What natural ingredient helps reduce acne, protects from skin damage, calms inflammation, helps heal wounds, reduces the risk of skin cancer, fades dark spots, and helps hide the appearance of aging?
Believe it or not, there is just one ingredient that can do all that!
Even better-we have it in our CV Skinlabs Skin Care products!
Guessed yet?
It’s turmeric, the main ingredient in curry.
You have probably heard about its many health benefits. So far, studies have shown that it may help reduce risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, boost memory in dementia patients, and help slow the growth of cancer cells.
But this amazing ingredient has also turned out to be a star in the field of skin care. The question is, how can we get more of it into our skin?
I’ve got some tips for you on that!
How Turmeric Benefits Skin
Before we get into how you can get more turmeric into your life, let’s take a glance at what the research shows us so far:
- Sun protection: A 2009 animal study found that turmeric protected skin from UV rays, helped reduce dark spots, and even helped prevent the formation of wrinkles. A later 2011 study found that turmeric should be included in sunscreen formulas because of its ability to protect the skin from the sun.
- Age spots: In addition to the 2009 study above, another 2013 study found that turmeric could slow the production of melanin, which is the substance in the skin responsible for causing hyperpigmentation, melasma, age spots, and the like. Turmeric even outperformed hydroquinone in lightening the skin.
- Aging: Turmeric is a great source of antioxidants, which help reduce free radical damage and slow the appearance of aging on the skin. In addition to protecting from the sun-which is the number-one cause of skin aging-a 2010 study also found that it was extremely effective at taming inflammation. Since inflammation is another factor in destroying skin elasticity, reducing it can help keep skin more firm and youthful. (Studies on orally administered turmeric also show that it helps reduce the symptoms of psoriasis.)
- Acne breakouts: Why would turmeric help with acne? According to studies, it helps balance sebum (skin oil) production. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, you need more turmeric! A 2013 study, for example, found that volunteers who used a cream with turmeric in it for six weeks experienced reduced oil production.
- Skin cancer: Turmeric has been tested against cancer in many studies, and exhibited the ability to kill cancer cells, but some studies have focused in specifically on the skin. In 2011, researchers pretreated skin with turmeric, and then injected skin cancer cells into it. They found that skin samples not treated with turmeric developed tumors 2.3 times faster than those that were treated with it. Turmeric has also been found to kill those cells that cause melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
7 Ways to Get More Turmeric Into Your Skin!
Now that you know just how effective turmeric is, let me share with you seven ways you can get more of it. I’ve included both topical and internal options, as turmeric is good for the rest of your body, too! Plus taking it internally ensures your skin will enjoy the benefits inside and out.
- Use CV Skinlabs products! Okay, I had to say it. We have the exclusive Tri-Rescue Complex in all of our products, made up of turmeric, reishi mushroom, and bisabolol. We’re one of the very few skin care companies that’s already using this natural powerhouse, so I definitely recommend giving our products a try if you care about your skin!
- Enjoy a glass of golden milk: If you haven’t tried this, you’re missing out on a tasty treat that can do your body and your skin good. Here’s a good recipe from Wellness Mama: Simply mix about a teaspoon of turmeric powder, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of black pepper, about ¼ teaspoon of ginger, and some raw honey in a in a blender with a can of coconut milk plus one cup water, or three cups coconut milk. Blend until smooth, pour into a saucepan and heat 3-5 minutes unti hot, but not boiling. Enjoy!
- Add some to your morning smoothie: I love the Mega Foods brand-I just add a little to my smoothie, along with some black pepper (as it helps the body absorb the turmeric), and away I go. Easy way to get the benefits of turmeric going in your body first thing in the morning!
- Take a shot: Juice Generation makes nutritional boosts to supercharge your juices and smoothies. They call these “shots,” and they have a few with turmeric in them. You can add these to your morning juice or smoothie, or use them however you’d like.
- Make your own mask: This is a great, inexpensive way to let your skin soak in the benefits of turmeric. There are a lot of recipes online. Usually you want to combine your turmeric powder with things like honey, yogurt, lemon juice, rosewater, earth powder, water, and even fresh cream. Simply mix the ingredients until you get a creamy consistency, apply to the skin, leave on for about 20 minutes, and rinse off.
- Make your own scrub: This is a great idea for acne sufferers, and for those who want to slough off those dead skin cells to reveal fresher, more youthful skin. Try combining turmeric with gram flour (also called chickpea flour) and a little filtered water. Apply to face and neck and allow to sit for 10-20 minutes, then rinse or scrub off with a skin brush.
- Make your own soothing oil: You can combine turmeric with certain essential oils, like grapeseed or vitamin E, as well as with moisturizing oils like olive or jojoba, to give the oil an extra anti-inflammatory punch. If you’ve got dry, itchy skin, or are suffering from eczema or psoriasis, try combining turmeric with a carrier oil like olive or coconut and apply to skin twice a day. This type of combination is also great for cracked and dry lips, elbows, and heels.
Have you started using turmeric for your skin? Please share any ideas you have for using it.
Sources
Sumiyoshi M, Kimura Y, “Effects of a turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) on chronic ultraviolet B irradiation-induced skin damage in melanin-possessing hairless mice,” Phytomedicine, December 2009, 16(12):1137-43, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19577913.
Kaur CD, Saraf S., “Topical vesicular formulations of Curcuma longa extract on recuperating the ultraviolet radiation-damaged skin,” J Cosmet Dermatol., December 2011; 10(4):260-5, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22151933.
Yongfu Jiang, et al., “Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Unsymmetrical Curcumin Analogues as Tyrosinase Inhibitors,” Molecules, 2013; 18:3948-3961.
Muhammed Majeed, et al., “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, comparative study: The safety and efficacy of 0.25% tetrahydrocurcumin (turmeric) cream as depigment agent against 4% hydroquinone cream,” Household and Personal Care Today, March 2010, 44-46, http://www.sabinsa.com/newsroom/articles/SabiWhite.pdf.
Shahiq uz Zaman and Naveed Akhtar, “Effect of Turmeric (Curcuma longa Zingiberaceae) Extract Cream on Human Skin Sebum Secretion,” Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, October 2013; 12(5):665-669, http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?pr13080.
E Sikora, et al., “Curcumin, inflammation, ageing and age-related diseases,” Immunity & Aging, 2010; 7(1):doi:10.1186/1742-4933-7-1, http://www.immunityageing.com/content/7/1/1.
Deborah Brauser, “Turmeric Cream Decreases Signs of Aging,” Medscape Medical News, March 16, 2010; http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/718563.
Phillips JM, et al., “Curcumin inhibits skin squamous cell carcinoma tumor growth in vivo,” Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. July 2011; 145(1):58-63, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21493306.
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, “Potent Spice Works to Block the Growth of Melanoma in Lab Test,” ScienceDaily, July 14, 2005; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/07/050712232338.htm.
