For all of you with sensitive skin, redness acne or just people who want to maintain a young, healthy skin glow – here’s a lifestyle blog DIY recipe for a turmeric face mask that’s a natural method for skin SOS. Let’s start with the background. My boyfriend is Indian, so he’s recommended turmeric to me before for its healing properties that have been used in India for centuries both when applied topically directly to the skin or consumed in foods – but I wasn’t quite sold. I have fairly healthy skin, so it just didn’t seem worth the effort. This week (whether due to changes in weather, stress levels, or a new face wash I tried) whatever it was my skin freaked out. I was out having girls night when my chin started hurting. I quick graze revealed a small cluster of breakouts on the bottom of my chin, which has literally never happened. One of my friends gave me tea tree oil, but the issue persisted in the morning. So finally – I gave turmeric a try.
For the first run, I washed my face in warm water and pat try. Leaving my chin a little bit damp, I rubbed some powder straight on my chin. It burned slightly, but in an hour the irritation was so low I hardly noticed the flair up was even there. With such instant results, I decided to make a mask and apply it to my entire face.
The recipe
- 1 tablespoons of turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon of organic honey
- 1 teaspoon of organic whole milk
Blend until combined, and start slathering it on. Let it sit for 10-30 minutes (warning, may cause some skin discoloration… read below for more details). Rinse thoroughly with warm water – or even better a hot steamy shower for the best results. You can use a clean washcloth if there are stubborn spots where the mask isn’t rinsing completely off. Just remember, never rub your face! Pat and wipe gently. I finished off with a spritz of rose water and a bit of marula oil to rehydrate my skin even more in the winter weather.
Traditionally, turmeric can be used to reduce redness, irritation, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles and more. Here are a few of the key benefits of turmeric powder that were tantalizing enough I had to give it a try:
Turmeric for age spots and dark patches
I’m not going to pretend I’m 80 and covered in age spots, but the days of happiness spent in summer’s sun has given more more than enough skin damage for a decade. Turmeric has a natural melanin inhibitor that works great for fading dark spots. The overall effect is glowing, brighter skin with fewer blemishes and scaring. If this is your primary motivator for using Turmeric, you may want to swap out the milk for lemon juice, which also works to lighten concentrated areas of undertones in your skin.
Turmeric for anti aging
Turmeric is also an antioxidant, fighting free radicals in your body that leads to aging. Radicals are often brought on by stress, so try doing your turmeric mask with some soft music and end with a steamed cloth for the best effects.
Turmeric for redness and skin irritations
I have sensitive skin, so this natural DIY remedy for redness and irritation is a God-send for me. With anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties – turmeric is the superfood spice for sensitive skin. Whether from pollutants, natural or chemical interactions with your skin, turmeric can cleanse away all the grime, and neutralize your skin balance. It also has been claimed to reduce more severe irritations such as acne and psoriasis. For me, the honey and milk combo is best for this remedy, and my skin has never felt so calm.
What Makes Turmeric so Beneficial?
“It’s the compound only found within turmeric, called curcumin, which gives the spice its bright color and also contains the special health-boosting properties.” – Health Ambition
Curcumin is the primary active ingredient of Turmeric, providing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other health-boosting properties. If you’re interested in getting more benefits, you might consider a supplement for a more concentrated dose.
Turmeric taken topically has many additional benefits including improved brain function, lowered risk for heart disease and even cancer fighting properties, but we’ll save that for another post. Now that you know why turmeric might be a good idea for your skin, here’s the recap on the mask process and results.
You might have seen my first DIY turmeric mask experiment on my Instagram stories. If that’s the case, long story short – let’s just say 1.5 hours is much too long for letting the mask set, unless you want to look like a jaundice baby. The average recommended time for the mask that I found was between 10-30 minutes max for the optimal benefit, without the unwanted yellow discoloring. For those who tell you it doesn’t leave a yellow tint – either they’re too tan to notice (jealous) or they’re lying. The shorter time reduces that effect almost completely, and if you rinse off in a hot shower after you’ll be good to go. If your skin isn’t too sensitive, I’ve also had a few friends that have tried the mask that say a mild cleanser is enough to erase any sign of discoloration. The photo below shows me after my first DIY turmeric experiment. You can notice the slight yellow discoloration especially around my hairline and the crevices of my chin.
So why risk a tinted face? I kid you not, my skin never felt so happy as when I rinse off a turmeric mask. Your skin feels naturally moisturized, and you’ll enjoy a soft, healthy glow. Prior to using the mask, I can often feel slight raised areas that aren’t noticeable to the naked eye, but are small inflammations making my skin appear red in patchy places (especially on my forehead and cheeks). Immediately after the mask, those raised areas are completely smooth and you can literally feel the calm inside your skin. Like you just poured water over a cracking desert or rinsed off stress you didn’t even know was there, turmeric is like an eraser for skin irritations.
Having said that – everyone’s skin is a bit different, so if you try it your results might be too. But if you’re willing to give it a try, I highly recommend it. Just be sure you don’t give it your first shot right before date night and end up having to stay in if it does have a discoloring effect on your skin. Which by the way – don’t worry – it will be gone by the next day or after a couple washes.
Hope this DIY turmeric mask works wonders for you, and if you have any other natural remedies for skin let me know! I’d love to give them a try.