Thursday, August 9, 2012

home beauty files - honey and turmeric face mask

As a 34 year old woman skin maintenance and wrinkle prevention is top of mind. Like many of you I don't have big bucks to shell out on products from big name cosmetic companies.  In the interest of beauty and budget some friends and I are exchanging home remedy tips for skin and hair care.  One friend suggested using honey as a face mask.  I did some research and learned that not only is honey harmless for the skin, it is also has moisturizing, antiseptic and antibacterial properties.  I was intrigued.





After a little bit more digging I found a recipe for a honey and turmeric face mask. BINGO!
Why turmeric?  Followers of Ayurveda know that turmeric has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, so if you're prone to breakouts, redness, or skin sensitivity turmeric and honey might just be a winning combination.



Fortunately I have both honey and turmeric on hand, which is kind of the idea for home beauty, right?  If you want to try this and don't have the ingredients on hand they can both be found at any grocery store and are inexpensive (you'll find turmeric in the spice section)

I didn't use any special recipe or measurements.  I just mixed turmeric (about a tablespoon if you're the measuring type) and enough honey to form a paste.  I applied it as I would any mask, avoiding my hairline (it's sticky), eyes and mouth.  Turmeric is orange so it's very easy to see where I've already applied the mask. I can feel it tingling a little bit but not in an unpleasant way.  I also have a pressing urge to scratch an imaginary itch on my jaw, probably because I know I can't. I'm going to leave it on for 20 - 30 minutes and then hop in the shower.

15 minute update: I REALLY want to scratch my jaw! The mixture has run a tiny bit towards my throat, maybe because I applied it a bit too thick.

20 minute update: I have an imaginary itch above my lip, and the mixture is starting to run a tiny bit again. It's not really messy because it's so viscous it moves very slowly.  I could probably doing it wearing regular clothes but I wouldn't recommend it due to the colour and stickiness.

22 minute update: An imaginary itch beside my nose. In to the shower I go!


The mask was surprisingly easy to remove in the shower with plain water.  I did use a dime sized amount of Spectro Gel cleanser because I am paranoid about clogging my pores.  I wouldn't recommend a harsh cleanser after this mask - the idea is to soothe, purify and moisturize.

The verdict:


Cost: Super cheap.  I had both honey and turmeric on hand but if you don't you can easily find them for less than $5 at the grocery store.  The cost for the mask was probably about $0.25.

Ease of application: Surprisingly easy, mix small amounts of both in a bowl, make sure your hair is out of the way and you're good to go. I did leave the water running for the 25 seconds it took to apply so that I could easily wash my hands afterwards.

Ease of removal: Again surprising easy, just hopped in the shower and it rinsed right off.  You may or may not want to use a bit of cleanser afterwards but if you do make sure it's gentle and just a tiny amount so as not to undo the benefits of the mask.

Post-shower impression: My skin feels soft, there is no trace of orange left behind by the turmeric. Imperfections didn't disappear in 20 minutes of course, but my skin looks healthy and there is no dullness or flaking whatsoever. I did spritz my face with rosewater after it I patted my skin dry with a towel.

Recommend it?  Heck yes!  If you do let me know what you think!

Stay tuned for more home beauty files because the recession isn't going anywhere, and my 35th birthday is less than 6 months away.