Hi! I added 1 tsp of turmeric to Jan Berry's Simply Carrot Soap recipe at trace, and it got lumpy. Is this a thing that happens with turmeric or did I just over mix it with the stick blender? New to soap making (LOVING IT). I poured it into molds, lumps and all, but I wondered if I should just throw it out.
Carrot Turmeric Soap
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You might try infusing one of your oils with turmeric and then straining before making the soap.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
Good advice.
That's what I do with all my spice & herb additives for color. It's important to strain it unless you want to risk having scratchy soap. 
As for Carrot Soap, here's how I make infused Carrot Tissue Oil-- well known for being beneficial for faces.
Nope. At least, not until you have a look at the Oven Rebatch method.
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FYI, I love Zany's method for making Carrot Tissue oil. I made a lot of soap with it and also used it for lotions. It imparts a beautiful color too. As for Tumeric powder, you can infuse it in oil or better yet I preferred Tumeric essential oil and only used a few drops for coloring. You cannot really use enough to get benefits from it in soap since too much will stain sinks, tubs, cloths, etc. Tumeric powder can also be scratchy in soap like any powdered herbs.
Hi and welcome 
Thank you!! I loved the video and will try this method.
This looks very interesting! I will try this method as well.View attachment 75182
Good advice.
As for Carrot Soap, here's how I make infused Carrot Tissue Oil-- well known for being beneficial for faces.
Nope. At least, not until you have a look at the Oven Rebatch method.
Here is my lumpy soap. It looks ok. The question is will it cure?
Also - anyone have ideas as to why there is a glycerin thing happening in the middle soaps in the first picture?
THANK YOU!!
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
"Soap Queen" Anne Marie addresses turmeric clumping in CP soap in this article:
https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...ricks/turmeric-cold-process-soap-color-tests/
I read that article and followed her advice and it still clumped. IDK. I will see how it cures.
A second batch did not clump.
Absolutely love your flower molds - such great detail with the leaves!
The lumpiness was probably from overblending to a thicker trace. With practice, you will be able to spot emulsion and pour sooner.
So-called "glycerin rivers" are most often seen when using lots of water. IIRC, most of Jan's recipes use 38% water as percent of oils. This often results in way more water than is necessary for cold processed soap, and increases the likelihood of glycerin rivers. You can plug her recipes into a soap calculator and change to 33% lye concentration instead. That is a completely different setting that is more common for today's cold-process soapmakers, and will give you more consistent results as you increase or decrease batch sizes.
Every recipe from every source, even the best ones, really should be plugged into a soap calculator before you make them. Even the best authors have typos!
The lumpiness was probably from overblending to a thicker trace. With practice, you will be able to spot emulsion and pour sooner.
So-called "glycerin rivers" are most often seen when using lots of water. IIRC, most of Jan's recipes use 38% water as percent of oils. This often results in way more water than is necessary for cold processed soap, and increases the likelihood of glycerin rivers. You can plug her recipes into a soap calculator and change to 33% lye concentration instead. That is a completely different setting that is more common for today's cold-process soapmakers, and will give you more consistent results as you increase or decrease batch sizes.
Every recipe from every source, even the best ones, really should be plugged into a soap calculator before you make them. Even the best authors have typos!
Thank you. This forum is so kind and helpful. I hope to be able Give back soon! Practice Practice!!Absolutely love your flower molds - such great detail with the leaves!
The lumpiness was probably from overblending to a thicker trace. With practice, you will be able to spot emulsion and pour sooner.
So-called "glycerin rivers" are most often seen when using lots of water. IIRC, most of Jan's recipes use 38% water as percent of oils. This often results in way more water than is necessary for cold processed soap, and increases the likelihood of glycerin rivers. You can plug her recipes into a soap calculator and change to 33% lye concentration instead. That is a completely different setting that is more common for today's cold-process soapmakers, and will give you more consistent results as you increase or decrease batch sizes.
Every recipe from every source, even the best ones, really should be plugged into a soap calculator before you make them. Even the best authors have typos!
soap.piggy
Member
If it is ok to go off on a tangent...I am curious if turmeric-coloured soap retains its colour over time? I've only ever used it to dye wool, and it was not terribly lightfast.
artemis
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Not really, no. It fades to a nice speckled tan, in my experience. I like to use it for the "sand" portion when I make a beach-themed soap.
soap.piggy
Member
Good to know. Thanks!
I read that glycerin rivers form when the soap batter over heats during saponification. So I now keep a check on my batches to see they don’t over heat.
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I also tried turmeric now as I wanted to try the color so I looked for what is available at home. I also have clumps in my soap, now I know from this thread how to avoid them. But I am interested in the color. I expected more orange and my color is so brown. It looks like a gingerbread cookie... I added two teaspoons of turmeric by the trace to a 600g bar of soap. And here I see beautiful colors everywhere with the use of turmeric... And my color is ugly...
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Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
No it isn't. I think it's pretty!!!And my color is ugly...
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