As a soapmaker, you'll notice that
many soaps will naturally turn out different colors. For
example, whenever I've added honey to soap, the soap has turned
honey-colored. If it is important to you, like it is to me, that
your soap is 100% all-natural, you'll be disappointed with many
of the available soap dyes. Why? Because they contain the same
chemicals used to color commercial soaps-namely FD&C colors
(FD&C stands for Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics). These are also the
ingredients used in food coloring. Some of the known side
effects of FD&C colorants include:
- FD&C Red #40 causes
lymphomas and tumors
- FD&C Yellow #5 (used in
Dial soap) causes allergies, thyroid tumors, lymphomas,
chromosomal damage, triggers asthma, hives, and
hyperactivity
- FD&C Yellow #6 causes
hives, runny nose, nasal congestion, bronchial constriction,
anaphylactic reaction, bruising, allergies, and kidney
tumors.
- FD&C Green #3 (used in
Irish Spring soap) causes bladder tumors
- FD&C Blue #2 causes brain
tumors
The only color-true natural
soap dyesout there are annatto seed (orange), alkanet root
(magenta), ratanjot (purple), spirullina, seaweed/kelp (all
green), vanilla extract, coffee, cocoa powder (all deep brown),
red and/or white wine (both make soap pink), carrot juice
(orange), pureed cucumber (green), and tomato (peach). These
colorants definitely hold up in handmilling and may stand up in
cold processing. I also know for sure that beets (reddish-pink)
do not work in coloring soap whether used in cold-processing or
handmilling. Turmeric (bright yellow) and paprika (orange) can
also be used to dye soap with pretty good results.
The only natural soap dyes that
I know of made commercially are available from TKB Trading,
Cranberry Lane, and Sun Feather Natural Soap Co. TKB Trading
offers oil-based natural dyes: oil-based blue (from blue
gardenia flowers), oil-based green (from chlorophyll--the stuff
that causes grass stains), oil-based red (from beetles or
"carmine"--this one is not vegan), and oil-based yellow (from
annatto seed). Be aware that TKB Trading has a $20 minimum for
orders. Cranberry Lane offers Ratanjot (purple) and Annatto
Seeds (yellow). Sun Feather offers powdered natural pigments,
which are made of pulverized minerals and plant material. Their
offerings include: yellowish-brown (brown ochre), bright white
(titanium dioxide), purple (ultramarine purple), earthy green
(chromium oxide), earthy yellow (yellow ochre), bright blue
(ultramarine blue), and earthy yellow (yellow sienna).
Furthermore, most all color in
soap will fade over time. Ironically, reds are known for
bleeding. Mineral pigments (and micas) are more likely to fade
in the light than others. Do not use things that are not made
for soaps, cosmetics, or food, such as crayons, candle dyes, or
paint.
