Rose gets the romance. Frankincense gets the luxury. Turmeric usually gets a place next to the cumin.
Yet this earthy little root is in every single Olive & Joyce face cream, and I think it’s time it had a little more attention.
Most of us know turmeric as the golden spice that brings warmth to a curry and leaves a lasting impression on a tea towel. However, its story stretches far beyond the kitchen, through generations of South Asian beauty rituals, Ayurvedic traditions and botanical skincare.
It’s one of my favourite ingredients to work with, so let me tell you a little more about what goes into your jar.
A Golden Root With a Rich History
Turmeric comes from Curcuma longa, a plant in the ginger family. Beneath its rather ordinary-looking exterior is that unmistakable golden colour. Technically, the part we use is an underground stem called a rhizome, although “golden root” does sound considerably more inviting.
In traditional skincare, turmeric has long been valued for helping to soothe troubled skin and encourage a brighter-looking complexion. It also features in pre-wedding haldi ceremonies in parts of South Asia, where turmeric paste forms part of a celebration rich in family and cultural meaning.
I love discovering the stories behind the plants I use. They remind me that caring for our skin with botanical ingredients has a history far older than the latest skincare trend.
Why Turmeric Gets So Much Attention
You’ll often hear turmeric mentioned in conversations about joint health, but it has an equally fascinating place in skincare.
The plant contains compounds studied for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, qualities that explain much of the interest surrounding turmeric and skin.
Antioxidants help counter oxidative stress, including the kind associated with everyday exposure to sunlight and pollution. Inflammation, meanwhile, is involved in many familiar skin concerns, including the redness and swelling that can accompany blemishes.
Alongside this scientific interest sits turmeric’s traditional reputation for bringing radiance to dull-looking skin. Soothing care and a brighter-looking complexion: it’s easy to understand why this plant has held people’s attention for so long.
The Turmeric I Put in Your Jar
Turmeric earns its place in every single Olive & Joyce face cream, inspired by its traditional use for soothing troubled skin and encouraging a brighter, more radiant-looking complexion. Those qualities, alongside the plant’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, are what first draw me to turmeric as a skincare ingredient.
I use turmeric essential oil, steam-distilled from the plant’s underground stems, with a beautifully warm, earthy, woody aroma. It has a different composition from turmeric powder and curcumin extracts, so I choose it for its own character within the complete blend.
Combined with nourishing oils and butters, it forms part of the formula I create to moisturise, soften and care for your skin. For me, it brings together botanical tradition and thoughtful formulation, with a little earthy warmth in every jar. The spice jar, however, stays firmly in the kitchen.
Different Creams, One Shared Favourite
Every face cream I make has its own personality. The oils, butters and aromatic blends vary, but turmeric runs through them all.
That’s one of the pleasures of formulating: I get see how an ingredient fits into different combinations, how its aroma mingles with the other oils and how the finished blend feels on the skin.
A lovely cream depends on that whole combination. The richness, texture and scent all contribute to the experience, along with the moisturising care your skin receives.
Turmeric is one of the ingredients connecting those different blends, quietly holding its own alongside some rather more glamorous botanical names.
Why This Approach Matters to Me
My own experience with hyperpigmentation changed the way I thought about skincare. I know the frustration of looking in the mirror and immediately noticing the thing you wish would disappear, followed by the temptation to buy whatever promises the quickest answer.
It’s an exhausting way to feel about your face.
Creating Olive & Joyce gave me a way to put my energy into something more nurturing. I wanted simple routines, nourishing ingredients and products that made caring for your skin feel like a pleasure.
Traditional botanical knowledge is part of that inspiration, alongside the thought and precision involved in making each blend. Turmeric has become a familiar favourite within that work, and an ingredient I’m always happy to introduce people to.
Fancy Trying Turmeric for Yourself?
I use turmeric powder in my homemade aquafaba and turmeric face mask, and it hasn’t stained my skin. A little goes a long way, though, and using too much can leave a temporary yellow tint. Gentle oil cleansing can help lift that from your skin, but your towels or favourite blouse? I can make no promises about those!
Turmeric essential oil needs a little more care and should never be applied undiluted to the skin. In my creams, it’s already blended into the finished formula, ready for you to enjoy.
A homemade turmeric mask might sound tempting, but the powder can stain and DIY mixtures can irritate. Your best towel may also have some fairly strong objections.
Turmeric essential oil is concentrated and should never be applied directly to the skin undiluted. In my creams, it’s incorporated as part of the finished formulation, so there’s no need to add anything extra.
Keep your skincare simple, patch test new products and pay attention to how your skin feels.
A Little Appreciation for Turmeric
The next time you open your Olive & Joyce face cream, spare a thought for the turmeric inside: a plant with a rich cultural history, a distinctive earthy character and a place in every blend I make.
It may spend much of its life being associated with dinner, but in my formulation cupboard, it’s an essential.
Did you know turmeric was in every Olive & Joyce face cream? I’d love to hear whether you’ve used it in your skincare, your cooking, or both. Leave me a comment below.