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This spice is golden and aromatic, and it's a popular ingredient in curries, among other savory dishes. But some people also use turmeric in their beauty routines. It's used as a remedy for skin conditions like acne and dark spots (hyperpigmentation).
Its effectiveness for use in hair removal is mostly anecdotal. And you can find a number of personal reviews and tutorials online. Let's look at how you can use turmeric to possibly help get rid of hair on the face and body.
It might. Turmeric hair removal is thought to work in two ways:
A 2017 study tested curcuma oil from a plant in the same family as turmeric. The curcuma oil was applied on the underarm area of 60 women for 10 weeks. Researchers found that the curcuma oil reduced or slowed the growth of hair on the area tested.
So, if it works to reduce hair or slow its growth, expect it to work more slowly and less dramatically than waxing or shaving hair off.
A turmeric paste or mask is traditionally used for hair removal and for skin remedies. The paste is applied directly on the face for reducing facial hair. It can also be used on other areas of the body.
Make a turmeric paste by combining:
For this recipe, use about one part turmeric powder to about one part water.
A popular recipe for a turmeric paste adds flour. This is meant to help prevent turmeric from staining your skin a light-yellow shade. Try this recipe for a turmeric skin mask:
Another turmeric paste recipe for skin uses only two ingredients:
You can add turmeric oil or curcumin oil to your turmeric mask. This boosts the amount of turmeric chemicals that may help remove hair.
For all of the above recipes, mix the ingredients together until the paste has a consistency of toothpaste. The paste should be wet and grainy, so add more water or liquid if it's too dry. Similarly, add more turmeric powder if the paste is too watery.
A side effect of using turmeric for hair removal is that it can stain your skin. Turmeric has a strong yellow color. Using turmeric paste or turmeric oil may give your skin a slightly yellow or orange stain.
Turmeric stains are temporary.
Wash the area with a mild soap to help remove the yellow coloring. Gently exfoliate the stained skin with a soft, damp towel. Exfoliating removes some of the older skin cells at the top layer of your skin and helps to fade the turmeric staining.
The paste also has a strong scent, which some users find unpleasant.
It is not yet known whether using turmeric paste for hair reduction is better or the same as using turmeric oil or curcuma oil. The amount of turmeric needed and how long it should be used for is also not known.
More research is needed on using turmeric for hair removal. There are several studies on the health benefits of turmeric as a food supplement. There are fewer studies on using turmeric on the skin and using turmeric for hair removal.
Shop for turmeric online.
There isn't definitive data or studies on the best way to use turmeric for hair removal, but you can still try turmeric masks for hair removal and for its skin benefits.