Turmeric, a spice that has the power to transform your skin

There is a common misconception that natural, home-made face masks, moisturisers, and creams are good for your skin. But, that’s not always the case. In fact, because you are using uncontrolled ingredients, it can cause serious damage to your skin. However, there are a handful of ingredients that even dermatologists say are safe to use, and one of them is turmeric.

Benefits of turmeric

This ingredient is found in several parts of Asia, and has been used in Eastern medicine and beauty products for years. Listing out all the benefits of turmeric will take a lifetime, but all you need to know is that it has the power to truly transform your skin! It has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that targets many skin conditions, including acne, hyperpigmentation, and eczema. Turmeric also has the ability to slow down the signs of ageing. It can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and it improves the skin’s elasticity.

Byrdie spoke with Adarsh Vijay Mudgil, founder of Mudgil Dermatology, about the benefits of this ingredient and he said:

Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant effects, which can benefit the skin in many ways.

Turmeric has been reported to help with eczema, psoriasis, acne, and wound healing.

Despite the plethora of benefits, many people, including dermatologists, hesitate to use this ingredient on their skin. Why? Because it can leave you with a bright yellow face.

There are two ways to avoid staining your skin. Limit your use of turmeric to just one time a day. Or, Mudgil suggests buying kasturi turmeric—a topical turmeric powder that does not stain your face. Kasturi turmeric is not edible, so keep it out of your kitchen!

If you do end up staining your face, try washing it off with milk or warm water. You will also be able to wipe the colour off using a cotton pad and some facial toner.

Create a safe DIY mask with turmeric

Turmeric by itself is a magical ingredient, but pair it with a dollop of honey and you’ve got yourself the perfect face mask. Honey is another ingredient that experts say is completely safe to put on your face. Manuka honey is specifically raved about in the skincare community because it is a highly effective anti-acne product. So, put these two together and you’ve got a killer acne-fighting face mask.