Colour enhances the richness, visual appeal, and vibrancy of our everyday lives. Consider what it would be like if colour didn't exist. We'd be losing out on a crucial element that forms and differentiates our experiences.
In cosmetics, adding colour is a modern trend. A wide variety of synthetic colourants have been developed and used for manydecades. However, long term use of these synthetic colourants have been known to cause harmful effects on the skin. This damaging effect has raised the public's concern about their use. Therefore, people are more interested in using non-toxic and natural colourants as an alternative.
Some have found different herbs and plants to be a good colour substitute as they impart different colour intensity and have been used as approved colouring agents in the cosmetics industry. One of the most important advantages of natural colourants is that they are non-toxic, safe, eco-friendly, and economical.
According to studies, up to 90% of snap judgments regarding products are made solely on the basis of colour. The same is true when it comes to skin care products. Do you reach for the brightly coloured or glittery lotion on the shelf? Do you find colourless items to be bland and unappealing? That is the case for some individuals. Also, colour can mean different things and can trigger different emotions in different people.
Now, with a growing emphasis on well-being, demand for more natural cosmetics is on the rise. Thus, the need for natural and skin-friendly colourants. Here in this blog, we will be covering different colours you can use for soap and skincare products. Read through to know more.
Colourants you can use for homemade soapmaking
Natural soap making is a fun hobby that can be done in the comfort of one's own home. You'll discover that the soaping world is brimming with vibrant and exciting concept ideas. Layers of every colour imaginable, with vibrant reds, swirls of sparkles, and many other. But what if you want your soap to be completely natural?
We recommend using a soapmaking recipe that allows a white or clear soap base if you choose to use natural soap colourants. Dark or golden oils are used to produce dark or golden soap. Any additional colours for soap you apply will clash with the natural colour of the soap bars.
Below are various choices for adding colours to handmade soap. You may use plant-based colourants or natural substances such as clay and sugars. You may also gather colouring ideas from the internet and try them out on your own. Shades, quantities, and techniques can vary depending on the type of soapmaking process you want to use.
Mineral Pigments
Micas, oxides and ultramarines are examples of mineral pigments, and using them will result in stunning soap colours. They give out a certain amount of skin protection and colour - after all, they are the foundation for mineral make-up. Mica pigments can be used to colour mineral makeup, melt and pour soap bases, cold process soap and bath bombs among other items. Mica colourants are common in soapmaking because they do not morph and bleed. Micas are a lot of fun to work with because their colour spectrum extends well beyond the rainbow, and combining colours results in many more rare and stunning shades and brilliant colour effects. In cold process soapmaking, we recommend adding 1 teaspoon for every 450g of oils. Some micas may need a little more to achieve the desired colour, but 1 teaspoon is a safe start.
Dried Calendula flowers
Calendula petals are one of the few flowers that can be used in cold-process soap because they are able to keep their vibrant colour in the process. You can stir them in without chopping them or use them to decorate the tops of large loaves. Also, they won't add pockets of moisture into your bars because they're dried. Calendula flowers gives out colour ranges from yellow to yellow-orange. You may infuse them in liquid oil or lye solution.
Activated charcoal
Black soap has a striking appearance and, in some situations, may provide skin benefits. Activated charcoal has cleansing and purifying properties and can change the colour of soap from light grey to dark black. To reach darker shades, however, you'll need a lot of it. When you use smaller amounts, you get blue. Because of its known ability to absorb and draw out oil from the skin, it's a popular ingredient among other skin care products as well. You may also use activated charcoal as colours for soap with melt and pour soap base.
Colourants you can use for homemade skincare products
Natural colourants in skincare products are sweeping the industry. Natural cosmetics makers and even DIY skincare enthusiasts are proud of their colourful blushes and lotions, in comparison to commercial brands. More and more small businesses and individuals are now opting to use plant-derived oils and extract as colourants, making it safer for your skin and the environment. Below are a few colourant options you can try to use for your homemade skincare products.
Pearlescent Micas
Mineral-based colourants can be added to soaps, bath salts, cosmetics and bath bombs to create shimmering, multi-faceted colour. Mica Powder is mixed with a variety of oxides, ultramarines, and natural colourants to produce a vast colour palette. Pearlescent micas are popularly used in skincare products as they provide a glowing effect especially when added in mineral makeup, lotion bar, body powder and many others.
Jojoba Wax Beads
Hydrogenated jojoba oil and D&C dyes are used to make jojoba wax beads. They can be melted to add colour to oil and wax-based formulations like body butters, balms, and oils among other things. Leave them whole in scrubs and cleansers to add colour and exfoliating appeal. They can also be used in suspension type body washes and liquid soaps.
Natural Tinting Herbs
Coloured herbs may be used in a variety of ways to add natural colour to skincare products. They can be added in scrubs, soaps, and powders. Herbs should be infused into water or oil phases to add colour to lotions or body oils. Natural tinting herbs include turmeric, alkanet root, beet root, paprika and many others.
Experimentation is the most effective way to discover new and exciting colours when using tinting herbs. Although the colour of these herbs is likely to replicate in various formulations, they can react differently in different oils or liquids. Below are a few of the most common tinting herbs along with the colours they're most likely to produce:
Alkanet Root – Dark Red to Purple
Paprika – Orange
Parsley – Green
Red Sandalwood – Maroon to Purple
Turmeric – Yellow
Conclusion
Just like all things, using colourants has advantages and disadvantages. The right decision between choosing to use them for yourself, family and friends or business will depend on a lot of factors, most of which has to do with your needs and goals. Also, consider its impact on the environment. Natural colourants have lesser environmental impact compared to synthetic ones and it’s safer for skin use.
Buy colourants for homemade soap and skincare products
If you're looking for a cost-effective and environment friendly colourants, look no further and consider N-essentials. We are a supplier of eco-friendly and quality raw materials you can use for all your DIY projects. If you want to know more about our products and how we can help you, please get in touch with us through info@n-essentials.com.au. Meanwhile, if you want to learn more about other DIY projects, visit our blog section. Have fun crafting using skin-friendly colours for soap and skincare products!