in·di·go | natural dye color

Bold, rich and deep, Indigo was first used as a color name in 1289, and lies between blue and violet on the rainbow. 

Catherine Legrand’s book, INDIGO: The Color That Changed the World, showed up on our radar shortly after it was published in 2013. Ms. Legrand traveled the world to see first-hand the impact indigo has had on traditions, livelihoods, and cultures for centuries. Since the book was published, we’ve noticed a trend in indigo as a name, color and ingredient in beauty and hair care.

Derived from the leaves of Indigofera tinctoria, Indigo is among the oldest dyes to be used for textile dying and printing. Many Asian countries, such as India, China, Japan and Southeast Asian nations have used indigo as a dye (particularly silk dye) for centuries. The dye was also known to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Britain, Mesoamerica, Peru, Iran and Africa.

The indigo plant is also used for beauty treatments, containing the botanical actives typtanthrin and indirubin, which can help relieve sensitive, inflamed and dry skin.

To incorporate the Indigo trend into your handmade soap and cosmetic line consider colors in blue and purple tones. Fragrances with the term “blue” in the name will help the buyer connect color to aroma. Indigo’s complementary colors include greens and yellows.