, including cosmetics applied to the area of the eye, in amounts consistent with good manufacturing practice.”— 21 CFR § 73.2496(b)