Every consumer likes a novel idea, a novel product.  Whether you are making soaps, creams, lotions & potions, we are ever searching for inspiration that transforms a basic formula into something new, different, novel.  Something that will switch the consumer on or something to get those creative juices flowing and enthuse us to, well… create.

We can draw inspiration from almost anything that’s going on around us, sights, sounds, colours, tastes, pictures, aromas, social experiences, latest trends, latest news, the list is endless.  But, for this article, I would like to come back to colour.  I think colour could be a most interesting source of inspiration.

We all have our favourites and nobody can argue that colour definitely influences an individual’s attraction to certain things, whether it be a wallpaper, a flower, a car, a soap.  Colour does indeed play a key role in the initial attraction.  But, and this is why I find colour so interesting, colours are also said to harness enormous power over how we think, feel and is even thought by some to play a hand at improving our health and well being.  Colour is also said to have meaning.

Red

Red can indicate a number of qualities both negative and positive…

· Heat & warmth
· Bold & dynamic
· Daring
· Danger
· Sexy
· Anger
· Extrovert
· Boldness
· Self-Centeredness

Red can balance…

· Lack of enthusiasm
· Lack of interest in life, generally
· Lack of energy
· Overtiredness
· Insecurities
· Unwarranted fears
· Anxiety

Orange

While red indicates heat, orange represents a warm glow.  It gives a sense of direction and purpose.  It is more thoughtful than red, more controlled and more curious.

Orange can indicate a number of qualities…

· Dynamic but thoughtful
· Curious
· Creative
· Explorative
· Slightly self centred
· Playful
· Enjoyment
· Instinctive problem solving (rather than intellectual)

Orange can balance…

· Feelings of boredom and the slow passing of time
· Lack of involvement
· Lack of interest in the world around us
· Resentment of change
· Lack of humour
· Seriousness
· Fear of enjoying sensuality
· The inability to let go of the past
· Creative ‘blockages’

Yellow

The bright and cheery yellow conjures up images of sunshine and is bright and cheerful.

Yellow can indicate…

· Clarity
· Warmth
· Awareness
· Self-assuredness
· Clears the mind
· Alertness
· Readiness

Yellow can balance…

· Confusion
· Indecision
· Fear and anxiety
· Weak immune system (allergies)
· Nervous exhaustion
· Panic and panic attacks
· Lethargy
· Digestive disorders

Green

The colour of nature and the human eye is the most sensitive to green.

Green represents (positive and negative)…

· Growth
· Expansion
· Balance
· Pushing of the boundaries
· Gives power to accomplish (but not dominate)
· Envy
· Greed
· Jealousy

Green can balance…

· A feeling of restriction (as in being housebound or confined)
· Fears of the unknown
· Fears of change
· Feelings of being trapped by rules
· Lack of inspiration
· General imbalances
· Problems with relationships

Blue

Blue sky, blue sea and the further away it is, the bluer it seems.  Blue is the colour of distance.

Blue may help…

· One to look beyond, stretching perceptions (distance)
· Free the mind
· Communication
· Interaction
· Exchanging of information
· Free flow of energies
· Coolness
· Devotion

Blue can balance…

· Agitation (brings about a sense of calm)
· Soothes excitability
· Inability to communicate freely
· Inability to see information in context
· Blue can also help bring about a sense of peace, restfulness and solitude

Indigo

Like the midnight sky.  Indigo amplifies the qualities of blue & turns these qualities inward (self).

Blue can influence…

· Inward communication & thought processes (on a deeper level)
· Insightfulness
· Philosophical thought
· Intuition
· Inspiration
· Perception (related to psychic skills and abilities & spiritual awareness)
· Profound thoughts

Indigo can help balance…

· Lack of focus on personal and spiritual issues
· Lack of intuition (develops sensitivity to the inner senses)
· Emotional, mental and physical pain
· Lack of understanding of new concepts
· Indigo can also be used as means of temporary escape from the reality of everyday problems & experiences.  It offers space for solitude for peace and reflection

Violet

Combines the energetic qualities of red with the wide and expanse properties of blue.

Violet can help influence…

· Imagination and inspiration
· Balancing
· Healing
· Speed of emotional and physical recovery
· Spirituality (thought to be the most powerful colour)

Violet can help balance…

· Life imbalances
· Natural healing energies (and though to speed healing)
· Lack of integration of new skills into everyday life
· It can help one to use their imagination and apply ideas to practical activities, remove obstacles in life
· It can also calm over activity as well as energise lethargy & depression

So there may be more to colour than, quite literally, meets the eye.  You can add colour to your products using naturally occurring pigments found in raw ingredients, adding essential oils related to a particular colour (such as lavender essential oil to a violet product), using related fragrances, packaging and decoration and develop a whole range of products to harness these deeper qualities of colour.

Blend your ingredients to reflect the energetic and warming red, good for winter products, or the cooling and harmonious blue, great for summertime.  Think about what ingredients might best reflect the individual colours and create products that will help bring about balance in someone’s life.  Create a whole rainbow of products or even gift packs to include every colour.  People like their products to work on a deeper level and colour therapy is believed to be more than skin deep.  Happy creating!