Eco-friendly is all the rage, and has been for some time.  A mean, a REALLY long time, we just may not think of it that way.  I was in India this past January and was struck by how many women walked the streets of Chennai, their faces a sickly yellow hue.  In my American ignorance, I assumed they were jaundiced or something.  Then I woke up one morning to find my Chitti, my mother’s younger sister, had caught the bug, because her face was yellow too!

Dude.  It wasn’t jaundice.  It was turmeric.  Sometime’s I’m such an ABCD.  Asian cultures have been using so called organic ingredients to beautify themselves for centuries, and are still doing so.  Turmeric, henna, saffron, almond, cucumber and citrus are typical Indian organic products that have an excellent effect on skin.  Below is a recipe for a turmeric face mask that I got from ehow.com, and I’d love to hear any suggestions you guys have on other DIY skin care products.

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

  • 2 tsp. gram flour
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • Milk
  • Honey
  1. Step 1

Go to an Indian supermarket or a health food store to purchase gram flour. This flour goes by several different names like chickpea flour, garbanzo bean flour or besan, so look around carefully and ask the staff for help finding the right flour. If you can’t get gram flour, you can use regular all-purpose flour instead.

  1. Step 2

Combine 2 tsp. gram flour and ¼ tsp. turmeric in a small bowl. Once these dry ingredients are well-mixed, slowly add several drops of milk and honey. Stir the mixture as you add the milk and honey, and judge the appropriate amounts by the mixture’s consistency. You’ve added enough milk and honey when the mixture becomes a paste.

  1. Step 3

Wash your face thoroughly with soap and water. Make sure you remove all residue makeup so the turmeric face mask can properly penetrate your skin.

  1. Step 4

Apply the turmeric paste to your entire face in an even layer, avoiding your eyes. Let the face mask sit for about 10 minutes.

  1. Step 5

Wipe off the bulk of the turmeric face mask with your fingers, then rinse your face with warm water to remove the rest.

Via