Let’s Talk Soap Colorants! Why You Won’t Find Micas in My Bars

One of the questions I love getting at market is:

“How did you get that color?”

Soapmaking is such a fun and creative process, and adding natural colorants is one of my favorite parts! You may notice that the soaps from Baa-tanicals never have that ultra-bright, glittery look—and that’s intentional.

While mica is technically a natural mineral, it’s actually colorless in its raw form. The vibrant hues you see in most mica powders are from synthetic dyes or colorants that are added to it. That doesn’t align with my mission to offer truly clean, natural products—from the goat milk I hand-milk each morning to the colorants I carefully choose for each batch.

Instead, I use plant-based and earth-derived colorants like:
• French green clay
• Activated charcoal
• Pink kaolin clay
• Matcha powder
• Rhubarb powder
…and more!

These ingredients don’t just look beautiful—they bring skin-loving benefits to your bar. Clays can help detoxify and clarify, charcoal is great for oily skin, and plant powders are packed with natural compounds that nourish and soothe.

So when you pick up a bar of Baa-tanicals soap and see soft greens, gentle pinks, or moody grays—you’re looking at natural color with a purpose.

Have a question about a specific bar? Come ask! I’m always happy to chat about ingredients and share what makes each batch so special.