Get Your Glow On With This Turmeric Face Mask + Turmeric Health Benefits

Open up those pantries and grab your bottle of turmeric. It’s time to make a turmeric face mask for glowing skin!

Turmeric is not only for seasoning rice and fish, it can also be an awesome ingredient for simple and quick DIY  beauty remedies.  If you’re not familiar with this spice, it is native to Southeast Asia and India, and is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. I’m always using ingredients in my kitchen for my beauty and wellness recipes, and turmeric is one spice that can be used in so many different ways. So before I go into the beauty benefits of creating remedies like a turmeric face mask or hair mask, let’s chat about turmeric health benefits that you get simply by eating it.

Turmeric Health Benefits

Did you know that there are 6,235 peer reviews  that discuss the benefits of turmeric and it’s powerful compound curcumin? That’s an incredible amount of studies! To dive into this further, I’m listing all the profound turmeric benefits below backed by some of these studies:

• Anti-inflammatory: Curcumin, the powerful compound in turmeric, is widely considered the worlds greatest anti-inflammatory. By keeping inflammation at bay, you can prevent a whole slew of diseases and chronic illnesses. Even cancer. Some studies even show that curcumin can fight inflammation just as well as some medications, without the side effects. It may also increase our own body’s ability to activate antioxidants. You can add turmeric to your tea to reap the antioxidant benefits.
• May fight cancer: According to the American Cancer Society, curcumin disrupts the formation of cancer and it’s potential to spread, as shown in lab studies. This study also discusses how curcumin takes action against colon cancer in its progression stage.
• May lower cholesterol: There have also been many studies for over 20 years that focus on turmerics benefits for balancing cholesterol levels. This article discusses the findings of a study done on a control group that shows that those who consumed low doses of turmeric had a 47% reduction of triglyceride levels.
• Has potential to fight depression: Many believe that turmeric can help fight depression, but because it is difficult for us to absorb turmeric when consumed, the treatment is limited. This article still discusses the potential that turmeric has for alleviating depression symptoms. There is also a study that concluded that out of 60 patients who were experiencing depression, turmeric was just as effective as prozac. You can read about the findings here.
• Pain reducing: To take it a step further, the compounds in turmeric significantly affect inflammation in our body which can also reduce pain from issues like arthritis. I even talked about the pain reducing benefits of turmeric on WCIU You & Me This Morning!
• Treats digestive issues: For those that suffer from IBS or Crohn’s, turmeric could put inflammation at bay without the side effects that medications can cause. Turmeric has been widely known in India to sooth digestive upsets and even treat ulcers. Try this turmeric rice recipe and see for yourself!

Not only is turmeric a crucial spice to add to your daily diet, but many believe that using it as topical beauty treatments can be nourishing from the outside in, especially for your skin and hair. So really, how can turmeric be beneficial in our beauty routine?

Turmeric Beauty Benefits

1.  Reduces Acne: Since turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, many have claimed that using turmeric paste and other concoctions can reduce inflammation, breakouts and diminish blemishes. A study done by the Graduate Institute of Biochemical and Biomedical Engineering in Taiwan showed that curcumin helped reduce acne bacteria between 50-90% on some patients. Although that study sounds promising, it’s still smart to fight acne internally as well. Because turmeric is also known to kill the bad bacteria in your gut, you shouldn’t only be focusing on slathering it all over your face.

2: Turmeric fights sunspots, wrinkles, and signs of aging: According to Med Scape, turmeric used in topical creams has diminished signs of aging and skin issues such as hyperpigmentation. Getting anxious to whip up a turmeric mask yet?! Keep reading. 

3: Keeps hair strong and combats hair loss: According to this study, curcumin can stop the growth agent that causes hair loss. After reading that study,  how would one use turmeric in this case? You can mix it with extra virgin olive oil which also nourishes hair, and use it as a mask starting from your roots down. (SIDE NOTE: If you are blonde, I would not recommend this since turmeric can also be used as dye. You do not want to end up with orange hair.)

4: Brightens skin: It has also been a tradition in India for some time for women to use turmeric in their body and face scrubs as it is believed to brighten skin complexions. 

Glowing Turmeric Face Mask

After doing all of this research, I’ve decided to whip up my own turmeric face mask concoction to see if the claims are true. I incorporated organic olive oil and almond flour to make a mask that would hydrate, even skin tone and reduce inflammation.

You need:

1 tsp: Olive Oil

2 tsp: Turmeric

1 tsp: Almond Flour

Directions:

You simply mix it in a small bowl, apply it to your face, leave it on for 20-30 minutes, and then wipe it off with a warm damp towel. When I tried this, my skin felt very smooth and was hydrated for the rest of the day. I’m sure the effects for inflammation are not immediate, but can eventually be noticeable if you use this mask regularly (once a week). 

If you decide to try this DIY beauty remedy, I want feedback! Did it work for you? Did you notice a difference in your skin?

Allergic reactions: Please be aware that even though there are so many incredible benefits of eating and using turmeric in beauty remedies, that some people can still be allergic to it. High doses of turmeric could also cause issues such as nausea or lowered blood pressure. Be careful when taking prescription medications as mixing medications with herbs and spices can have adverse effects. 

Also another important note, curcumin is not a very bio-available compound. 

In other words, you will need to consume a boat load of turmeric to get similar results to some of  these clinical studies. It’s also a bit tough for your body to absorb curcumin once you consume it, a lot of times it just ends up going in and out of your system *aka* down the toilet. 

But there are some solutions!

Curcumin is fat-soluble meaning that it can be more easily absorbed when you eat it when it’s consumed with fats – healthy fats, of course. Try sprinkling it on an avocado, in your smoothie, on top of fatty fish, or blend it into an olive oil based salad dressing. 

Another study showed that by boiling turmeric in water for 10 minutes, the solubility greatly increases. So perhaps you should add some chopped fresh turmeric to your next bowl of soup! (just make sure you’re not eating those big chunks – take them out and blend them up for a future recipe).