Decorating bath bombs with mica powder is an easy way to enhance your designs and take your products to the next level. With just a little mica powder, you can turn a plain bath bomb into a work of art. The best part is that you only need a few supplies to paint your bath bombs with mica. No matter your skill level, this blog has tips that will help you start painting bath bombs like a pro in no time. Learn everything you need to know about painting bath bombs with mica below!
Tools and Ingredients for Making Mica Paint
Mica paint is made by dissolving a small amount of mica into some rubbing alcohol. You only need a few supplies for making your own mica paint!
- Small dishes for mixing paint (1 oz measuring cups work great)
- Mica powder
- Micro scoops
- Small paint brushes in various sizes
- Rubbing alcohol (preferably at least 91% rubbing alcohol)*
Tip: If you are using our mica jars, you can also mix your paint in the lid. You’ll just want to clean out the lid before putting it back on the jar so the mica powder stays dry.
* Rubbing alcohol is used because it mixes well with mica powder and will not activate your bath bombs when you apply it. You do not want to use water, witch hazel, or other liquids for making mica paint. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly and dries fast. As long as your bath bombs are completely dry when you paint them, the rubbing alcohol should not react with your bath bombs.
How to Make Mica Paint
Once you have your tools and ingredients ready, follow these easy steps for making paint:
- Open your mica container and use a micro scoop to add 1-2 scoops of mica to a small dish.
- Pour a small splash of rubbing alcohol into the dish – about ½ tsp to start with.
- Use the back of your micro scoop to stir the color together. You can also swirl the dish to blend the color or use your paintbrush to stir.
The ideal consistency of the paint is a matter of personal preference. The consistency can also vary depending on what design you’re hoping to achieve.
- For painting fine details, you’ll want to create a more paste-like consistency that uses a very small amount of rubbing alcohol. You generally don’t want it to be so thick that it has clumps of mica, as this will make it harder to paint. Aim for a smooth mixture. If the paint is too thin, simply add more mica powder
- For painting wide surfaces, you want to create a thinner paint that spreads more easily. You can thin your paint by adding more rubbing alcohol.
You can make as many colors as you like! Keep in mind that rubbing alcohol will evaporate, meaning it’s difficult to save your paint for later if you don’t use it all. Start with a small amount and mix up more if you end up needing it. Dried-out mica paint can be reused by adding more rubbing alcohol. However, the consistency may not be the same as using fresh mica powder.
Tips Before Getting Started
Now that you have some mica paint mixed up, you’re almost ready to start decorating your bath bombs! Here are a few tips to know before you begin painting:
- Before starting, make sure your bath bombs are completely dry. If your bath bombs are even a little bit moist, they may react with the rubbing alcohol and develop a bumpy surface after they dry.
- Painting with mica powder is very similar to using watercolor paints. But if you’re not familiar with watercolor painting, don’t worry. Anyone can learn how to paint bath bombs!
- The most challenging part is getting used to the texture of bath bombs. Because bath bombs are dry and porous, they tend to soak in the rubbing alcohol as you paint. This can be difficult for beginners. However, once you get used to the way the paint behaves, you will be able to create any effect you want.
- Mica paint can’t be removed from a bath bomb – at least not without scraping the surface off. Any mistakes will need to be covered up with a different color of paint or you’ll need to simply work them into the design. You’ll want to avoid loading your brush with too much paint, as it can drip off on areas you don’t want to paint.
- Using a small amount of mica paint usually won’t stain the tub when the bath bomb is used. However, you may want to consider adding some polysorbate 80 to your bath bomb recipe if you want to use a lot of mica in your bath bomb mix and want to paint your bath bombs after they’re dry.
- Mica can be applied thick enough to completely cover the surface of a bath bomb. However, if you are using a thin mica paint, you’ll want to consider how your paint will look with the color of the bath bomb showing through.
How to Paint Bath Bombs with Mica
To paint bath bombs with mica, simply dip the paint brush in the liquid mica mixture you created and swirl it around to stir up any mica that may have settled. When your brush is saturated, gently pull the brush along the surface of the bath bomb to start applying the color.
You will notice that the rubbing alcohol absorbs somewhat quickly on your first few strokes. As a result, the shimmery particles of mica may not be distributed evenly along all of your brush strokes. However, you can apply another layer of paint to extend the shimmery part of the mica anywhere you want on the design. It’s perfectly fine to apply a second layer of paint right after the first.
If you are using more than one color of mica paint, it’s a good idea to clean your brush off in a small dish filled with plain rubbing alcohol. Remember that because water activates bath bombs, you don’t want to clean your brushes off with water until after you are done painting.
Once you have painted all the details you want, let your bath bombs dry completely before packaging them. You’ll want to avoid touching any parts of the design with a thick layer of mica paint, as the pigment and shimmer may rub off.
Mica Painting Ideas and Techniques
The creative possibilities are truly endless when it comes to decorating your bath bombs with mica! Here are a few techniques to try out:
- Use a small paint brush to highlight details on your bath bombs – especially great for bath bombs made with DB molds that have a lot of detail, or molds with words on them.
- Use a large paint brush to make dramatic brush strokes or to fill in a large area.
- Create a speckle effect by dipping a stiff paint brush in mica paint and dragging your fingernail across the brush bristles close to the surface of the bath bomb.
- Use a pipette to drizzle mica paint onto your bath bombs.
- Create an ombre effect by blending colors into one another on your bath bomb. Colors will blend smoothly as long as the paint is still wet.
- Use a small brush to paint flowers or other designs onto a plain bath bomb.
- Use a tiny detail brush to paint words onto your bath bombs.
Bath bombs are like a blank canvas that you can design any way you want. By whipping up a simple batch of mica paint, you can turn a plain bath bomb into a shimmery masterpiece!