Decorative concrete, which provides aesthetic value to concrete surfaces, is becoming increasingly popular. It can be made to look like any type of stone product, from flagstone to slate to bricks. Decorative concrete is also considerably less expensive to install than the materials it replaces, and it requires less maintenance and upkeep. Because decorative concrete mimics natural products, it requires colorants to achieve that natural look. In the past, this was done using dry pigments, which were mixed into the concrete or sprinkled on top as a surface treatment. Today, however, the trend is moving toward using liquid colorants.