By now, it’s crystal clear: our collective love for turmeric (and golden lattes) runs deep. The spicy deliciousness of everyone’s favorite golden drink can’t be denied, but for a spice that’s been revered for thousands of years in everything from cooking to ritual, it’s surprisingly relegated to that single preparation.
Tasty as it is, turmeric is more than its use as an ingredient. While the internal benefits of consuming turmeric are many, what may surprise you is it’s just as powerful used topically. Turmeric is truly a whole body beautifier, giving glowing skin from the inside out when ingested and revealing an outer glow when used as a mask or healing balm. Ready to learn more about how turmeric can give you a gorgeous complexion? Read on…
What is turmeric?
Bright yellow turmeric is a rhizomatous plant typically found snuggled up next to ginger in the produce section. In the wild (it’s native to Southern Asia), turmeric’s stalk grows underground where it branches off into several nodes. Traditionally used in Ayurveda to treat digestive distress, turmeric’s benefits and healing properties extend beyond the internal and could promote healing and brightening externally, too.
Benefits of turmeric for skin:
Packed antioxidants, turmeric supports cellular health inside and out, promoting glowing skin by potentially slowing down cellular oxidative damage and promoting cellular turnover. Turmeric’s potent antioxidants could reduce inflammation in the skin, helping to reduce redness and speed up healing for small abrasions and existing scars. Curcumin, the phytonutrient that gives turmeric its vibrant yellow hue, could brighten and tone skin (curcumin is the reason black pepper is added to golden lattes, the pepper activates the phytonutrient making it more bioavailable for the body), and even supports the natural production of collagen.
How to use turmeric for skin:
When applied as a mask, turmeric could support healing of acne and other scars and help those who suffer from eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions. Try making the easy mask below to gently exfoliate and renew with honey and yogurt. Or to support skin health from the inside out, add fresh or powdered turmeric to smoothies, overnight oats, chia pudding or soups.
Turmeric Honey Face Mask
Ingredients
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp plain yogurt
½ tsp raw honey
Optional: ⅛ tsp lemon juice (not recommended for sensitive skin)
Method
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Apply to clean, dry skin with fingertips or a brush. Leave on for up to 20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry before applying your favorite moisturizer. Your face may look slightly yellow afterwards, so it’s recommended to do this mask at night.
Note: Turmeric can occasionally irritate sensitive skin. If you’ve never used it on your skin, do a patch test first.
No time to spare? Dab on this Turmeric Spot Treatment and go about your day!
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I’ve never tried turmeric as a face mask before – or for any skincare-related uses! Only tried it in my diet, haha! But it sounds like an interesting concept and makes sense.
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I have tried turmeric face mask and it is amazing. I make my own face mask by adding turmeric to water and applying it to my face. I recently wrote a blog post about turmeric too and its health benefits, you can check it out on my blog at
http://www.mylifeingreens.com
I used turmeric in all my food. But I have not try it as face mask.
This is an amazing plant! I’m currently working on an organic tumeric farm in Kauai. I had many skin issues that disappeared in a few weeks by just working with it and eating a little bit of it fresh everyday. It’s a miracle worker! Thank you for the article!
Thank you for this tutorial! Quick, easy, simple, awesome!
Hi there again Julie! Just like your kiwi blog, I like this one too. The way you’ve given a detailed explanation of turmeric and how we can benefit from it is very clear and precise. I’m going to share this with my facebook followers as well. Thanks for this information! You rock!
Thank You for sharing such a nice and informative blog and your knowledge with us. Turmeric is indeed a beneficial ingredient for a perfect skin. Turmeric is indeed a beneficial ingredient for a perfect skin. You may want to try a turmeric face mask to help reduce acne and any resulting scars. The anti-inflammatory qualities can target your pores and calm the skin. Turmeric is also known to reduce scarring. This combination of uses may help your face clear up from acne breakouts.
Turmeric contains many antioxidants that can help make your skin look young and fresh. Olive oil will help retain the elasticity of skin. Mix turmeric powder and olive oil and use on your face and neck. Let it stay a while and massage lightly to help stimulate growth of new cells. Wash off later to reveal supple skin.