For many years I looked younger than my actual age and for many years I complained about this. I know; how dumb! I’d like to borrow the Delorean and go back in time to smack some sense into me. Granted, my parents repeatedly told me to appreciate this. They were right. You don’t know how lucky you are until the kids at the grocery store stop carding you. And I’m not going to lie — that really hurts my feelings!
I’m Getting Wiser and Also Older … Looking
To be fair, I haven’t done a great job taking care of my skin the past few years either. And it shows. I also didn’t notice this for a long time; however, since getting healthy inside and out is now a priority for me, I recently took a good look in the mirror and went “oh crap!”
Not only did I discover six white hairs, which is again — hurtful, my once smooth skin was splotchy, bumpy and maybe, just maybe, some faint lines were starting to emerge near my eyes. In other words, I was starting to look like a 40 year old woman.
So I did what I always do to relieve stress, I complained to my cat, Max. He responded as he always does; he ignores me.
It works for us.
Finding a DIY Solution
Now I love all those little pots of creams and lotions or magical elixirs you can buy at department stores, but my budget is limited and my need for a magical elixir is high. I don’t mind spending money on a quality product, but that’s always the rub — it’s hard to know whether you’re making a good investment.
Plus, I am a sucker for a good promise and a pretty jar, which also means I have a collection of pretty jars full of broken promises too. So given my lean budget and past not-so-great batting average with commercial products, I started exploring some DIY options. Like everything, it can be hit or miss. However, the ingredients are often things I have on hand or are very low-cost, so it doesn’t break my piggy bank if it doesn’t work.
My Needs Are Simple
My skin is dry. My tone is uneven. And I feel like the Millennium Falcon could land in my pores. The good news is that these are pretty common complaints, so after doing some research, I settled on a very simple, two-ingredient DIY miracle face mask that packs a punch.
DIY Miracle Face Mask with Turmeric
Two ordinary ingredients create a mask that leaves your skin soft, smooth and younger-looking. It also helps prevent acne and shrinks your pores.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 Tablespoons plain yogurt
Directions:
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl.
- Wash your face with warmish water to help open your pores. Pat dry.
- Spread an even layer of turmeric mask over your face. Avoid the eye area. Leave mask on for 10 minutes.
- Wet a washcloth in cold water. Gently remove turmeric mask. The turmeric powder along with the washcloth will help exfoliate your skin. Do not rub vigorously. Be gentle but firm.
- Rinse with cold water. Wash your face to with your favorite gentle facial cleanser to remove any lingering turmeric residue. Apply toner and moisturizer.
Special Notes
If you have really fair skin, you may want to try it first on your arm to make sure you don’t turn into an Oompa Loompa. But washing your face with a facial cleanser once or twice should do the trick. 🙂
You can use this mask weekly.
Turmeric is More Than Just a Spice
We may normally associate turmeric for adding flavor and color to Indian dishes, but it also has many health benefits too. It is a natural antibiotic, improves digestions, aids in healing wounds quickly, anti-aging and is also referred to as nature’s Prozac.
This does not mean you should eschew modern medicine, of course, but I also believe that holistic healing and traditional medicine can work in harmony too.
A Weekly Ritual
I can’t indulge my deep love of spas right now, but weekly pampering rituals still make me feel good. The DIY Miracle Face Mask is a keeper for me, and I’m eager to explore some of the additional uses for turmeric. You can trust that I’ll report any positive experiences I have.
To be fair, I am also liable to whine about epic fails too. 🙂
Have you used turmeric in anything besides a recipe? Do you have a favorite mask, either commercial or DIY? If so, please share!
Tanya
My friend swears by turmeric for everything, I will pass this along to her!
Thanks, Steph! I’m really new to using turmeric as a beauty/health aide but it seems to be really popular and effective.
The idea of putting food on my face like this freaks me out. I’m not one for face masks, although I should be since 40 is quickly approaching, but I still can’t do it. I’d rather buy one or pay for a facial.
LOL! It is kind of weird, but it doesn’t bother me too much. It honestly just feels like any cold face cream. What’s funny is the color. It’s a very distinctive yellow/orange shade and I almost screamed like a little girl when I took a really good look at my face. Of course, I had to show Max. He wasn’t overly impressed, but he is a feline and they are hard to impress. 🙂 Nothing beats a great facial. I love getting pampered. But since I can’t afford one every week, this will have to do because I’m not real pleased with the sudden signs of aging, I’m seeing!
This sounds interesting but I am totally afraid the turmeric would turn me into an Oompa Loompa, lol! 🙂 By the way, totally awesomesauce that you have a South Park gif on your post!
I hear you, Mackenzie! Because this mask is definitely a bright yellow/orange. I took the chance since my skin tone has hints of yellow in it. Not that yellow, though! It was really hard not to include an “OMG! They killed Kenny. You bastards!” I was definitely thinking inside though. LOL!
oh max 😉 why do cats ignore us lol. i am not a huge fan of masks to be honest, mainly because i’m crazy lazy. i know i need to start taking better care of my skin though. i have attempted diy masks before and they never work out, i guess i really suck at diy. i might have to give this one a whirl.
It’s a good thing we love our fur babies, so much! Max does it to annoy me, knowing that I will persist until he acknowledges me one way or another. And by acknowledge, I mean give him treats. 🙂 He has me trained so well! Overall, I really can’t complain, especially for being so hit and miss with my skincare for so long, but I’m definitely seeing signs of aging and cannot keeping being so lazy about it.
YESS! i love DIY masks and when i had a freakout with a mild case of melasma, i spread this paste on and walked around with Dirty Sanchez face to get rid of it…worked like a charm.
i also eat turmeric! i add a pinch to my eggs every day and drink it in a tea
I’m really enjoying concocting some DIY beauty products too. It’s fun and I can truly tailor them to my needs. I’m hearing so many good things about turmeric, and I’m anxious to do more research and incorporate it into my diet and beauty regimen.