Turmeric Can Be Amazing For Your Skin, But There's One Big Catch You Need To Know

Turmeric is one of those sneaky, natural miracle workers that has so many uses, it's hard to keep track of all of them. In addition to being just flat-out pretty to look at, turmeric helps your skin, boosts your immune system, and works as an anti-inflammatory, to name just a few of the benefits. But the tricky thing to learning about spices like turmeric is figuring out how to actually incorporate them into your daily routine. It's not like you're going to dump a random orange spice into your facial cleanser because the internet said it would help your pores, so how do you actually reap the benefits of turmeric on your skin?

First, you should know that turmeric is great for all skin types, but Healthline reports that it's especially useful for those with psoriasis, acne scarring, and other similar skin issues. But even if you don't have any major skin problems, turmeric is a great all-around additive to achieve glowing, healthy skin.

The main reason turmeric is so beneficial for your skin is found within its anti-inflammatory properties. Most of the problems people have with their skin has to do with inflammation at the root, and turmeric takes on all of that redness, puffiness, or scarring by soothing the inflammation.

According to BollywoodShaadis.com, Indian brides used to use turmeric before weddings to achieve perfectly glowing skin on their big day.

Incorporating the spice into your skincare routine is actually pretty simple. Turmeric has a low bioavailability, meaning that your body can only absorb a small amount before flushing out the rest, so you'll only need to add a dash of the stuff to a homemade face mask or wash to get the job done.

If you've never experimented with DIY face masks, health/wellness expert Dr. Josh Axe has a pretty easy turmeric face mask recipe that'll help you achieve glowing skin in no time. All you do is combine turmeric, honey, apple cider vinegar (praise be), milk, and lemon juice, then use the face mask as you would normally, keep it on for about 10 to 20 minutes, then wash it off carefully (it might make a mess, so be prepared with towels).

Here's a huge heads up, though: Never use a turmeric face mask or wash within hours of a big event.

Turmeric can easily stain your skin a bright, yellow-y orange color, and although you can get rid of that staining with soap and warm water, it might take a bit of time and scrubbing, so you're better safe than sorry if you have somewhere to be. Glowing skin is great and all, but it's preferable not to look like an exfoliated Oompa Loompa.

If you're not in the mood to make a homemade face mask concoction, there are some stellar turmeric skincare products ready to be purchased and applied as soon as you get home. First Aid Beauty's Hello Fab ginger and turmeric jelly mask is one such product that will work to soothe, brighten, and restore your skin via the healing properties found in both turmeric and ginger.

Although turmeric is best applied directly to your skin for visible results, your body can also benefit from you literally eating it.

As a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, turmeric is often found in curry recipes, so you basically have the ultimate excuse to eat curry three times a week like you've always wanted to.

Here's the one slight problem, problem: In order to reap the internal benefits of turmeric (which also include a sharper memory, according to some studies), you have to make a point of ingesting it almost daily, since it passes through your body so quickly. Luckily enough, it's super easy to add the spice to just about anything. You can sprinkle it onto vegetables, add it to your eggs, or use it to add some flavor to a bowl of soup, to give you a few examples. If you don't love the flavor, adding it to a smoothie or combining it with honey is a great way to mask the potentially pungent flavor and smell.

Is it just me, or does it seem inevitable that turmeric will be a color theme at fashion week?