Natural Colors

Our natural colors come from clays and mineral or plant-derived powders rather than synthetic pigments or dyes. Check each product page for what a specific shade is made from and how it performs in your batch.

Gelling your soap is the key. Activated charcoal develops into a much deeper, richer black when your soap goes through a full gel phase, whereas ungelled soap tends to come out more gray. Blending it in well also helps avoid a grayish lather.

Mix clay with an equal amount of water until it is fully saturated before adding it to your batter, which prevents clumps and streaks. Add gradually, since clays are concentrated and a little goes a long way; some, like Black Brazilian Clay, deepen further with time in cold process soap as the color fully develops during cure.

For cold process soap, around 1.5 teaspoons per pound of oils gives a lighter blue, while about 2.5 to 3 teaspoons per pound creates a deep, dark blue. For melt and pour, start around ½ teaspoon per pound of base. Blend well directly into your batter, and keep in mind indigo can shift slightly as your soap cures.

Not typically; natural colorants tend to produce softer, more muted, earthy tones rather than the bright, saturated color you'd get from mica, dyes, or neon pigments. That's part of their appeal for a more organic, botanical aesthetic, but if you want vivid or neon shades, a synthetic colorant will get you there more reliably.