Selectively-releasable colorant compositions that allow a controllable release of colorant molecules from resin in response to one or more specific environmental stimuli. The selectively-releasable colorant composition may comprise resin particles having colorant molecules reversibly bound thereto. The compositions of the present disclosure may also provide precise and uniform control of free colorant content in an environment and/or protection of the immobilized (i.e., unreleased) colorant from compromising environmental chemistries. The present disclosure also relates to methods of preparing and methods of using the compositions described herein.