Hemani – Turmeric Soap

“No Fun”

This is a common brand (Hemani) of Ayurvedic soap, that you might see in a local Indian food store. This bar cost only $1.49, but it's also very small (2.65 oz.) and didn't last very long. I used it a lot, because I felt like my skin liked it, and Turmeric is known to have all kinds of medicinal benefits—I'm not sure about on your skin, but I trust no one's eating this. I've written over 70 soap reviews now, and I haven't yet, I don't think, talked about how you probably shouldn't eat soap? Turmeric is the bright orange spice often used in curry, in its root form, dried and ground, but it's not the most flavorful or fragrant thing out there. I read about some instances of artificial coloring agents being used in some Turmeric products; you're not supposed to do that, but as we know corporations and individuals do stuff they're not supposed to do at a mind-numbing rate. The ingredients here are simple, and include Turmeric, also common chemicals such as EDTA, also perfume—a little surprising since there is very little fragrance at all, and I assumed it was just the soap make-up (Sodium Palmate and Sodium Palm Kernelate) and the Turmeric, which is described as having mustard like fragrance. What this soap reminds me of, smell-wise, is some other soap, but I can't remember what. It's not a totally pleasant smell, it's a little harsh, a little metallic, bordering on acrid, even. Not too unpleasant to use, by a long way, but in no way what I'd call lovely, or even very soothing. When it comes down to it, I have to admit, my main interest in soap is the fragrance. I think I've made that clear, but unless a soap makes me break out, I'm not going to be against it, even if it's skin-drying. My real passion is for fragrance, and what I'm crazy about is smell that takes me other places, brings back memories, or somehow inspires a feeling of well-being. This soap has none of that, and it's just really not much fun.

Soap Review No. 75