Nila powder, also known as Indigofera tinctoria, is a time-honored skincare ingredient with roots in African and South Asian beauty rituals. Traditionally used by Saharan women and celebrated across generations, this vibrant blue botanical is now making a powerful comeback in the world of natural skincare and for good reason.

Whether you’re new to this ingredient or looking to elevate your clean beauty routine, here’s everything you need to know about Nila powder including how to use it effectively for glowing, even-toned skin.

Traditional users of Nila knew that “less is exponentially more.” Here’s the simple dilution guideline you should follow:

Use just 1/5 of a teaspoon (around 1g) of Nila powder, mixed with 2–3 teaspoons of a carrier.

This yields a concentration of about 5–10%, which is ideal for achieving the natural glow and even tone Nila is known for without the unwanted smurf effect.

The truth is, a product that stains is often more authentic and unrefined just like traditional Nila is supposed to be. Synthetic alternatives don’t stain nearly as much, but they also don’t offer the same richness of results.