Natural Blue Colorant - Indigo

I usually use artificial colorants for my soap because I can achieve so much more design wise with the vibrant colors synthetic micas can offer.  I'm not opposed to using natural colorants but the problem is they tend to fade in time.  It's fairly easy to find natural colorants for the color of red, yellow and green, but it's hard to get a good blue.  Indigo has long been used in Asia as a natural blue dye, it produces an earthy muted blue instead of vibrant eye catching blue.  It's more like a pair of stone washed dark blue jeans.

This is my first soap of the year 2014, after not soaping for more than a month.  I thought, why not start with something new too?!

 

The Indigo I got is not the typical powder form, it has been pre-treated with lye water then dehydrated to crystals.  Typically if you get Indigo powder you have to infuse it in oil and strain it out to prevent speckles, or if you like the speckle look add directly into soap.  Pre-reduced Indigo crystal is more concentrated than Indigo powder.  It had been reacted with lye water already, meaning what you see is what you get after adding it to soap batter.  All you need to do is dissolve it in a little water then add it to the batter.  I have to say it is very potent.  I only used a pinch and after forcing gel, it is as dark as my jeans!
Side note: it really stinks when adding to water... but no smell after saponification, phew~