1. Natural Colorants – Yellow and Gold
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield yellow and gold tones to your product:
Acacia flowers (dried) – maize yellow to golden brown
Agrimony flowering tops (dried) – butter yellow
Annatto seed (infused in oil – 2 Tbs seed in ml of oil – use drained oil as colorant) - yellow (light), orange (medium) to red (heavy), depending on amount of seeds used and length of infusion
Black-eyed Susan petals (dried) – yellow when mixed in lye water
Butterfly bush flowers (dried) – orange gold to golden brown
Calendula petals (dried) – yellow. Retain color in soap.
Carrots (shredded or ground) – yellow to orange due to beta carotene
Chamomile flowers and heads (dried) – yellow. Retain color in soap.
Cornmeal – Pale yellow, gritty/scrubby in soap and scrubs.
Curry powder – yellow
Dandelion flower (dried) – from yellow to orange, depending on amount used. Fades over time.
Elderberry leaves (dried) – yellow
Fennel – mustard yellow
Grape leaves (dried) – intense yellow
Licorice Root – earthy yellowMugwort – greenish gold
Palm or palm kernel oil (unrefined) – yellow to orange/red, depending on amount used
Paprika – pale pink to orange, depending on amount used.
Patchouli essential oil – light yellow to amber
Queen Anne’s Lace (dried flower) – yellow
Safflower petals (dried) – yellow to deep orange.
Saffron (ground or infused in oil) – yellow. Ground petals produce a warm yellow.
Seaweed (dried, infused or powdered) - yellows to greens
Soapwort powder – starts bright lime green, but fades to a muddy, earthy greenish yellow.
St. John’s Wort (dried, infused or powdered) – yellow
Turmeric – Gold to amber
Walnut hulls and leaves – Persian walnut – yellow/brown. Dried leaves of American walnut produce brown.
Yarrow (leaves and flower heads, dried) – yellow gold
Yellow illite clay – light yellow

2. Natural Colorants – Red, Orange and Pink
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield red, orange and pink tones to your product:
Alkanet root (dried, infused in oil) – maroon to indigo. Begins mauve/lavender, turns pinkish. Very pH sensitive.
Beet root (dried) – soft pink to red to purple, depending on amount used
Cabbage, red – pretty rose color, but can stink in finished product
Citrus essential oils – light to deep orange
Cochineal powder – deep red
Dahlia (dried) – intense yellow to orange
French pink clay – bright, rosy pink
Lady’s bedstraw (root, dried) – coral pink
Madder root (dried, infused in oil) – pink to rosy red to purple to rich tomato red, depending on amount used and pH of product.
Moroccan Red Clay – Brick red
Mulberries, black (pureed or dried) – red violet to dark bluish purple
Myrtle berries (pureed or dried) – maroon to purple
Paprika – pale pink to light peach to orange/salmon, depending on amount used and pH of product.
Pumpkin (dried or pureed) – medium brown to orange
Rosehips (boiled, mashed and strained) – added to rebatch, will yield red. (Brown if used in CP).
Safflower petals (dried) – yellow to deep orange. Petals retain color.
Sorrel (root, dried) – soft pink
Sweet potato (dried, ground) – pale to dark orange

3. Natural Colorants – Blue, Purple and Gray
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield blue, purple and grey tones in your product:
Alkanet root (dried, infused in oil) – maroon to indigo. Begins mauve/lavender, turns pinkish. Very pH sensitive.
Beet root (dried) – soft pink to red to purple, depending on amount used
Bentonite (clay) – beige to green to grey
Blackberries (dried or pureed) – purple to blue
Blue Chamomile essential oil – robin’s egg blue to light green
Glacial clays – grey to brown
Hibiscus, red (dried or powdered) – purple
Indigo root (infused in oil) – deep blues. Caution – can stain
Mulberries, black (pureed or dried) – red violet to dark bluish purple
Myrtle berries (pureed or dried) – maroon to purple
Oregon grape berries (pureed or dried) - purple
Pumice, ground – grey. Adds abrasiveness to scrubs, gardener’s soaps, kitchen soaps, etc.
Spirulina/blue-green algae – bluish green
Woad leaves (dried, infused in oil) - blue

4. Natural Colorants – Green
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield green tones in your product:
Alfalfa (dried, powdered) – bright, medium green
Basil – (dried, powdered or infused in oil) – green which eventually fades. Good scent!
Blue Chamomile essential oil – robin’s egg blue to light green
Chlorophyll – starts green and fades to gray
Comfrey – add dried comfrey to melted oils. Dark green, more intense as you use more.
Cucumber – (dried peel) – bright green
Dill (dried, powdered) – Drab green. Small green specks when used powdered in product.
Grass clippings (infused in water) – medium green, can fade to grey/brown
Green clay – light to dark green, depending on amount used
Hemp seed oil (unrefined) – medium to deep green
Henna – olive to deep drab green with hints of brown
Mugwort (dried, powdered or oil infusion) – greenish gold
Oolong tea (dried, powdered) – dark green with shades of brown
Parsley – green, fades to gray
Peppermint - (dried, powdered) – soap will get green/brown over time. Soft minty scent.
Rosemary – (dried, powdered) – green, turns green/brown over time.
Sage – (dried, powdered or oil infusion) – olive green, turns green/brown over time.
Sea kelp – green with hints of brown
Soapwort (dried, powdered) – starts bright lime green, fades to muddy, earthy greenish yellow
Spinach (dried, powdered) – light green
Stevia – green, turns gray
Spirulina/blue-green algae – bluish green

5. Natural Colorants – Brown
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield brown tones in your product:
Acacia flowers (dried, powdered)- maize yellow to golden brown
Cinnamon (dried, powdered) – light to medium brown (go light, as this can irritate skin)
Cloves (dried, powdered) – light to medium brown (go light on this one, too, as it can irritate skin)
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) – brown with shades of gray
Coffee (cold) and coffee grounds (used) – brown to black
Comfrey (dried, powdered) – light brown
Elderberries (steeped in lye solution) – light brown
Glacial clays – grey to brown
Honey – cream to medium brown. Will heat up soap reaction. Go light, as can be sticky
Milks (goat and cow) – tan to brown, depending upon sugar and fat content. Many soapers add these partially frozen, in a slushy state, as they can heat up the lye reaction and brown the soap
Mimosa leaf (dried, powdered) – warm brown or peachy tan
Oolong tea (dried, powdered) – dark green with shades of brown
Rosehips (dried, powdered) – pinkish tan
Rosehip seeds (dried, powdered) – light tan to deep brown
Staghorn sumac berries (dried, powdered) – caramel brown
Walnut hulls and leaves – Persian walnut – yellow/brown. Dried leaves of American walnut produce brown.

6. Natural Colorants – Black and White
Many soapers and crafters got into their craft because they wanted to make and use the most natural products possible, and to be able to control what ingredients are in the products they use. One way to do that is to use herbs and other natural colorants in products. They can be a bit unpredictable, but are also fun to use and can yield some very beautiful results.
Here are some natural colorants to use that will yield black and white tones in your product:
Kaolin clay – white
Titanium dioxide – bright white
Poppy seeds – (dried, powdered) – black. Cute small black polka dots when used whole
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