This DIY Honey and Turmeric Mask Is Your New Secret Weapon

Scroll through beauty Reddit for all of five seconds and you’ll come to the following conclusion: Turmeric and honey face masks are the glow-boosting, radiance restoring, most valued players in the DIY face mask game. Not only are the recipes pretty much foolproof, but the ingredients are affordable and the results are hard to ignore. 

Between honey’s anti-inflammatory properties and turmeric’s brightening superpowers, it’s easy to see why at-home turmeric and honey face masks have been used for centuries. Here, we're breaking down why you should consider incorporating this mixture into your skincare routine, and sharing an at-home recipe that's easy as can be. 

What Are the Benefits of a Honey and Turmeric Face Mask?

The reason this DIY mask delivers such insanely amazing results is twofold. First and foremost, the honey has natural anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. “It’s an excellent at-home treatment for fungal infections, psoriasis, dry skin, and even burns,” says Dr. Joshua Zeichner, board-certified dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Then the turmeric, which is loaded with antioxidants, comes into play. “Turmeric, on the other hand, has been evaluated in treating acne, brightening dark spots on the skin, and treating fine lines and wrinkles,” Dr. Zeichner adds. 

While these ingredients will work for any skin type, Dr. Zeichner explains that it’s especially ideal for those with acne-prone skin as it can “calm inflammation, kill microorganisms on the skin, and fade dark spots.” That in mind, it’s always best to patch test a DIY concoction before committing to covering your whole face. Apply a tiny bit to your neck or under your ear, let it sit for 20 minutes, and wash it off. Then, wait 24 hours to see how your skin reacts. 

DIY Honey Turmeric Face Mask Recipe

What You’ll Need

• ½ tsp of turmeric
• 1 tbsp of honey
• A few drops of milk or yogurt
• ½ tsp aloe vera (optional)
• 1 tsp rose water (optional) 
• 1 tbsp squalane or almond oil (optional) 

What to Do

Whipping up this at-home face mask is ridiculously simple. First, you’re going to want to mix the honey and turmeric together. Then, we recommend adding in some milk or yogurt to help prevent the turmeric from staining your skin. While that’s the baseline, feel free to add in aloe vera to soothe redness, squalane to ease irritation, or rose water for an extra boost of hydration. The proportions above should guide you, but there’s really no hard and fast recipe—it’s whatever works best for you. 

Once your mixture is ready to go, apply a thin layer of the mask to clean, dry skin. Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water or a cleansing oil.