Several years ago, I started hearing a lot of questions from my children (and even my husband). The questions sounded something like this...
"Why is my rice yellow?"
"Why is my pasta yellow?"
"Why are my potatoes YELLOW?"
All questions had this tone that implied I was trying to poison them in some way. But despite their tone, all questions were met with the same cheerful answer - "I added Turmeric to it."
After a while, my family got used to their food being yellow and stopped asking. And now I only get that question from visitors - and recently my mom who wanted to know why the cauliflower I was serving her was yellow. 🤣
Turmeric is added to almost all of my cooking because it is incredibly healthy for you. Turmeric contains the phytochemical curcumin, which has been studied extensively. Curcumin has been shown to:
- have anti-inflammatory properties
- have anti-bacterial properties
- be an antioxidant
Not only that! Curcumin has also been shown to help improve:
- arthritis
- digestive disorders
- depression
- heart disease
- brain diseases
- memory performance
Turmeric has been used throughout history in ancient medicine and cuisine and is a wonderful addition to any diet - which is why much of our food is yellow. (But thank goodness for foods which hide the Turmeric color - like tomato sauce!)
While I've cooked with Turmeric for years, it took me a while before I started wondering if Turmeric could also benefit our skin. I looked to see if I could locate any scientific studies about the benefits of turmeric for human skin.
My search led me to a PubMed article titled "Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Skin Health: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Evidence." I'm going to quote the entire abstract and I put in bold the truly awesome part...
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a commonly used spice throughout the world, has been shown to exhibit antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-neoplastic properties. Growing evidence shows that an active component of turmeric, curcumin, may be used medically to treat a variety of dermatologic diseases. This systematic review was conducted to examine the evidence for the use of both topical and ingested turmeric/curcumin to modulate skin health and function. The PubMed and Embase databases were systematically searched for clinical studies involving humans that examined the relationship between products containing turmeric, curcumin, and skin health. A total of 234 articles were uncovered, and a total of 18 studies met inclusion criteria. Nine studies evaluated the effects of ingestion, eight studies evaluated the effects of topical, and one study evaluated the effects of both ingested and topical application of turmeric/curcumin. Skin conditions examined include acne, alopecia, atopic dermatitis, facial photoaging, oral lichen planus, pruritus, psoriasis, radiodermatitis, and vitiligo. Ten studies noted statistically significant improvement in skin disease severity in the turmeric/curcumin treatment groups compared with control groups. Overall, there is early evidence that turmeric/curcumin products and supplements, both oral and topical, may provide therapeutic benefits for skin health. However, currently published studies are limited and further studies will be essential to better evaluate efficacy and the mechanisms involved. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Isn't that awesome!! Not only are studies actually taking place, but they are showing a benefit. And while more studies need to be done, Turmeric is showing a lot of promise.
Let's talk about some of the benefits that Turmeric may offer your skin.
Benefit #1. Turmeric May Relieve Acne Symptoms
Turmeric is a gentle alternative to harsh over-the-counter and prescription acne medications. Its anti-inflammatory property means it can help reduce the swelling and redness caused by acne. Turmeric's antibacterial property helps prevent the bacteria that often causes acne-related inflammation. Turmeric is also known to help reduce and fade acne-related scarring.
Benefit #2. Turmeric May Ease Eczema Irritation
Turmeric can help relieve the redness and itching associated with eczema. The anti-inflammatory property of Turmeric makes it a natural and gentle solution for irritated skin. And when combined with goat milk, it provides eczema prone skin with much needed moisture.
Benefit #3. Turmeric May Decrease Psoriasis Flare-ups
The same anti-inflammatory property that can help with acne and eczema can also help skin afflicted by psoriasis. The curcumin in turmeric works to heal the inflammation caused by psoriasis. It can also help reduce the frequency of flare-ups.
Benefit #4. Turmeric May Reduce Stretch Marks, Fine lines, Wrinkles, and Sun Damage
The curcumin in turmeric is an antioxidant so it helps prevent free radicals in the body. The prevention of free radicals helps your skin keep its elasticity. This results in the reduction and even the possible prevention of stretch marks, fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage.
 "Love the turmeric soap! Eczema very much improved!!" - Deb T. |
As soon as I discovered that Turmeric had been shown to benefit your skin, I knew we would be adding it to our Goat Milk Soap.
Goat Milk itself offers so many benefits for different skin issues. But by combining both Turmeric and Goat Milk, my hope is that the benefits for your skin are compounded and drastically increased.
We don't have any scientific studies proving this to be true, but some of the feedback we are receiving on our Turmeric Goat Milk Soap has been tremendous.
"I read the testimonials on the turmeric soap for it helping psoriasis patients, and I decided to order some and give it a try. It has helped my skin immensely and I wanted to share with my twin sister and also another friend who is suffering as well. Your soap has been a life saver. My husband said he has not seen my skin looking this good for around 20 years." - Deb S.
"The first time I used this turmeric soap I knew I loved it. My skin feels softer than it has in a very long time. The psoriasis on my elbows feels like I’ve put lotion on." - Linda G.
"I have been using your soaps for over a year and I love them. My husband and I have sensitive skin and I deal with acne breakouts although I'm in my 50's. After a bump that would not go away I ordered the turmeric [soap] and I could tell a positive difference with it. I gave my sister the purity and she loves it. She deals with eczema." - Terry S.
"My 13 yr old grandson swims for the Marlins and is always in the pool. He loves how the Turmeric soap soothes his skin afterward." - Mary W.
"Love this soap-if I had known how much I was going to enjoy using it I would have ordered more. Having Eczema and Psoriasis created some challenges for someone like myself who truly enjoyed scented bath products. Goat soap selections allows me pure choices, pain free cleansing, and results. My skin is vastly improved - clearer with less places that are involved with either one of the conditions. Thank you so very much. I look forward to Turmeric season next year." - Michelle Y.
We had initially introduced the Turmeric as an annual Limited Edition soap. But so many people didn't want to wait a whole year that we've actually been making it 3-4 times a year. And if the Turmeric popularity continues, we may discontinue a different soap to make room for the Turmeric as a permanent soap.
Please keep in mind that while Turmeric has been shown to help skin conditions, it can also be a potential allergen for some people. So you should always test it on a small patch of skin first.
According to another PubMed article titled "Curcumin A Contact Allergen,"
Curcumin has many valuable properties that can be exploited to treat dermatologic conditions. However, patients and dermatologists must be keen of possible allergic reactions. Further studies are needed to completely understand this widely used herb and its efficacy in dermatology.
Fortunately, we are not adding just curcumin (one component of Turmeric) to the soap, we are adding Turmeric in its entirety which may prove less allergenic.
Plus, when we first designed the soap, we did a lot of testing to determine the optimal amount of Turmeric to add. We wanted to add enough Turmeric that it benefited your skin. But we didn't want to add too much that it would turn your skin, sink, or tub yellow.
Afterall, I was used to hearing questions about food being yellow. I did not want to hear questions about why my child's face was yellow! 🤣
None of our test subjects reported any yellow skin or irritation - which is always a good sign. But don't forget to test first for irritation - especially if you have sensitive skin or skin prone to irritation or breakouts.
At Goat Milk Stuff, our purpose is to bring you joy through the goodness of goat milk. We know that healthy skin is happy skin and we want to enable you to find the joy that healthy skin can bring. Goat milk soap is great for keeping your skin healthy and happy and Turmeric adds to those wonderful qualities.
We're excited that our newest Goat Milk Soap adds the additional benefits of Turmeric to your skincare!
PJ & Crew