Turmeric is a mustard-yellow spice commonly used to flavor Indian cuisine, but it's also used as herbal medicine. Scientists say its active ingredient, curcumin, may offer a range of benefits, some of which pertain to your skin. However, researchers only have animal and test-tube studies to go on. It's necessary to duplicate the results in well-designed human trials to know whether turmeric has skin benefits. The amounts used in studies are higher than typical dietary consumption and are similar to supplemental doses.