Easy Peasy DIY Turmeric Face Mask

An easy DIY face mask using a special ingredient!  Easy peasy, a super simple holistic remedy that will save your skin from years of scaring, cystic acne and inflammation.  Turmeric is the star!

The magical face mask that has SAVED my skin, after years of cortisone injections, cystic acne, hormonal acne, and rosacea-like rashes.  At first, I didn't believe that something holistic could heal my skin.

And alone it couldn't.  But what it can do is drastically bring down the inflammation of cystic monsters, of which I call Unicorns.  The inflammation is brought down so much that in the beginning, it meant fewer cortisone shots, then the more I did the mask, the longer I could wait in between cortisone shots.  And the more I made turmeric masks become part of my lifestyle, the less I saw my dermatologist in totality.  Eventually, my dermatologist would say "how long has it been, a year?".

I haven't had a cortisone injection for my skin in at least a year.  And even when those unicorns come during PMS, this mask combats it.  I swear by it!  Even when it's just red, or I have a few here and there, I use this mask.

I started doing this mask 3 times a week, every single week without fail for 15 minutes a day.

As I got used to it I extended the time to 20 and 30 minutes 3 x per week.

Then twice a week.

Then once a week.

Then once every two weeks.

As my skin got better I lessened the number of times I did this mask per week, until now where I only do it as needed.

However, I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction.  I believe that when it comes to skincare we must worth with both western and eastern (holistic) practices.  And that means at least for me that I believe in topical antibiotics for our skin.  I, however, do not believe in taking antibiotics orally for skin because that causes more yeast in the gut.

I use a topical antibiotic for my face called Clindamycin lotion.  It's a super low dosage, but it really helps my skin.  On top of that antibiotic cream that I use once a day, I also use an aloe mask monthly and this Easy Peasy DIY Turmeric Mask as needed.

Turmeric facts - Did You Know?

• In India Turmeric is used in the form of a paste on the cow's belly to fight inflammation from rashes, and bites.
• In Indian Culture brides wear turmeric on their faces for that extra glow and shine.
• All over the world, this herb is used to fight inflammation of the stomach lining, stomach inflammation, skin inflammation, and digestion PLUS pain.

I started to realize this as it became bigger in the Manhattan wellness scene.  And that's when I realized I could use it in a mask and put it on my face.

I saw a lot of masks on the internet using flours.  But flour is processed and I wanted as little processing as possible to go into this mask.  Meaning if the flour is processed it could potentially have run into wheat or gluten.  Traces even.  And I don't need that on my face and you don't need that on yours.

This mask is 2 ingredients that you can buy at the supermarket in the food section.

I took cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil which is anti-bacterial and used for cradle cap on babies (so you know it's safe), alongside the turmeric.  That's it.

It will make your skin feel so soft and smooth!  And you'll feel a glow the more you use it.  You'll notice a difference, trust me!

Or trust my friend's two teenagers that have adolescent acne and now swear by my homemade mask.

 This is my number 1 go-to mask.

So I'll give you a little 3 years past backstory on how I came to the idea of using Turmeric on my face.

Being one with so many foods, chemical and skin sensitivities it's easy for me to drool on Instagram over these amazing DIY face masks that so many holistic beauty accounts promote, but when it comes to my skin I can't just take a chance with most ingredients.  When you're like me and react to almost everything it can be really scary to give a DIY face mask a go.

With that said, I am a huge fan of S.W. Basics of Brooklyn, an organic beauty brand that uses 5 ingredients or less.  Now I can't use all of their products, and it even took over a year to use some of their products without running to pop a Benadryl - but I find their Instagram account SO inspiring.  They always offer so many DIY options, which for me - inspires me to create face masks with ease.  

The concoction I created wasn't on their feed.  In fact, nothing like it was.  I just saw a DIY face mask using a tablespoon of almond oil which I cannot use and another powdered ingredient that I couldn't use either.  It was basically a mask that I couldn't and wouldn't put on my face, but what it got me thinking about was how I could use that formula to create something for my face. If I couldn't do almond oil on my face because nuts are still an issue, and coconut oil (I don't consider coconut to be a tree nut) on my face made me break out, then what could I use? What at that time was I most comfortable with?  The answer was clear: Olive Oil.

I had used Extra Virgin Olive Oil on my scalp for some time as a scalp mask (Get the Olive Oil Scalp Mask Recipe Here), so I figured it would be ok for my face.

Now it wasn't a random idea to put it on my scalp or my face.  I had done tons of research looking for a holistic alternative to a cortisone scalp treatment and that's when I found out about olive oil. (P.S. it works WELL!).  When I spoke to my allergist he mentioned how safe and anti-bacterial extra virgin olive oil was, and that it was used for cradle cap on babies.  So if it was used for babies, I had a hunch it would be safe for me.  I am definitely less sensitive than a baby!

I also found in my research that if using the olive oil to apply it warm.  When the treatment is warm it opens up your pores and seeps in deeper, and since we are healing on a deeper level - warmed up works.

Then came the idea of Turmeric (pronounced Tum-er-ic OR Tur-mer-ic).  I was already putting it in smoothies, using it in my grilled chicken recipes...what about a face mask?  It wasn't so off the chart, right?  Turmeric is anti-inflammatory.  In fact, that's its superpower!  It works internally as well as externally - my face is living proof.  Many people take Turmeric pills to control and heal their arthritis, joint pain, IBS and gut inflammation.  Turmeric reduces cholesterol levels, inhibits cancer cell growth, helps relieve arthritis, improves liver function, and is often used as pain medication over Advil and Tylenol. Overall it helps aid in the healing of chronic inflammation.

So if it can do all that in pill form over time, I went off a hunch that it could help manage and heal acne, facial redness associated with Rosacea or just inflammatory acne over time, and if it couldn't fully heal my conditions, then at least it could HELP.  And that is what it has done.  It has dramatically helped my skin conditions!

Ready to make beautiful music together?

 

This one takes minutes to make!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 ¼ - 1 ½ teaspoons of organic ground Turmeric
1 Tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (cold-pressed, organic if you can)
1 small microwave-safe bowl or ramekin
1 popsicle stick or Q-tips

DIRECTIONS:

Add Turmeric powder to a bowl with extra virgin olive oil
Stir until well blended (under 30 seconds)
Put in Microwave for 10-15 seconds just to warm it up
Stir again - Let cool if it's too warm
Then apply using a popsicle stick or Q-tip in front of the mirror
Let this mask sit on your face for a maximum of 15-20 minutes

 

DO NOT:

• Do not put on areas around your nose.  Your skin is TOO sensitive there.
• Do not put near your eyes or under your eyes
• Do not put on your lips
• Do not put on your ears or in your ears
• Do not put in your hair or on your scalp - it will dye the color of your hair
• At no point should this mask burn.  If it's burning, take it off immediately!
• Mask can get drippy, make sure you have a tissue on hand
• Turmeric is also a natural food and clothing dye, which means - wear your crappiest clothes when doing this mask!  I have ruined towels because of this and I have ruined good tops.  I would recommend dedicating a bath towel to this mask.

HOW TO WASH THIS MASK OFF

1.  Using a dry paper towel wipe the mask off as much as you can without rubbing too hard
2. Then using a cold paper towel wipe the mask off more, repeatedly
3. Then using warm towels get the remainder of the mask off

NOTES:

• This mask will leave a slight stain on your face that will disappear within a day or two.  Or at least it will make you look tan.
• Test this mask on a small part of your skin before you go gung-ho
• The best time to do this mask is either before you shower or on the weekend when you don't have to be somewhere.
• You will not notice a change at first and it may seem like your face is worse.  It's just the magic of how this herb works.  You'll end up glowing within a few days.
• Most likely you will have leftovers from this mask.  Simply cover with foil and place in the fridge for up to a week.  When ready to use, microwave for 15-30 seconds, mix and apply as per the above directions.
• As a disclaimer - this mask is not intended to heal or treat serious skin conditions like Eczema, Psoriasis or other medical skin conditions.  Please always test a small area of your skin before applying any mask to your entire face.  Always go little by little, and if you have a serious skin condition please consult with your doctor.

 

Love and Holistic Healing,