Powder vs. Liquid Epoxy Pigments – Which is Best for Your Resin Projects?

If you've ever dabbled in epoxy resin projects—like coating a sleek glass end table to give it that custom glow—you probably know that adding color can take things to the next level. Yet when it comes to pigments, the choice between powder and liquid can feel overwhelming.

Below, we've broken it down to help you decide which types of pigment are best for your project.

A woman holding a bottle of UltraClear Art & Craft Epoxy in her right hand and an epoxy art project made using it in her left hand. The art project consists of a surfboard-shaped piece of painted wood with several layers of epoxy that have each been pigmented a different blue or white tone using Pigmently powder pigments. The epoxy has been layered and manipulated to depict the motion of foamy ocean waves shoring up on a beach.

Powder Pigments: The Sparkly, Versatile Option

Powder pigments are fine, dry particles that are blended into your epoxy during mixing settle as it cures, delivering even color with high depth or a shimmery vibe. Often crafted from materials like mica, they produce a sparkling, textured finish that's perfect for adding artistic flair to your pieces.

✨ Effects You Can Create:

  1. Pearlescent Shine

    Soft, light-catching glow like mother-of-pearl or satin.

  2. Metallic Swirls

    Rich gold, silver, copper, or bronze with dynamic movement.

  3. Stone or Marble Look

    Combine white, gray, and black powders to mimic granite or marble. The powders move as the epoxy self-levels, giving a natural veined effect.

  4. Ocean & Wave Effects

    Use white powder for foam and lace effects on top of blues and teals—great for beach scenes.

  5. Cloudy or Smoky Depth

    When layered, powders can create a fog-like or 3D floating appearance.

A large, round epoxy river table made with UltraClear Deep Pour Epoxy and UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy. The table top consists of several pieces of vibrant wood, with thick layers of UltraClear Deep Pour Epoxy poured in between to produce epoxy river veins. The epoxy has been tinted a translucent teal color using Pigmently liquid pigments, and the entire table top has been topcoated with a final protective layer of UltraClear Bar & Table Top Epoxy.

Liquid Pigments: The Smooth, Uniform Choice

In contrast to powder pigments, liquid pigments consist of concentrated dyes in a fluid form that spread swiftly throughout the epoxy, yielding smooth, uniform colors that range from heavily tinted to translucent based on your dosage. They're used when you want to tint everything evenly, usually with a translucent aesthetic. The liquid dye tends to tint the entire resin batch with a translucent or transparent base color (like stained glass) and not a solid color. If you want to achieve a solid color you should use powder pigments.

🖌️ Effects You Can Create:

  1. Transparent or Tinted Resin

    Light passes through the epoxy like tinted glass—great for river tables, embedded objects, or coasters.

  2. Stained-Glass Look

    Multiple tinted areas can create beautiful blends and soft transitions.

  3. Deep, Clean Color

    Perfect for single-color projects where you want a solid but not opaque finish (especially blacks, blues, and reds).

  4. Layered Tinting

    Pouring different tinted layers can give depth and gradient effects.

  5. Ocean Water Base

    Teal or blue liquid pigment can give that perfect Caribbean water look when used as the base tint.


In Summary

🧂 Choose Powder Pigments When:

  • You want rich, opaque color
  • You’re after shimmer, pearl, or metallic effects
  • You want to create marble, stone, or swirl patterns
  • You need stronger coverage, especially for art or tabletops

💧 Choose Liquid Pigments When:

  • You want transparent or translucent color (e.g. stained glass effect)
  • You’re doing deep pours or river tables
  • You need consistent color throughout the epoxy
  • You’re aiming for a minimalist, clean look with no sparkle or texture

Still need help? Contact Us Contact Us