Ingredient Deep Dive - Part 4
Indigo, Clays, and Botanicals: Natural Soap Colorants Explained
At Wild Roots Artisan Soaps, we believe soap should be as beautiful as it is simple and effective. That's why we use natural colorants derived from plants, clays, and minerals to bring each bar to life. No synthetic dyes, no artificial pigments—just colors gifted to us by nature. In this ingredient deep dive, we're highlighting some of our favorite ways to add natural color to soap while keeping things clean and gentle on the skin.
Indigo: A Deep, Calming Blue
Derived from the leaves of the Indigofera plant, indigo powder lends a beautiful deep blue to soaps. It's a favorite for creating oceanic swirls, sky-like designs, or simply adding a grounding hue to more complex patterns. Not only does it offer visual appeal, but it aligns with our commitment to natural, plant-based ingredients.
Clays: Earthy Tones with Skin-Loving Properties
Natural clays not only bring soft, muted colors to our soaps but also add a silky texture that enhances the lather:
French Green Clay – Offers a light sage or olive tone. Often used in soaps meant to evoke a clean, crisp feeling.
Rose Clay (a type of kaolin) – Adds a soft pink hue and a luxurious glide.
Kaolin Clay – A gentle white clay known for its mildness, making it ideal for sensitive skin. It creates a creamy lather and is often used in facial soaps.
Bentonite Clay – Typically grayish or beige, it adds a bit of grit and creaminess, making it ideal for shaving soaps.
These clays are especially popular for their ability to absorb excess oil and provide a smooth, polished feel without drying the skin.
Botanical Powders: Color with a Purpose
Many of the botanicals we use in soap also bring their own unique hues:
Turmeric – A vibrant yellow-orange, perfect for sunny bars.
Alkanet Root – Ranges from lavender to deep purple depending on pH and oil infusion.
Paprika and Annatto Seed – Offer warm oranges and golden tones.
Spirulina and Chlorella – Give a soft green and are packed with natural plant pigments.
Cocoa Powder – Provides rich brown tones and a hint of chocolatey warmth to bars, especially those with a coffee or mocha theme.
These powders are as multi-purpose as they are colorful, bringing gentle texture and depth to each bar.
The Beauty of Natural Variations
Unlike synthetic dyes, natural colorants can shift subtly from batch to batch based on the weather, the season, or even the pH of the soap. We embrace those differences. They remind us that each bar is handmade, unique, and part of a living tradition of natural crafting.
When you choose Wild Roots soaps, you're not just choosing beautiful colors—you're choosing ingredients with purpose. Our natural colorants reflect our passion for simplicity, transparency, and the earth's own palette.
Showcasing Our Naturally Colored Soaps
You can see these colorants in action in many of our handcrafted bars. From the golden glow of our turmeric soap to the rich swirls of indigo and the earthy tones of clays and cocoa, each soap is a reflection of the natural ingredients inside. Keep an eye on our product descriptions to discover which bars feature these vibrant, nature-derived hues!
Top Row L to R: madder root, rose clay and Himalayan pink sea salt, turmeric and cinnamon, turmeric
Bottom Row L to R: cocoa, cocoa and coffee, indigo, French green clay and indigo
