A glaze is a type of glass that is especially made to stick onto pots and other ceramic surfaces. It provides strength, finish and impermeability apart from lending color to the pot. The effect that one achieves with a glaze depends largely on the texture of the pot, composition of the glaze, the temperature to which it is fired and the type of firing. A typical glaze recipe consists of silica (the glass former), flux (the melting agent), alumina (the refractory) and metal oxide (colorant). Sometimes modifiers are used to vary opacity, matt/ satin finishes etc.