By Sayeri Roy
Whether it’s your new beauty regime with some spice to your latte or a festive warm ritual to feel nostalgic about when you’re not-so-young anymore, we all turn to our good old savior – Haldi, Or turmeric. A bright yellow spice not only magically makes our skin glow, but improves our overall being. Ingestion causes or skin problems, Turmeric is an all-rounder, and probably the most go-to ingredient for great skin in every Indian household.
Extracted from the root of Curcuma zedoaria (southeast Asian ginger), Turmeric has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant effects which are beneficial for the skin in many ways. Its active ingredient being curcumin is what gives it that yellow-orange tinge, making it a potent anti-inflammatory. Apart from these, Turmeric slows the skin aging process and is used to diminish wrinkles, keep skin supple, and improve skin elasticity. It helps heal and prevent dry skin.
Home DIY Care
Mask: Being good for oily skin, turmeric aids in regulating its production. Because of its bright yellow color, it isn’t popular as a leave-on product which in turn can stain your face. It can be used as an instant mask and washed off immediately.
Add about 1½ tablespoons of sandalwood powder and a pinch of ground turmeric to 3 tablespoons of orange juice and apply the paste to the face. Leave the mixture on for about 10-15 minutes. Then rinse with lukewarm water.
The orange juice provides fruit acid to clear blemishes and sandalwood is a natural astringent.
Cleanser: Mix rice flour with turmeric powder in equal proportions. You can also prepare it beforehand and store the mixture in an airtight bottle. Add raw or soy milk (or yogurt) to a teaspoon of chickpea/turmeric powder to make a paste. Apply the mixture evenly on the face and leave it for about 10-15 minutes. Wash the mask off with warm water.
Facial Hair Reductant: Combine Kasturi turmeric with chickpea flour, which is also used so that your face does not get stained. You can mix the turmeric with your favorite facial scrub as well. Leave the paste on for 10-15 minutes. If used regularly, results are visible within a month.
Night cream: Prepare a paste made from turmeric and milk (or yogurt) and apply it to your face. Allow the mask to dry and leave it on overnight. For a night-time regimen, you can add a pinch of turmeric to your favorite moisturizer or treatment product. Wash off the mask in the morning using a gentle cleanser.
Acne treatment: Some people drink spice as tea with water or milk to help prevent acne outbreaks. If turmeric tea doesn’t sound very appetizing to you, try mixing turmeric with plain water or coconut or sesame oil, and tap onto blemishes and acne scars. You can also mix a small about of turmeric with lemon or cucumber juice (just a few drops) and leave it on the marks for 10-15 minutes.
Turmeric is used extensively for acne because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties that fight pimples and breakouts. It removes redness from acne and other types of scarring, reduces inflammation, and evens out skin discoloration.
It has been reported to help with eczema, psoriasis, acne, and wound healing. It also contains the antioxidant curcumin, which helps in lightening pigmentation. Western brands taking notes of what Eastern cultures have known for hundreds of years have initiated the introduction of turmeric in their products as well.
The bigger and common side effect of Haldi is a purely superficial one; it has a habit of staining everything yellow. However, this isn’t the case with Kasturi turmeric. If you’re eating turmeric instead of using it on your skin, you also might have gastrointestinal problems from going overboard. But other than that, turmeric is a safe and beneficial spice for our well-being and health.
