Do you know pearl luster pigments? When people hear about pearl luster pigments, many immediately think of eyeshadows and nail polishes. But in fact, their applications go far beyond that—they’re used in coatings, textiles, inks, ceramics, plastics, cosmetics, and more. So, no doubt many of you are wondering: how much do we really know about pearl luster pigments? Let’s have Xuyang’s editor give you a brief introduction!
Do you know pearlescent pigment?
According to what I've learned, pearlescent pigments are decorative pigments that exhibit a lustrous, pearl-like sheen. Typically, they are based on substrates such as mica, flaky quartz, flaky aluminum oxide, or flaky glass powders, with one or multiple alternating layers of titanium dioxide and other metal oxides coated onto their surfaces—resulting in a fine powder that closely mimics the structure of natural pearls in a flat, sandwich-like design. Each individual pearlescent pigment can be thought of as a tiny triangular prism, enabling it to refract white composite light into a dazzling spectrum of vibrant hues, much like an ordinary triangular prism. This unique property gives rise to the exceptionally beautiful interplay of pearl-like and metallic luster.
Generally, the colors produced by pearlescent pigments are created through the refraction of light, making them a classic example of pseudo-colors. In terms of reflected-light intensity, coarser-particle pearlescent pigments can generate a metallic sheen reminiscent of shimmering starlight, while finer-particle pigments exhibit a delicate, soft, and lustrous pearl-like glow akin to silk or satin. When light strikes these pigments, part of it is reflected off the surface film layer, while the rest passes through, refracts, and penetrates the film before reaching the mica substrate—where it is then reflected back out again. As light repeatedly undergoes refraction, reflection, partial absorption, and partial transmission at these interfaces, parallel rays interfere with one another, giving rise to the characteristic pearlescent effect. This mesmerizing optical phenomenon is fundamentally rooted in the interference of light.
Typically, pearl pigments boast a beautiful metallic sheen, are non-toxic, and offer excellent heat resistance. They have been widely used for decorative applications as well as in automotive coatings, coated textiles, cosmetics, plastics, and more for vibrant coloring. Xuyang pearl pigments are categorized into three main types: natural mica pearl pigments, synthetic mica pearl pigments, and a premium series of pearl pigments. As for the details of these categories, we'll address them with you all next time.
That’s all for the editor’s introduction to “Did You Know About Pearl Pigments?”—we hope it was helpful to you. Thank you for taking the time to read, and if you enjoyed our content, feel free to stay tuned for more updates!
