Pigment is a catch-all for a huge swath of materials used to color silicone. Here it includes some items like glitter, which may not be what is normally considered a pigment but fits into the included lists. What is acceptable for use in indie adult novelty is occasionally a hotly debated topic. Views on specific materials can range from viewed as entirely acceptable to entirely unacceptable, sometimes depending on who is asked and what metrics were used to determine that. Acceptable is not the same as safe and it is good to keep in mind that the most important aspect of actual safety is the conscientiousness of the maker. An experienced and careful maker can often safely and effectively use materials that would be very difficult to safely and effectively use for a beginner or someone who didn’t have enough respect for their trade.

★★★★★ - Pigment is very easy to use and considered acceptable by the vast majority of makers

★★★★☆ - Easy to use and generally acceptable for most makers with a low flop rate

★★★☆☆ - May challenge some makers, occasionally causes flops, or may have some debate about acceptability of use

★★☆☆☆ - Requires careful use / challenges most makers, causes consistent flops, or is often considered unacceptable for use

★☆☆☆☆ - Pigment is very difficult to use, causes very high flop rates, or is widely considered to be dangerous

☆☆☆☆☆ - Pigment cannot be used and/or is considered completely unacceptable

Silc-Pig - ★★★★★ Skin Safe

A series of liquid pigments made specifically for use in silicone. Strong and beginner friendly. Several colors have been certified as skin safe including all of the flesh tones, black, white, and red. Available from Smooth-On, Reynolds Advanced Materials (USA), Bentley Advanced Materials (UK)

Silc-Pig Electric - ★★★★★ Skin Safe

A series of UV fluorescent liquid pigments made specifically for use in silicone. Strong and beginner friendly. All colors certified skin safe and one of the only UV colorants to have such a certification. Available from Smooth-On, Reynolds Advanced Materials (USA), Bentley Advanced Materials (UK)

So-Strong - ☆☆☆☆☆

So-Strong is a pigment made by Smooth-On for epoxies and urethanes. This pigment is very strong and produces beautiful vibrant colors, but was not designed for use in silicone and carries a warning against its use in the technical documentation. Additionally, So Strong pigments are indicated as "H373 Specific target organ toxicity (Kidney), repeated exposure - Category 2." This is potentially mitigated by silicone encapsulation, but leaching is a possibility with any chemical added to silicone.

IGNITE Fluorescent Color Pigments - ★★★☆☆

A series of UV fluorescent liquid pigments made specifically for use in silicone. Much stronger than Silc-Pig Electric but also very prone to clumping and difficult to mix. While this pigment does not have a skin safe certification, it does have a long history of use in adult novelty products. Available from Smooth-On, Reynolds Advanced Materials (USA), Bentley Advanced Materials (UK)

Fluorescent Powdered Pigments - ★★☆☆☆

UV / Fluorescent powders are easily sourced and available in cheap bulk quantities from cosmetic companies, making them attractive additives. Prone to clumping and may need to be stored with a desiccant. Steer away from sellers claiming to have cosmetic grade or FDA approved UV / Fluorescent powders unless they are a well known and reputable seller willing to share lot information. More often than not, a claim of "approved for use on / safe for" is identifying the material as Faux-safe.

Mica - ★★★★☆ Cosmetic

Mica is available as a powder which can be mixed into silicone. When purchased from reputable suppliers there is little concern about safety with any mica, but those approved as lip safe provide an added level of safety if used. Mica is relatively easy to use but can clump if not well mixed and becomes airborne easily, so a mask should be worn. Continuous occupational exposure to mica is VERY different from occasional incidental exposure from crafts. Makers do, and have, given themselves unicorn lung from breathing airborne mica over months of daily use. Micas range in particle size with ~25um giving a satin luster, ~50um giving metallic effects, ~80um giving a metallic with slight flash to sparkle effect, and >100um giving a glitter effect. The effect of mica is highly dependent on the surface finish of the toy and is most apparent in glossy toys. It can be used with matte finishes, but the metallic and sparkle effects will be dulled down. Even with a matte finish toy a good selection of micas is nice to have as it is a fast and reproducible way to open up a large color palette that doesn't require mixing. Mica will rub out of the toy in small amounts, and when first using mica, a rub test should be performed to get an understanding of the correct load of mica that can be added to a given material before rub out reaches and unacceptable level. Alternatively, toys can be skinned to provide a barrier layer before mica is used, but this is generally not necessary. The majority of the world's mica is unfortunately known for being mined in terrible and dangerous conditions using child labor. Companies mentioned here all have ethical sourcing/mining pledges. Available from Just Pigments, TKB, Eye Candy Pigments, and Dibble Dabble.

Chameleon / Color Shift Mica - ★★★★☆ Cosmetic

A mica that changes color depending on what angle it is viewed from. Can be used like other micas with some technical notes. Color shift micas in their most basic state will look like a slightly colored, translucent pastel powder. For the color shift to show up with this type of powder, a dark pigment may need to be added. Many of the color shift micas sold for nail art will come as a dark powder. General experience has been that the former gives a better effect than the latter. Color shift micas are dependent on the viewing angle of the tiny flakes. Pours like washes/skins that align the flow of the silicone relative to the surface of the toy increase the effect. Pours like marbles where the alignment of the mica is random have much less of the color shift effect. A skinned toy can be back filled with a dark color to further enhance the effect, but care should be take with the pigment load as skins tend to put a lot of pigment near the surface which increases rub out. Available from Just Pigments, Eye Candy Pigments, and TKB.

Interference or Duo-Tone Mica - ★★★★☆ Cosmetic

A mica that adds an overlay of color similar to a single or two-color oil slick effect. These look spectacular when mixed with a dark contrasting color, but have also been used to good effect with pastels and whites though their interference qualities will be muted. Interference micas have a strong impact on dark-colored toys, so a little bit goes a long way. This is a good way to add shimmer and sparkle while keeping the mica load below the level where rub out becomes an issue. Available from Just Pigments, Eye Candy Pigments, and TKB.

Superstar Mica - ★★★☆☆ Cosmetic

 A mica produced by Just Pigments with a very high micron size. These are similar in use to other micas but because of their size they can make rub out more noticeable. Additionally, some makers steer clear of anything that may even give the appearance of being glitter or possibly behave in the silicone like glitter. Superstar micas are used as safer alternative to glitters, as they can give a similar effect but are made of soft flexible flakes that do not seem to cut their way loose. Available from Just Pigments.

Glitter - ★★☆☆☆

Not hard to use or a major source of flops, but glitter is considered a safety issue by many makers and customers. "Craft Glitter" or the larger sized glitter available in hobby shops is made from cut plastic with sharp edges that is less flexible than the silicone it is embedded in. Since it does not chemically adhere to the silicone it is able to move around and cut its way free as the silicone is stretched and flexed during use. This leads to tiny cuts in the silicone that are thought to be able to harbor bacteria and make sanitization difficult. The jury is still out on micro glitters or cosmetic glitters. Some makers have built up the technical expertise to use these effectively, while others don't use glitter or use a glitter replacement like high micron mica. Available info needed.

Glow In The Dark Powder - ★★☆☆☆

Glow in The Dark (GITD) powders are technically challenging enough to have their own GITD page. They sink quickly in silicone and settle to the bottom of the mold, causing areas of unacceptable rub out. Many types are also prone to clumping and must be handled carefully to avoid humidity getting into the bulk containers. Most GITD pigments are very safe and have an added layer of protection granted through microencapsulation. Using well known suppliers is preferred over buying ad hoc off marketplaces like Amazon to ensure consistency of the powder. Small, unexpected changes in size and density of the powder can lead to mass turbo flop events. A second reason to purchase from well known suppliers is to ensure that what you are receiving is the much longer lasting and biologically inert strontium-based glow products; rather than the zinc sulfide-based chemistries. Available from Smooth-On, Reynolds Advanced Materials (USA), Bentley Advanced Materials (UK), TechnoGlow, and Eye Candy Pigments.

Glo-Worm GITD Powder - ★★☆☆☆

This GITD pigment receives its own callout because it is both one of the first glow powders makers often buy, and one of the hardest to use. It is incredibly bright, long lasting, consistent, and safe. It is also very dense and one of the larger powder pigments used, so the rate at which it drops out of suspension can be shockingly fast for new makers. When learning to use this powder, start with small casting runs only and check toys for powder sink causing rub out before starting the next batch. Available from Smooth-On, Reynolds Advanced Materials (USA), Bentley Advanced Materials (UK).

Titanium Dioxide Powder - ★★★☆☆ Cosmetic

TiO2 or titanium dioxide is one of the brightest and whitest powders available. It is safe when used in toys, but airborne TiO2 powder is dangerous so a mask should be worn when working with this powder. It is prone to clumping and must be vigorously mixed and double checked when used. Available from Just Pigments.

Thermochromic - ★★★★☆

These powder pigments change color when exposed to heat. Often changing from an opaque color to transparent or black, they work well when mixed with a contrasting color, such as red thermochromic with blue Silc Pig. This makes a toy that goes from a purple red color to a blue as it warms up. Thermochromics are made by microencapsulating leuco dyes. Because of this they can experience rub out similar to GITD powders, and similar procedures for casting should be followed. Thermochromics can be purchased with color change occurring at different temperatures, allowing toys to be designed to change with body heat (25C powder), ice water (12/15C powder), or hot water (35C powder). Thermochromic toys should be boiled sparingly as leuco dyes break down at high heats. Thermochromics are generally considered safe as leuco dyes are not particularly dangerous and are encapsulated. Available from Atlanta Chemical Company.

Photochromic - ★★★★☆

These powder pigments change color when exposed to sunlight. Often changing from a white/transparent to a color when in the sun. Photochromics are made by microencapsulating leuco dyes. Because of this they can experience rub out similar to GITD powders, and similar procedures for casting should be followed. Photochromic toys should be boiled sparingly as leuco dyes break down at high heats. Photochromics are generally considered safe as leuco dyes are not particularly dangerous and are encapsulated. Available from TechnoGlow.

Acrylic/Oil Paint - ☆☆☆☆☆

Many acrylic and oil paints are miscible with silicone and do not cause inhibition. These should NEVER be used in toys. Oil paints are potentially very dangerous and even non-toxic acrylic paints create the risk of permanently damaging a shop's reputation if used. If there is a particular color of interest, it may be possible to find an online tutorial for milling this color from raw ingredients as a preferable route.

Future Topics:

Lake Dyes

Other Pigments?

Suppliers and links for all materials