Color from the Kitchen for Skin & Bath Products
Using items from your kitchen to color your bodycare
Sep 3, 2008
Natural body care product makers aim to make the highest quality products possible. While suppliers have done a great job offering wholesome bases, oils, and butters, colorings have been relegated to manufactured blocks or small bottles of color. Even worse, some DIY tutorials recommend using crayons to color, bypassing the fact that wax could be harmful to skin.
For the body care makers who wants to make a truly all-natural product, there are few options. However, many overlook the best places for using natural colorings: your spice and herb racks. Using kitchen spices and herbs is a great way to add color to your products. Building your supply of natural colors can be as simple as taking a trip to your local grocery or health food store. Use this as a starting guide and try out new combinations.
Most common colors
- Yellow: If you have ever eaten Indian food or enjoyed a paella you have seen the beautiful golden hue of turmeric and saffron. Both of these spices require very little to richly color your soaps.
- Green: Don't be afraid to look to the sea for color. Seaweed powders such as kelp and spirulina add a deep green to your soaps. However, adding seaweed powders can also add a slightly oceanic smell to your soap.
- Red: Red is a very difficult color to create naturally. Used sparingly, beetroot powder and hibiscus can add a soft rose color to your soap.
- Brown: This is the easiest color to add to soaps. Ranging from cinnamon to carob powders, soapmakers can make light to rich browns. Like adding seaweed powders, brown powders can lend aroma to your soap. However, this can be a double benefit.
- Black/Gray: Blacks and Grays are not as common in bodycare products, but can offer a surprising visual change. Activated charcoal not only gives off a beautiful color, but also has health benefits.
Processing Colorants
Depending on the amount, adding powders to your soap may range from speckles to ribbons of color in your products. However, it you want a smooth color, add 3 tablespoons of your powder to ½ cup of oil and warm gently until you reach a deep color. Let cool and strain into a resealable container. Store in a cool, dark place. Remember to use a preservative when using natural colorants to prevent spoilage.
When to add colorants
- Cold process soap: add at trace
- Melt and Pour Soap: add before pouring
- Lotions and Creams: add with preservatives before bottling
Use this guide to get started. Don't be afraid to use uncommon items to lend beatuiful natural color to you products.
