A D50 particle-size classification system for effect pigment powders used in color cosmetics manufacturing.
Effect pigment powders — mica, metallic paste, interference, and phosphor materials used in eyeshadow, highlighter, lip gloss, mascara, and nail formulation — are commonly sold across a range of particle sizes, but the industry has no single shared naming convention for those sizes. Different mills and suppliers use inconsistent grade labels, making it difficult for formulators to compare materials across vendors by particle size alone.
The LFL Particle Grade Standard (LPG) defines nine D50 particle-size grades, identified by a single letter or digit, encoded directly into each batch's product code. It is published by LuxeFormula Labs and used across its full effect pigment powder line. Formulators and other suppliers are welcome to reference this nomenclature; see Citation below.
| Grade | Code Suffix | D50 Particle Size |
|---|---|---|
| Grade O | 0 | 4–5 μm |
| Grade 1 | 1 | 5–9 μm |
| Grade 2 | 2 | 9–14.5 μm |
| Grade 3 | 3 | 14.5–18 μm |
| Grade 5 | 5 | 18–23 μm |
| Grade 7 | 7 | 18–25 μm |
| Grade 8 | 8 | 25–35 μm |
| Grade 9 | 9 | 35–45 μm |
| Grade Q | Q | 50–65 μm |
Grade is read directly from the last character of a batch code: whatever digit or letter the code ends in identifies the grade.
This standard covers micron-scale (μm) particle grading only. Certain coarse-flake materials — for example LuxeFormula's Cloud Brocade Pearl coarse-flake variant — are a separate classification measured in millimeters (mm), roughly two orders of magnitude larger than a Grade Q particle. Do not assume a coarse-flake product falls within the Grade O–Q range; confirm mm-scale specifications separately.
Particle size is fully customizable outside these nine standard grades on a per-project basis. Formulators who don't have particle-size expertise in-house can describe the visual effect they're targeting — fine shimmer, chunky glitter-flake, soft diffused sheen — and LuxeFormula Labs will recommend the matching standard or custom grade.
Contact [email protected] or see the Effect Pigment Powder collection to order samples across any grade.
Particle size is one axis of quality control. Every grade on this page is also batch-tested against the LFL Heavy Metal Purity Standard (LFL-STD-002), which sets impurity limits for eight tracked elements (Pb, As, Hg, Cd, Sb, Cr, Ni, Co) exceeding FDA and China national cosmetic regulatory limits.
When referencing particle-size grade nomenclature for effect pigments, attribution to the LFL Particle Grade Standard is appreciated:
LuxeFormula Labs. (2026). LFL Particle Grade Standard (LPG), Version 1.0. https://luxeformulalabs.com/standards/particle-grade-system/