Supplies are here - What is Tumeric Powder?

[ikindred]

Okay, I received my initial order from From Nature With Love and I am totally excited about making my first batch of M&P. In my order, there were a few free samples and one of them was Tumeric Powder. What on earth do I use this for?

As a newbie to making soaps, I have a few questions or course. Do I need a stick mixer or can I use a handheld mixer. I have an old mixer that I no longer use and instead of spending the additional funds, I thought I would use that instead of the stick mixer. Any thoughts on this?

 

[xraygrl]

It's a spice and you can use it to color your soap with. do a search to find out how....sorry it's been a very long time since I used it and I don't quite remember how......

 

[Avalon]

Yes, turmeric is a spice. It makes a nice orange-yellow color in CP.

I wouldn't use a mixer for making soap. Go to a thrift store and you'll likely find a stickblender. If not, some of the discount stores/drugstores carry them for around $10. I always make sure I have one in reserve just in case one burns out in the middle of a batch. I'm impatient and can't imagine hand stirring!!

 

[carebear]

A regular mixer will likely beat air into your soap - and bubbles IN the soap are not desirable. If you can get a stick blender, it's your best bet. This said, in many formulas it's not necessary - a hand whisk or even a spoon are enough. But if you are working with high olive oil soaps, or high lard then yea - a stick blender is a good thing. You can often pick one up at second hand stores, and or on sale at Target.

Turmeric can be found in the grocery store. If you use that you will probably want some cheesecloth or the like to filter it out of the oils before soaping.

 

[gekko62]

I have a cheap sticky and it's fantastic.If you're a hobby soaper like me that should be all you need
Make sure to only use short bursts tho.I do mine on low pulse for 15-20secs,then use it to just stir for 30-40secs.That way you're not gonna burn it out in a hurry,and stirring gives me a better idea of where the soaps actually at-always seems thicker after blending to me :wink:

Read somewhere that infusing turmeric in oil gives soap a better colour than just wacking it in yr batch.something to do with the bits discolouring.

 

[NatureandNurture]

Does turmeric impart any kind of scent to the soap, or just color?

 

[ikindred]

I actually used a whisk and a wooden spoon to incorporate my buttermilk, fragrance and coloring. My first batch of soap came out beautiful but it doesn't have alot of lather

I used 2 lbs. Cocoa Butter M&P with 1 TSP of buttermilk powder, 1 TSP of Lavender/Vanilla fragrance oil, a palm full of lavender seeds and violet color (about 10 drops). What can I do to help it lather more?

 

[Avalon]

Sorry, I didn't notice that you're using M&P. You don't need a stickblender for that. A whisk or spoon will do fine. Not sure what you can do to improve the lather.

 

[sygrid]

Bump your bubbles ~

I actually used a whisk and a wooden spoon to incorporate my buttermilk, fragrance and coloring. My first batch of soap came out beautiful but it doesn't have alot of lather

I used 2 lbs. Cocoa Butter M&P with 1 TSP of buttermilk powder, 1 TSP of Lavender/Vanilla fragrance oil, a palm full of lavender seeds and violet color (about 10 drops). What can I do to help it lather more?

By adding 1/4 cp coconut oil per lb of mp.

You can add 1/4 cp of any liquid to mp without screwing up the lather but don't go over.

 

[Gramma Judy]

I would be careful of using anything more than a whisk with MP. Even then nice little gentle stokes. You don't want to incorporate air bubbles in to it. I use up to 6 T fresh, straight from the goat, milk into almost every batch of MP. Love this stuff, it just doesn't seem as drying as not adding it.

 

[carebear]

I would be careful of using anything more than a whisk with MP. Even then nice little gentle stokes. You don't want to incorporate air bubbles in to it. I use up to 6 T fresh, straight from the goat, milk into almost every batch of MP. Love this stuff, it just doesn't seem as drying as not adding it.

how big are your batches?

 

[Gramma Judy]

Sorry unclear with post. I use 5-6 T pp of MP. Never have had a problem. It is nice and creamy. It is very thick, straight from the goat, not runny, so I do not know how store bought milk would do. It will probably be thinner.

 

[carebear]

per pound? wow.

not pasteurized either, I guess - so I'm guessing you cannot sell that soap - right?

 

[Gramma Judy]

I learned this method from a very reputable and long time MP person from another forum. I am not the only person who uses fresh, straight from the critter milk. I am not injesting the milk - it is in my soap and I do not eat it.

 

[carebear]

I was making no judgment on the use of unpasteurized milk - I was only asking if you could legally sell it.

 

[Guest]

I was making no judgment on the use of unpasteurized milk - I was only asking if you could legally sell it.

carebear, if she is in the US, what makes you think she can't sell what she makes?

and I have a question, what do you sell? I have never ever seen any example of your soap "work". Not trying to get personal, since I am only talking about your soap, I don't know you BUT I keep feeling like Dorothy in the Wizard of OZ...maybe you can "teach" us by "showing" us what you do...

 

[carebear]

My business is not something I care to share the details of here. That is my choice. There are many aspects of my life that I do not share here.

Others quite clearly decide differently for themselves.

Back to the topic at hand:
Why might she not be able to sell it? Because some states have very strict laws about the sale of unpasteurized milk. http://www.realmilk.com/milk-laws-1.html. There seem to be some states that forbid the sale of unpasteurized milk, some that will alow it with the right type of permit, etc.

Most states with laws mention "for human consumption" but I don't know if that means only for eating/drinking or if it applies more broadly.

I don't know if those laws applied more broadly to include products made with it as an ingredient. I would like a better understanding and can follow up at least in NY State, but perhaps she has information that would help me.


I'm not challenging her choice to use it - I'm trying to understand the implications. For myself and possibly for other members of the forum.

 

[Guest]

Deleted by mod team.

http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3296

 

[ChrissyB]

Philly if you do a search, Carebear has posted pictures of her soaps in the past, I myself asked her once if she would post a pic of a soap we were talking about and she very graciously posted some.
I don't think it's that she doesn't want her pics on here, I think it might be in the way that you are "asking".

 

[Guest]

Philly if you do a search, Carebear has posted pictures of her soaps in the past, I myself asked her once if she would post a pic of a soap we were talking about and she very graciously posted some.
I don't think it's that she doesn't want her pics on here, I think it might be in the way that you are "asking".

ahhh I did a search, didn't find a thing...would you mind providing a link...
now as far as "the way I asked"...ahhh how do you suggest I re-phrase the request?