Did you know there’s a turmeric face mask recipe to suit every skin type?
Normal, Sensitive, Dry, Acne-prone, Oily skin type- you name it!
What you will find in this post:
- The best turmeric face mask recipe for each of the skin types mentioned above.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) at the end, including any doubts you may have about Turmeric staining your face.
Before we get started, let’s have a look at all the wonderful things Turmeric can do for your skin.
Turmeric Face Mask Benefits
- Turmeric can help treat Acne, Psoriasis, Rosacea and more.
Turmeric is packed with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Several studies have found out that the topical, oral or both applications of Turmeric (also known as Curcumin) has therapeutic benefits for the skin. [1]
These studies were carried out on people with various skin conditions such as Acne, Alopecia, Psoriasis and more.
Out of the 18 studies carried out, 10 of them have found significant improvement in the skin conditions of those treated with Turmeric than the control group.
- Has been proven to treat radiation burns (Sunburns).
Topical application of Turmeric can help treat radiation burns such as sunburns, which is a result of UV radiation. [3]
A study found that topical application of Turmeric stimulated wound healing and can be used to treat radiation burns. [2]
Therefore, when you apply face masks with Turmeric, you will be able to treat sunburns and discolorations.
- Turmeric has anti-aging benefits.
Turmeric has been proven to be packed with antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. [4]
Free radicals damage the collagen protein that is responsible for maintaining your skin’s elasticity and suppleness.
Turmeric face mask (and supplement form) can provide the benefits of antioxidants for your skin and help fight the effects of aging.
NO 1: Best Turmeric Face Mask for Acne & Rosacea-prone skin
Turmeric face mask with Tea tree oil and Aloe Vera gel
This face mask is suitable for all skin types, but it’s one of the best for those suffering from skin conditions such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis.
It’s also great for those with sensitive skin.
Why it works:
Tea tree oil: It has been proven to treat and ease the symptoms of Acne mild to moderate. [5]
The anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties of TTO help ease the irritation of acne pimples and any bacteria that may be lingering around. [6]
Tea tree oil has also been found beneficial for treating psoriasis and Rosacea. [7]
Aloe vera gel: Studies have found that topical application of Aloe Vera can speed up wound healing. [8, 9]
The antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe Vera has been proven to help treat skin conditions like acne and psoriasis. [9]
Aloe Vera gel is my personal favorite for face masks and for internal consumption (Aloe vera juice).
Aloe vera drains out the tiredness from my face and leaves it feeling fresh and bright every single time.
What you will need:
-1 Tablespoon of Pure aloe vera gel: If possible, spoon out the gel from a fresh aloe vera leaf.
I was fortunate to have a fresh supply of aloe vera gel every day during my vacation to India last year.
If not, get hold of this organic pure aloe vera gel from Amazon or any reputable health stores.
-4-5 drops of Pure organic Tea Tree Oil
-½ Teaspoon of Kasturi Turmeric: This is the most recommended and popular turmeric for skin care uses.
-½ Teaspoon of White rice flour: Add just enough to thicken this turmeric face mask to an easy to apply creamy toothpaste consistency.
What to do:
Mix all the ingredients in a clean bowl or cup and apply with your hand or a clean makeup brush.
Wait for 20 minutes and then wet your face with lukewarm water to soften the mask before washing it off.
If possible, do it before bed so any turmeric stain or tingling sensations you might have on your face will be gone when you wake up in the morning.
What to do after washing:
After washing off the face mask, splash cold water on your face for 30 seconds to close the opened pores.
Massage your face with your favorite organic skin oil such as extra virgin coconut oil or olive oil before going to bed.
NO 2: Turmeric Face Mask for Dry Skin
Turmeric and Honey face mask with Avocado
This face mask recipe is suitable for dry-normal skin types.
What you will need:
- ½ Avocado crushed
- 2 teaspoons of organic honey
- ½ teaspoon of Kasturi Turmeric
What to do:
Mix all the ingredients into a smooth paste and apply on clean face/neck.
Wait for 20 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water.
Next, wash your face with cold water for 30 secs- 1 minute to close pores on your face.
Pat dry and apply your regular moisturizer or any organic skin oils if you’re doing this turmeric and avocado face mask before bed.
NO 3: Turmeric face mask for Normal-combination skin type
Milk and Turmeric face mask with baking soda
This is probably the easiest one out of them all.
What you will need:
- 1-3 teaspoon of regular milk (not powdered)- Add just enough to make a creamy paste.
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of Kasturi Turmeric
What to do:
Mix the milk, baking soda and turmeric into a creamy paste and apply on your face and neck.
Wait for 15 minutes and wash your face with lukewarm water.
Splash cold water for 30 seconds and close pores afterward.
NO 4: Cinnamon and Turmeric Face mask with Yogurt (All skin types)
What you will need:
- ½ teaspoon organic cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon organic yogurt
- ½ teaspoon Kasturi Turmeric
What to do:
Mix the yogurt, cinnamon, and turmeric into a nice thick paste and apply on your face for 15 minutes.
Wash it off with lukewarm water and then splash cold water on your face for 30 seconds to close the pores.
NO 5: Turmeric and Lemon juice face mask (Normal skin only)
Despite its brightening and refreshing benefits, this is my least favorite turmeric face mask.
My skin is quite sensitive to lemon juice so I only recommend this face mask for those with normal skin types.
Mine is a normal-combination skin but I still don’t like the burning sensation of lemon juice face masks.
What you will need:
- 1 teaspoon of lemon or lime juice
- 1 teaspoon of organic yogurt
- ½ teaspoon Kasturi Turmeric
What to do:
Mix the lemon juice, yogurt, and turmeric into a thick paste and apply on your face and neck.
Wait for 15 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water and then 30 seconds of cold water to close pores.
If you’ve noticed me repeating the cold water part in every recipe, it’s because not everyone reads everything.
NO 6: Oatmeal and Turmeric Face Mask with Honey (All skin types)
No, this is not the oatmeal mask that claims to remove facial hair.
I’ve included that one in the frequently asked questions at the end of this post.
What you will need:
- 1 tablespoon oatmeal (powder it if you want smooth paste)
- ½ teaspoon Kasturi turmeric
- 1 teaspoon organic honey
- 1-2 teaspoons of milk
What to do:
Mix the oatmeal with milk and honey and then add the turmeric to a paste and apply on face and neck.
The mixture will be easy to apply if you grind the oatmeal into powder, but it’s not necessary.
Wait for 20 minutes and then wash your face with lukewarm water followed by cold water.
NO 7: Turmeric and Gram flour face mask (All skin types)
Turmeric and gram flour (also known as besan and chickpea flour) face mask is one of the most popular types of Turmeric face masks out there.
Indian brides have been using it for centuries to pamper their skin (face/body) before the wedding.
If you’re looking for a turmeric face mask to lighten skin naturally and remove discoloration, this one will be your best bet.
What you will need:
- 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan)
- 1 teaspoon organic honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon organic yogurt
- 1 teaspoon aloe vera gel (optional)
What to do:
Mix the gram (besan) flour, honey, lemon juice, yogurt and aloe vera gel into a nice creamy paste.
Apply it on your face/neck for 20 minutes.
Wash it off with lukewarm water and then splash cold water to close pores.
NO 8: Turmeric and Baking Soda Face Mask (All skin types)
Baking soda and turmeric with rosewater are one of the most powerful and quick turmeric face mask recipes out there.
It’s my go-to face mask for all the last minute plans when my face could really make use of a super fast glow.
If you’ve visited my blog before, you would have seen this post about me baking my face in baking soda and coconut oil.
That’s also a powerful face wash with anti-aging benefits, but this one is my favorite because it can be washed off easily.
You know what I love about this DIY face mask with turmeric and baking soda?
*Just the 3 main ingredients (turmeric, baking soda + rose water) alone can work wonders.
It would leave my face feeling super soft and give me a nice instant glow.
*I can tweak it by adding some other stuff like Multani Mitti and rice flour to spice up the power of this face mask even more.
As mentioned above, the optional ingredients for this DIY turmeric face mask, are completely optional.
You can add them in if/when you’re in the mood.
But the 3 main ingredients alone are perfect enough to give good results for your face.
MUST USE Ingredients for this face mask:
*1 Teaspoon of Kasturi Turmeric (Most recommended for skin care): Anti-ageing, lightens pigmentation and even helps get rid of facial hair in the long run.
*1 Teaspoon of pure baking soda: Has antibacterial/fungal properties to help remove blackheads.
Exfoliates dead skin cells and gently lightens pigmentations.
*Pure Rosewater: Just enough to make a paste with toothpaste consistency.
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it will help soothe your skin.
It will also help fight free radicals that speed up aging.
Now the optional ingredients:
*½ teaspoon of Multani Mitti (Fuller’s earth): Has been widely used for lightening acne scars and pigmentations.
It also gives instant relief from skin irritations and sunburn etc.
*½ teaspoon white rice flour: Is loaded with anti-aging and pigment lightening properties.
What next?
What have you decided?
Are you going to use just 3 main ingredients, or would you like to include the optional ones like I did?
Whichever one it is, just add enough rose water to make a nice easy to put on paste.
Apply it on your face just like I did and wait for 5-10 minutes.
If your skin is super dooper sensitive, you can start with 5 minutes.
I waited for 10 minutes.
When you start applying it, your Turmeric face mask will be yellow – orangish color like me below:
Halfway through the application and when the time is up, you should look like Oompa Loompa’s relative.
This Turmeric baking soda face mask will turn from yellow to a pinkish red tone within 2 minutes of applying it.
It’s the baking soda/rose water combo that does this.
When the time is up, wet your face with warm water and gently start scrubbing it off.
Be gentle with your skin and wash the turmeric mask off with warm water.
I was about to have a shower right before doing this face mask with turmeric, so the washing part was much easier.
Wash your face with warm water followed by cold water to close the pores.
Pat dry and apply moisturizer.
NOTE: If your face has a tiny winy turmeric stain right after you wash it off, don’t panic.
That’s perfectly normal. Just wash again after a while if you have to.
NO 9: Turmeric and Red Sandalwood Face Mask (for all skin types)
Here is one last bonus turmeric face mask recipe for you all.
This is a super soothing face mask with therapeutic benefits.
What you will need:
- 1 teaspoon red sandalwood powder
- ½ teaspoon Kasturi turmeric
- 1 tablespoon organic yogurt
What to do:
Mix the red sandalwood powder, turmeric, and yogurt into a creamy paste.
Apply on your face and neck for 20 minutes.
Wash it off with lukewarm water and then cold water.
Turmeric Face Mask Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to remove the turmeric face mask stain from your face?
If you’re doing it before bed as recommended, the stain should be 99.9% gone when you wake up in the morning.
If it hasn’t and/or you’re doing it during the daytime, add 2-3 drops of olive or coconut oil on a baby wipe (or any face wipe) and wipe your face with it.
Splash cold water on your face and then wipe again with your regular face towel or tissue.
If you don’t have wipes, you can add the oil to a nice warm wet cloth.
It should be gone or almost gone at this point.
Now leave it alone and focus on your beautiful day because the turmeric stain will eventually disappear after a while.
Is the turmeric face mask suitable for men?
Yes. Feel free to apply the mask 1-2 days after a fresh shave.
Or you can apply only on the part where you don’t have facial hair and on short beard hair.
Can the turmeric face mask be applied to the body?
Yes. However, depending on which body part you’re applying it to and if you’re applying all over, you might have to lock your room and sit or stand on old newspapers until the mask is ready to be washed off.
Alternatively, you can apply the mask and stay in the bathtub or shower room.
Be sure to clean the bathtub with washroom cleaning spray/brush after to get rid of any turmeric stains.
What to apply to your face/ or body after washing off the turmeric mask?
If you’re doing the turmeric face mask before bed, you can massage your face with 2-3 drops of extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil or almond oil before going to bed.
If you’re doing it during the daytime, just apply your regular moisturizer and sunblock.
Preferably a sunblock that has Zinc Oxide such as the Burnout ocean tested. You can read about why in this post.
Can you leave the turmeric face mask overnight?
I’m not sure who exactly came up with this idea but I certainly don’t recommend that.
20-30 minutes is more than enough for all varieties of turmeric face mask recipes mentioned in this post.
What if you only have the raw turmeric root and not the powder?
Grind it into a powder and use it as you would with normal store-bought turmeric powder.
What to do if you experience any mild burning sensations after washing off the turmeric face mask?
Mild burning or tingling sensation is normal, especially for sensitive skin types and for those with acne prone skin.
It would only last for a little while, but just apply an ice cube on your face to cool off the burning sensation.
If you don’t have ice cubes, put a clean teaspoon in the freezer for about 10 minutes and place it on the parts of your face where you’re feeling the burning sensation.
I normally have 1-2 tiny painless bumps (similar to mosquito bites) immediately after washing off the face mask, but that’s why I do it in the night before going to bed (you should too) and it will be gone in the morning.
Can you use the Turmeric face mask every day? If not how often?
Yes, except the ones that use baking soda.
I do not recommend applying baking soda on your face every single day.
2-3 times a week is more than enough for the turmeric and baking soda mask.
You can mix and match with the other face mask recipes in this post.
Which one of these turmeric face mask recipes have you tried or going to try? Comment below and let us all know your favorite one.
Do you have anything for thining hair my scalp is always itching feels like something is crawling underneath my scalp, no flake’s, not oily, my hair just won’t grow at all.
Hi Kenya,
I think you’re suffering from extremely dry scalp. Double check to see if you have dandruff and/or head lice.
A weekly hot oil treatment will be beneficial for you to get rid of that itchy scalp and promote hair growth.
Hemp oil/apple cider vinegar treatment seems to be working wonders for people with scalp psoriasis. It might be just what you need also.
Read this post for instructions on how to do it.
Tea tree oil & Neem oil are excellent for that
For how long can we preserve this and in what conditionn
Hey Nishu, sorry for the late reply.
This is not something I’d recommend preserving. I keep the ingredients in small air tight bottles on my bedroom table and also keep a small bowl and a teaspoon to mix with whenever I need to make the mask. It’s much quicker that way.
Hi, this was a great post, thank you! The only problem I’m seeing, is that I can’t manage to find the hair removal mask, in the frequently asked questions. Am I just overlooking it? Edit: I apologize, I didn’t mean to post this multiple times!
Thanks, Maria