You've seen its fluorescent yellow color and tasted its pungent flavor, but this kitchen spice also has powerful beauty benefits. Here's how it plays a role in your beauty routine.
It brightens the skin
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If you want to get glowing skin naturally,
reach for turmeric. The ancient spice holds a special place of honor in
Indian weddings, specifically in the haldi ceremony, which involves
applying a turmeric paste on the bride and groom—because of the glow it
leaves on the soon-to-be married couple. "This is due to the powerful
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory called curcumin that is in turmeric—it
brightens the skin, improves the skin's complexion, and rejuvenates
dull-looking skin," explains Shadoh Punnapuzha, founder of all-natural
Ayurvedic-inspired skincare line, Arya Essentials.
It helps reduce dark circles
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If you're prone to pesky, tired-looking bags under your eyes, you know how tricky it can be to find relief. While there are plenty of products on the market claiming to reduce the appearance of dark circles, turmeric may be able to handle the task. "Since turmeric is a proven anti-inflammatory and lightening agent, it's perfect for alleviating this kind of concern," says Courtney Chiusano, founder of Courtney Chiusano Skincare in Los Angeles, California. "It also stimulates circulation, which can help reduce puffiness and under-eye darkness caused by poor circulation."
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It can help whiten teeth
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You wouldn't think a spice that's flaming yellow would be useful for something as tricky as teeth whitening, but prepare to be surprised! Though turmeric can stain fabrics, the spice has the power to naturally whiten teeth and relieve gingivitis and toothaches to boot. "You can use turmeric to make a natural, fluoride-free toothpaste that will ward off bacteria and ease inflammation," says Medina Tshibemba, natural bespoke skin-care expert from Bare Alchemy. To DIY your own, she recommends combining a mixture of 4 tablespoons turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons baking soda and ½ tablespoon coconut oil. "Thoroughly mix these ingredients, brush your teeth for up to three minutes, spit it out, and rinse your mouth until the water runs clear."
It can fight acne
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"Turmeric
is excellent for acne because not only is it a natural antiseptic to
keep the bacteria from spreading, but it's anti-inflammatory, which
takes down the redness and swelling of the blemish," explains Chiusano.
It's especially effective when combined with apple cider vinegar which
has astringent properties, meaning it plays the same role as your
average toner. "Turmeric also speeds healing, which can help with
larger, open blemishes." To DIY your own spot treatment using turmeric,
she recommends mixing equal parts turmeric and honey and applying a
little on your blemishes for 20 minutes before rinsing with cool water.
Here are more acne-fighting ingredients to add to your routine.
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It reduces the appearance of acne scars
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The
only thing worse than battling breakouts is living with the marks they
leave behind. Thankfully, you don't have to splurge for expensive
products to minimize their appearance. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory
capabilities, turmeric can help here too. "A remedy for hyperpigmentation
and acne scars, turmeric is effective and natural without any side
effects," says Punnapuzha. "The curcumin it contains is a powerful
anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that reduces excess production of
melanin, which helps to even skin tone and lighten scars." She
recommends Vicco Turmeric Skin Cream. "They've been making their ever-popular turmeric cream since the 50s—it's every Indian woman's secret to beautiful skin."
It can help treat skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis
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Again,
thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial benefits, turmeric
can work wonders on condition-riddled skin. One study, published in the
peer-reviewed journal, BioMed Research International, even found turmeric to be helpful in treating patients with psoriasis,
one of the trickiest skin conditions to treat. "It can also help reduce
redness from blemishes and calm skin conditions like eczema and
rosacea," notes Punnapuzha. A quick and easy preparation she suggests
for alleviating these painful conditions is to mix equal parts turmeric
and honey and apply it to inflamed or irritated skin to heal, calm, and
cool skin. Don't want the mess?
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It protects against sun damage and aging
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Yep—who knew you had a secret anti-aging armor hiding in your cabinets. Research presented at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 68th Annual Meeting shows
that a moisturizing cream containing turmeric had the ability to
improve the appearance of fine lines and brown spots caused by sun
damage. "It also helps prevent loss of skin elasticity due to long term
UVB exposure," adds Chiusano. She recommends applying turmeric topically
or ingesting it internally to reap these benefits. "For a DIY recipe,
mix ½ teaspoon with 1 tablespoon of honey. Apply it to the face, leave
on for 10 minutes and rinse with warm water." If DIY is not your thing,
she recommends trying Juara Turmeric Antioxidant Radiance Mask.
It helps reduce the appearance of stretch marks
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Though
they're incredibly common—around 80 percent of people have them—stretch
marks are a friend to no one. These pesky little lines are hard to
heal, but turmeric can help lighten their appearance. "Turmeric has the
antioxidative power to penetrate and improve the function of the skin
membrane cells, which will help prevent and treat stretch marks,"
explains Tshibemba. She recommends making your own stretch mark-healing
paste with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of
turmeric and a squeeze of ⅛ of a lemon. Rub this mixture onto the
affected areas twice a day. Here's how dermatologists prevent and treat stretch marks.
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It moisturizes and revitalizes dry skin
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"Turmeric can deeply hydrate and revitalize skin while alleviating symptoms of dryness," says Punnapuzha. "It naturally speeds up the process of removing dead skin cells to reveal healthy and soft skin, and protects the skin cells from further damage." She recommends using Pratima's Revitalizing Turmeric Cream to give dry skin a boost. Also, if you increase your intake of turmeric in tea or add it to your food, it can help you reap more of the moisturizing benefits the spice has to offer. Here are more spices that will upgrade your beauty routine.
It helps treat dandruff
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There are many possible reasons for a dry, itchy scalp,
but often turmeric can come to the rescue. "The antiseptic and
anti-inflammatory qualities that it contains can help soothe and rid
dandruff," Punnapuzha says. "Once a week, mix ½ teaspoon of organic
turmeric powder with 4 tablespoons of organic coconut oil and leave on
dry hair for about 30 minutes." Follow with shampoo and simply wash out.
Punnapuzha notes that it's best on dark hair, since turmeric can stain
blonde or light-hued hair.
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It can stimulate hair growth
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Just
as turmeric helps promote skin repair, it can also help heal the issues
you're experiencing on your scalp. In fact, Tiffany Anderson, leading
natural hair expert and certified trichologist, says that turmeric has
the ability to prevent hair loss that comes from certain scalp
infections and dandruff. "Your hair and scalp give you signs that let
you know something is not right, the first of which is itching," she
says. "If you ignore the itching, the hair will begin to shed, and when
you ignore the shedding the hair will begin to thin." For a DIY scalp
treatment, Chiusano recommends a mix containing equal parts turmeric and
olive oil. "Leave it on for 15 minutes and then rinse," she adds.
"Follow up with a natural shampoo." (This is the best dandruff shampoo for your type of dandruff.)
