Indian Turmeric Face Mask

I call it Indian, but this is really a common face mask used all over South Asia. I have a friend who swears by this mask; she claims she diligently applied this to her arms and legs for a year and managed to fade her tan and get rid of hyper pigmentation.

There are 3 key ingredients for this mask: Turmeric, Lemon Juice and Gram Flour. And lucky for us, two of the three ingredients are known for their own beauty enhancing abilities.

For starters, turmeric has antioxidants. You know them. The stuff that is found in pomegranate juice and green tea that prevents heart disease and cancer, and more superficially speaking, the stuff that fights aging. The second ingredient, yogurt, is packed with zinc and lactic acid which battles acne, hyperpigmentation and exfoliates your skin.

If that's not reason enough, then consider what the American Cancer Society has to say:

In India and Malaysia, there is a custom of making turmeric paste to apply directly onto the skin, a practice now under study for the possibility that it may prevent skin cancer.

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 cup Gram Flour

1/3 cup Yogurt

DIRECTIONS

Mix all the ingredients together until a thick paste is formed. Apply yogurt until a creamy texture is formed (approximately 1/3 cup; could require more). Apply generously to your face (or skin/arms/etc) and allow it to dry.