Howlite cabochons come in a variety of colors, from it's natural white and grey, to dyed colors like lapis blue, turquoise, pink, and chinese turquoise. Howlite comes primarily from North America, though there are some deposits elsewhere.

Howlite often has a grey weblike matrix that makes it very attractive and easy to pass off as turquoise when dyed. The amount and pattern of grey matrix varies widely from cabochon to cabochon.