Why Are Some Soaps Brown?

Have you ever wondered why some soaps are brown? Well, sometimes the soap maker colors them that way and sometimes the fragrance changes the soap's color. The above photo is a great example of soap changing colors. This is Vanilla Mint Soap that I made several months ago just cut into slices. The inside color is the original color of the soap and the brown outer color is what happens over time due to the vanilla in the fragrance. In a few days, the creamy inside will match the outer brown color. Just think of the color of vanilla extract and vanilla beans. Knowing which scents change the color of soap is important when I am thinking of creating multicolored or swirled soaps because you can't turn a brown soap blue!