As a soap maker, 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). For more details www.greateducationonline.com 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 dyes out there are annatto seed (orange), alkanet root (magenta), retinol (purple), spiraling, 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). For more details www.greatindustrialguide.com These colorants definitely hold up in hand milling 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 hand milling. 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 Rating (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.

For more information on this and other soap making topics, go to How2MakeSoap.Net. This website also offers free soap making video tutorials, pictures of the soap making process, free beginner soap recipes, and a 50-page soap "how to" e-book for $12.99. The e-book includes 39 one-pound soap recipes, 60 soap making pictures, and details on how to make your own soap recipes.