Lately my skin has been acting up so I’ve been testing out different masks. So far, this one has been the most effective. Turmeric powder is an Indian spice and is used for many things when it comes to beauty. In Indian tradition, brides use this to soften and lighten their skin before the Mehndi ceremony. Benefits that caught my attention were ones that treat:

• Acne
• Skin pigmentation
• Eczema

Immediately after using this mask I found that it smoothed out my skin. If you ever have a zit that makes it hurt to make facial expressions, try this out - it helped alleviate major breakouts. An added bonus was that it helped with darkness under the eye area. I’m stressing the word “help” because it’s not a magical potion that eliminates all pimples and dark spots.

I saw recipes for facemasks that required a lot of ingredients I don’t have at home. I really didn’t want to go out and buy a ton of random spices/powders I knew I wouldn’t ever use. I noticed that a majority of them included milk or yogurt so I decided to keep it simple and test out the credibility of turmeric as unmasked as possible. Here's how to make a basic turmeric mask.

What you’ll need:

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. plain yogurt
A paper towel

What to do:

1. Mix the turmeric powder and yogurt in a small dish
2. Either dab it on blemishes/dark spots or smooth across entire face
3. Leave on for 20 minutes, then wash off with warm water and dry with a paper towel

Word of warning, it does stain so make sure you use a paper towel to dry off your face. Your face will also be temporarily stained but after you wash it with a good cleanser it’ll come off. Also, if you just got your nails did then I'd recommend using gloves to apply the mask.