All hail to this holy grail of ingredient: Turmeric!
Being used in the Indian kitchen and medicines for centuries, turmeric is omnipresent. It would almost be counted as blasphemy if you were to find an empty jar of turmeric in an Indian household. One could almost call it a witch’s ingredient for its brilliant contribution to curing/healing almost everything! If you have a hangover? Turmeric. Did you fall and hurt yourself? Turmeric. Dull skin? Turmeric. Digestive problems? Tur-mer-ic! It works so efficiently for skin that there is literally a ritual before marriage where people just slather paste of turmeric on the bride and groom!
What is this fascination with Haldi and why is it suddenly popping everywhere? To learn that, let’s go back a few years and learn a bit of its history.
Ancient History
Being a part of the ginger family, the plant of Haldi, or as the botanists call it Curcuma Longa, is barely 3 feet in height. Records of the earliest use of turmeric go as back as 6000 years ago. It has been an important part of Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries now. It has shown up in Ayurvedic medicinal texts dating as back as 500 BCE. The spice was commonly used for purification of the blood and skin, along with treating numerous conditions, varying from diarrhea to epilepsy. Turmeric was (and considerably still) being used as:
- Insect repellant
- Treating skin conditions such as eczema
- Heal wounds
- To relieve swelling and pain
- Treatment of cold
- Brighten up skin
What makes Turmeric so Multipurpose?
Ever wondered what makes this spice so multipurpose that we incorporate it everywhere, from cooking to medicine?
Well, turmeric owes it all to an active component called curcumin. Apart from giving haldi its vibrant color, curcumin is also responsible for all the healing done by it. It is brimmed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These properties enable the wounds to heal faster, while also preventing any infections simultaneously. If all this was not enough, curcumin also aids in skin regeneration, from boosting collagen production to fighting against free radicals.
You might want to consider adding Turmeric Supplements to your daily routine to gain the maximum benefits the spice offers. The Minies presents Haldi Capsules and Curcumin Advance Capsules that help you gain the maximum benefits of turmeric that you might miss out on in this fast-paced life.
Haldi DIY Masks
Now moving to the most exciting part of this blog post, the DIY use of turmeric in masks!
In the past two years, while staying at home, we all might have caught up on DIY, be it a dalgona coffee, or face masks. Here are 3 of my personal tried and favorite DIY Haldi face masks:
- For Acne:
Ingredients:
- Turmeric Powder
- Yogurt
- Besan (Chickpea flour)
- Honey
Instruction:
Mix all the ingredients until it forms a paste. Apply that paste on the face and leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Finish off by applying moisturizer.
- For Sensitive Skin:
Ingredients:
- Turmeric Powder
- Rose Water
- Aloe Vera Gel
Instruction:
Mix all the ingredients and apply the mixture to the face. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Finish off by applying moisturizer. Be cautious that the mixture would be runny, so avoid wearing your favorite tee, as it might get stained.
- For Blemishes
Ingredients:
- Turmeric Powder/ Oil
- Sandalwood Powder
- Orange Juice
Instruction:
Mix all the ingredients until it forms a paste. Apply that paste on the face and let it sit for 10 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Finish off by applying moisturizer.
- For Soft Skin
Ingredients:
- Turmeric Powder
- Besan
- Almond Oil
- Milk
Instruction:
Mix all the ingredients until there are no lumps and it is creamy. Make sure it is not too loose, or it would be runny. Apply that mixture and let it rest for 15 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Finish off by applying moisturizer.
