Turmeric Soap Recipe and Benefits

Turmeric soap is great for the face and body for all skin types. Adding this natural spice into your skin care products will help reduce both dark spots and blemishes. This easy turmeric soap recipe leaves you with a glowing even skin tone.

If you prefer natural ingredients in your skincare products, ground organic turmeric root is a great choice. Learn about the many benefits of turmeric, as well as how to make your own simple DIY turmeric soap bars!

You will quickly come to love this soap and how your skin feels after you use it. My turmeric scrub is another option for getting the benefits of this spice for your skin.

The Skin Benefits of Using Turmeric Soap

The natural ingredients used in the bar assist in a host of skin issues [study]. This simple anti-inflammatory soap may be the answer, where other harsher products could irritate sensitive skin.  The organic spice has anti-aging properties as well. Using natural skin care ingredients such as turmeric are always preferable in my book.

Let's drive into some of the specifics and how a bar of this soap might help you.

Can turmeric soap whiten skin and remove dark spots?

While you might think the strong natural colorant properties of turmeric powder would discolor skin, in a soap it has quite the opposite effect. It lightens the skin.

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is part of the ginger family and has long been renowned in India for it's ability it lighten skin and fade dark spots, even for those with sensitive skin. It is starting to become more widely accepted for treating age spots and other pigmentation issues here in the United States in recent years.

Personal Note: While I am generally don't wash my face with soap rather than a gentle cleanser, I do use a turmeric soap bar on my face occasionally. I avoid the eye area and focus on the age related dark spots on my cheeks. I do see a noticeable difference from using it.

Does turmeric soap help with acne?

Yes, turmeric is quite beneficial to those suffering from acne. The antimicrobial properties of turmeric root help avoid breakouts at the source, while it's anti-inflammatory properties reduce redness.

Washing your face and body with a turmeric soap bar will help reduce blemishes.  The powdered root applied topically has been shown to promote skin healing. [study] This would reduces acne scarring. Choose essential oils for treating acne prone skin to add to your soap for extra effectiveness.

Does it have natural Anti-aging properties?

Yes, it does appear that the spice is a great anti-aging choice, thanks to it's antioxidant properties combatting skin damaging free-radicals. Washing with this soap also helps reduce inflammation, which leads to swelling and fatigue. [ref]

Will it help with stretch marks and other scars?

Much as this soap bar helps with dark skin spots, it will also assist in the fading of scars and stretch marks on the body or face. It has been shown to aid in would healing.

Will the turmeric powder stain my skin?

No, the soap lather will have a golden yellow color to it like the soap, but it won't stain skin, like scrubs and masks sometimes can. This makes it an ideal way to use turmeric for lighter skin tones.

Do use a draining soap dish or other protection for porous surfaces. When storing damp soap wrap in plastic wrap or put in a baggy to avoid stains.

How to Make Turmeric Soap

Making your own soap with turmeric is super easy with this simple melt and pour recipe. No previous soap making skills required to make a turmeric bar of soap. It takes little time to make this face or body soap. Select a soap base suited to your skin type.

Print recipe card below.

Ingredients you will need for the soaps

Turmeric Powder -This dried powdered organic turmeric is easy to find and inexpensive. It is the best way to add the spice into the soap bar and acts as a natural pigment for the finished bars.

Melt and Pour Soap Base - Unless you want to mess around with lye solution to make cold process soap and wait weeks for finished soaps, a base is what you will want to use. Select one made with a great natural oil, such as  Shea butter, coconut oil or olive oil. Goat milk soap base is a nice choice too. Those prone to acne blemishes may prefer a glycerin base to make their bars with.

If using a white base like the Shea butter or goat milk the results will look like mine. Translucent bases will result in a darker orange yellow color. 

Essential Oils - Adding a skin safe essential oil, such as frankincense, lavender, rosemary or orange essential oil enhances the benefits of the homemade turmeric soap and adds a pleasant fragrance. For acne Tea tree, lavender and lemon are great essential oil choices. For lightening skin lemon essential oil is an excellent option.

Soap Molds - Make simple bars or select an attractive silicone mold.

Make It an Organic Turmeric Soap Bar

You don't really need to change ingredients, just make smart sourcing choices. Simply use organic turmeric and organic melt and pour base. Essential oil from reputable makers is often organic or natural sourced.

Making

Start by melting your soap base in the microwave or over low heat.

Stir in the turmeric into the melted soap base until well mixed in.

Then add your essential oils

Pour soap into your mold.

Allow to cool fully before popping the soaps out or cutting into bars.

Turmeric Face Soap

If you are making a bar to use on your face, add a little extra fat to the soap to avoid dry skin. Just a tablespoon of coconut oil or organic unrefined Shea butter will do the trick. The finished product will be gentler and less drying on facial skin. It will also create a more creamy lather.

This is best for those who are older and struggling with age related dark spots on the face. Yes, you can include added fat like this in a body soap version if you have dry skin.

If you like the idea of using natural spices to color your soaps, try my fun striped Spice Box Soap: Melt and Pour Soap.