Earthaus pigments work differently from the colorants used by most plaster brands. Earthaus uses pure mineral pigments — naturally sourced iron oxides and earth pigments — to color all of its lime-based finishes. Unlike most plaster brands that rely on synthetic universal colorants formulated with acrylic resins, glycols, and preservatives, Earthaus pigments contain no synthetic additives.
What Are Mineral Pigments?
Earthaus colors are crafted using fifteen earthen mineral pigments, including:
Black and red iron oxides
Raw umber
Yellow ochres
Chrome oxide green
Ultramarine blue
Titanium white
These minerals are combined in specific ratios to create each of the 54 colors in the Earthaus palette. Because they are mineral-based, the pigments are UV resistant, colorfast, and will not fade over time.
How Pigments Are Added
Plaster, Stucco & Lime Slurry (5-gallon). Pigment is supplied as a Mineral Pigment Pack — one pack per bag of plaster, stucco, or 5-gallon Lime Slurry. The pigment pack is added to the dry plaster mix along with water during the mixing process.
Key details:
Each Pigment Pack is pre-measured for one bag of plaster — do not split or combine packs.
Pigment pack size and weight vary by color: lighter shades require less pigment (smaller packs), while deeper shades require more pigment (larger packs).
Pigment Packs are ordered separately from plaster bags.
Limewash & Lime Slurry (1-gallon). Limewash and 1-gallon Lime Slurry come pre-pigmented — the color is already mixed into the product. No separate pigment pack is needed.
Why Mineral Pigments Instead of Universal Colorants?
Most plaster and paint brands use synthetic universal colorants to tint their products. Even products marketed as "zero-VOC" often contain:
Endocrine-disrupting glycols
Plastic binders
Skin-sensitizing biocides
Earthaus mineral pigments contain none of these additives. They are pure, natural, and healthy — safer for your home, your indoor air quality, and the environment.
Batch-to-Batch Color Consistency
Because Earthaus uses natural mineral pigments rather than synthetic colorants, slight color variation between batches is normal and expected. This is a characteristic of all natural mineral pigment systems and is part of the organic, handcrafted quality of Earthaus finishes.
To minimize visible variation on a project:
Mix all plaster bags for a continuous wall area at the same time when possible.
If mixing in stages, blend bags from different batches together.
Always use the Pigment Pack designated for each bag — do not attempt to measure or portion pigment manually.
How Color Appears Across Different Finishes
The same pigment color will look different depending on which Earthaus finish it is applied to. This is because each finish has its own material composition, application technique, and way of interacting with light:
Tadelakt & Marble Finishes: Burnishing (compressing and polishing with Olive Oil Soap Sealer) deepens color saturation, especially in mid-range and darker shades.
Stone Finish: The Fan Deck most closely represents Stone Finish colors. Burnishing Stone Finish will deepen color.
Sand, Base, Lime Slurry & Lime Stucco: Colors closely match the Fan Deck. Sealing enhances color slightly.
Limewash: The pure lime base is brighter and more light-refractive, making colors appear more pastel compared to plaster finishes. Lighter hues may appear washed out in bright lighting.
For detailed guidance, see the Color Variation Guide.
For pigment questions, email [email protected] or text 1-800-917-2414.