The Dangers of....Mica?!?!

[TheGecko]

Um, gecko, mica used in cosmetics is either mined or synthetic... ask for the coa from your supplier. And while you're asking, ask for their statement on cruelty-free, slavery-free product.

Tho the *amount* used by all craft soapers is small compared to world industrial use, a craft soaper may thru dint of research find synthetic or ethically produced mica for *100%* of their own usage.

It's no less feasible nor important than organic or any other concern a person has about what they make.

I already said this so I’m not sure what your point is.

 

[gladysjones]

Oh well, the controversy alone is enough to make me stick to my natural colorants. It's more challenging and I might not get the bright vibrant colors, but it's how nature(and it's creator) intended. That's how I'll be soaping. To each they're own.

 

[Wendy90292]

Not to minimize the horrors of the mining process, but fortunately, the micas used for soaping and cosmetics contain lab-made colors and must meet FDA standards (for US soapers), including the levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury.

What is mica?

Wonderful news! Thanks. I bought most of mine from Ann Marie, so that's good news!

 

[Wendy90292]

Well, going forward, you can choose synthetic micas. I would not toss out the ones you already have unless you would really feel badly about using them.

Sadly, I had just stocked up on my five favorite colors - 6 oz of each. So I am going to get to the bottom of this. If they DO contain those trace minerals, they'll be resold. If they don't, then I will use them up but source more responsibly going forward (in about 3 years when I get to the bottom of my stash!)

 

[Wendy90292]

According to the NBC piece, the families are just barely getting enough compensation to survive. They showed one woman and her six small children who spend long days chipping away at small rocks to extract the small pieces of mica because “small fingers are good for collecting the small pieces.” The food allowance for all of them is one cup of rice per day. The advocates for mica workers are not urging a boycott, but rather pressure on industry to source responsibly and to ensure that workers are fairly compensated. Does anyone know if HCSG engages in any lobbying on issues of ethical and environmentally-responsible sourcing? If they do, it would be another reason for me to consider joining.

I probably won’t be tossing the non-synthetic micas I already have, but right now I don’t even want to look at them. I’ve thought about making and selling soap in retirement, but I‘m also starting to realize that I wouldn’t be comfortable selling soap without a fuller understanding of what’s in my product.

Said perfectly. I feel the same way now.

 

[Wendy90292]

But wait...does that mean that something artificial is better (in multiple ways) than its natural counterpart? Well how can that be true??

Well, if we are inventive, there are many other ways to color soap, even brightly. The second soaping book I bought was Ann Marie's "Natural Soaping" something or other...but almsot every colorant is something really only she sells...and old women living on farms in England who were burned at the stake as witches long before I was born. WTH is "alkanet"? I went to 15 stores online and 3 IRL trying to find that and some other ingredients she lists...

 

[earlene]

Well, if we are inventive, there are many other ways to color soap, even brightly. The second soaping book I bought was Ann Marie's "Natural Soaping" something or other...but almsot every colorant is something really only she sells...and old women living on farms in England who were burned at the stake as witches long before I was born. WTH is "alkanet"? I went to 15 stores online and 3 IRL trying to find that and some other ingredients she lists...

Alkanet is a plant. The root is used as a colorant. It can be purchased as a powder or as whole root from many soap suppliers.

ETA: If you want to find it in a store, try Wild Terra in LA: Alkanet Root Powder | WILD TERRA

 

[Wendy90292]

I am a Palm Oil Free Soap Maker! That is how I try to make a difference! Micas are synthetically Reproduced without the harmful toxins. I struggled with it but my research found them to be ok along with Titanium Dioxide, in the small amounts used in Soap. Blessings!

Of course we all know that Titanium Dioxide is CARCINOGENIC if inhaled. (Look it up!) That was the whole drama with talcum powder. So now when I soap using TD, I wear a particle mask, of which we all now have plenty... I am mildly haunted, though, by the time I dropped a half cup of it on my workbench before I knew and I breathed it in for +2 hours, so much so that my nose was dusted with it. Oops.

 

[Wendy90292]

I personaly also have ethical issues with a product that travels more than I do...

I am using Indigo and curcuma for my most recent colours, but... I haven't check yet how the people who grow them are treated... :'(

Stéphanie

During Covid, EVERYTHING travels more than we do!

 

[Wendy90292]

Micas used in Soap Making are not Mined. Im all for making a stand but please be informed of what you are standing for. Blessings!

I respect your opinion here, but I did and your belief may be inaccurate according to my sources. That's why I posed.

 

[Wendy90292]

Alkanet is a plant. The root is used as a colorant. It can be purchased as a powder or as whole root from many soap suppliers.

ETA: If you want to find it in a store, try Wild Terra in LA: Alkanet Root Powder | WILD TERRA

Really? Could you send me a link, please? I've only seen it from her, and quite expensive for a root powder!

 

[Juggsy]

Wasn't there a documentary about this? I thought it was widely known.

There is organisation that is trying to make mining of mica more transparent, however they are relying on voluntary collaboration with the industry and they are actively trying to help people source mica that is ethical. The Responsible Mica initiative

For me, this is about sustainability. I think we all should be thinking about our supply chain. I try to ethically source all my ingredients and raw materials. I like to know where it's from, how it's made and its impact. So yes, this means I use synthetic products because just because it's natural doesn't mean it's ethical or cruelty free.

Someone above mentioned LUSH taking out mica. I don't believe they did it for ethical reasons (yeah they are against animal testing etc) but rather because of the push from consumers and how they are "seen" by the general public. It's all about perception for companies like LUSH. I used to work at LUSH and really don't think they are sustainable or ethical. In 2019 Lush were voted as the least ethical supply chain by Ethical Consumer.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Oh well, the controversy alone is enough to make me stick to my natural colorants. It's more challenging and I might not get the bright vibrant colors, but it's how nature(and it's creator) intended. That's how I'll be soaping. To each they're own.

You assume the cultivation and extraction of natural colorants is “cruelty free.” Where do your natural colorants come from? If you use annatto, it is very likely that someone is hand-picking the seed in a third world country. Demand for indigo worldwide is high and mostly derived from crops in India. Just because it is a “natural” colorant doesn’t mean that its industry doesn’t have its dirty laundry.

Where do you draw the line in your awareness? This isn’t a judgement of your stance on the matter. I cannot fault someone for wanting to make the world a cleaner, safer, more fair world.

 

[The_Phoenix]

Entire communities that depended on the coal industry for generations to put food on the table, purchase homes, clothe their children, pay for necessities, for better or for worse, mourn the dying coal industry. It’s a luxury to shake our fists against the dirtiness of coal because we don’t have to deal with the immediate repercussions of coal mines closing. But to those communities? It’s an economic death sentence.

 

[The_Phoenix]

...

 

[Juggsy]

Oh well, the controversy alone is enough to make me stick to my natural colorants. It's more challenging and I might not get the bright vibrant colors, but it's how nature(and it's creator) intended. That's how I'll be soaping. To each they're own.

While I agree with this in theory, just because something is natural doesn't mean that it's ethical/cruelty-free/sustainable. Unfortunately, clay mining has its issues too.
What happens when we deplete the earth's natural resources? Scientists and manufacturers are always working on better alternatives and synethics. We've seen this already with sulphate surfactants and as people become more aware there is a greater demand.

Please don't think I'm "attacking" your choices, as I know your choices are admirable, just maybe a tad ill informed. Don worry we are all always learning new things. I do believe as formulators and soapmakers we have a responsibility to become more aware about the raw materials we use.

 

[earlene]

Really? Could you send me a link, please? I've only seen it from her, and quite expensive for a root powder!

Alkanet is a plant. The root is used as a colorant. It can be purchased as a powder or as whole root from many soap suppliers.

ETA: If you want to find it in a store, try Wild Terra in LA: Alkanet Root Powder | WILD TERRA

See edit above with one link.

Here are two options at Mountain Rose Herbs (A little goes a long way, btw): Root or Powder

There are other suppliers as well. Bulk Apothacary, Wholesale Supplies Plus, StarWest Botanicals...

 

[Tara_H]

Really? Could you send me a link, please? I've only seen it from her, and quite expensive for a root powder!

Definitely a plant - I plan on growing some myself this year:

 

[cmzaha]

Entire communities that depended on the coal industry for generations to put food on the table, purchase homes, clothe their children, pay for necessities, for better or for worse, mourn the dying coal industry. It’s a luxury to shake our fists against the dirtiness of coal because we don’t have to deal with the immediate repercussions of coal mines closing. But to those communities? It’s an economic death sentence.

Almost every industry has issues. As for coal mining, they are talking about shutting down a large coal mine in the Winnemucca are of Nevada and replacing it with a Lithium MIne. I just wonder when they will find this no safer...But where I am going with this is many families depend on the income from this coal mine and their mothers and fathers that work there will most likely not find work as this is a small mining community.

We get on our high horses about how all different issues including mica mining, coal mining, children's crop works, palm plantations, and the list goes on. We frankly Cannot control every country and need to take care of our own falling apart country. Do we let families and children starve because they should not work somewhere? I do not think so. Have you seen a child picking strawberries in a field to help their family out graffiting walls and frowning or crying that they are unhappy? I have not. We need to come to our senses. I am sorry, I do use palm oil and mica and I do not put Animals above people, it may be sad but that is part of life on this planet. I much prefer to Save the CHILDREN...

Okay I am done. I can go on and on with my rant but I will quit before I get myself in more trouble.

 

[ImpKit]

Mad Micas Ethical statement:

• Mad Micas requires declarations from all suppliers stating that no minors participate in mining, factory work, transportation or any other process involved in the production of anything we carry.
• Mad Micas will not source product from areas (for example, mica from India) in which there have been documented ethical transgressions.

And a response from Nurture Soap to an email/contact us request I sent today (27 Apr 2021) regarding what they mean by "responsibly sourced" on their micas:
"Responsibly sourced means we track our supply line as far as possible. In the case of micas we can't be 100% sure what goes on in the mines because we can't see them with our own eyes. This is true for anyone who supplies mica colors because these mines are heavily guarded and no one is allowed in.

We have developed very close relationships with our suppliers, and have even met some of our international suppliers in person! We require statements from each that no child labor is involved and no animal testing has been performed. However to be 100% certain no child labor is involved in the mining process you can choose the lab created micas which you an see here Micas"
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These are the two suppliers for mica that I have most used / liked. I've tried WSP & RE and I'm less satisfied.

Of course the above statements were released by the companies themselves. They are incentivized to tell us what we'd want to hear and what makes them look good. However there's only so far that I can go, and Nurture makes note of this themselves, to verify the authenticity of the statement. It is thus incumbent upon me to decide whether I am willing to, until proven otherwise, trust what they put out.

I choose to trust it.

Given the range of color options and the efficacy of the micas, the customer service, the turn around times... I think I'll stick with these two. They seem, thus far, like ethical companies and put to rest the concerns I need to have about the use of micas.