“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is a popular saying. But beyond eating the fruit, apple for skin care is becoming a trend.
If you are the type that will love to try, it is okay to know if apple really has compounds that are great for your skin.
How safe is it to use apple on every part of your skin?
Recently, we have seen different skincare companies offer products that contain apple extracts.
Indeed, apple is rich in nutrients that are beneficial to your health. From gut health to lowering the risk of diabetes and stroke.
Apples are rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids. Both are two components often found in fruits.
Apple For Skin Care: The Benefits
Interestingly, there are studies on these compounds in apple and their benefits and some of the findings leave us with information on how apple benefits your skin.
For instance, your face. Do you have acne, or other skin issues? Apple could just be your go-to solution.
Apple is said to be great for your facial skin because it supports healthy aging, exfoliates your facial skin very nicely and reduces acne.
Also, apple can hydrate your skin and brighten it.
Anti-aging Effect Of Apple For Skin Care
In 2019, researchers looked at how plant phenolic compounds can protect the skin from Airborne Particulate Matter (PM).
Indeed, your skin is directly exposed to the polluted atmospheric environment. This situation could cause skin ageing.
It is the reason people have skin diseases, such as atopic dermatitis and acne vulgaris.
The study says these diseases can be induced or exacerbated by airborne particulate matter (PM).
But their findings show that the extracts and phenolic compounds derived from many plants, such as cocoa, green tea, grape, pomegranate, and some marine algae, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on PM-exposed cells (1).
While this is an amazing finding, applying apply the wrong way on your face could give negative result.
We will share with you, the ideal way to apply apple on your facial skin to give you the needed result.
Basically, some flavonoids in apple are catechins, flavanols and quercetin.
These are antioxidants that are able to arrest free radicals and stop them from causing any harm. This same function, they perform on your skin when you apply products that contain them.
People in Africa that have high exposure to ultraviolet (UV) could explore apple for skin care.
Apples Can Keep Skin Hydrated
Apple contains water that can keep your skin hydrated when applied on it. It has a good amount of vitamin E which is also amazing for your skin.
In 2006, a study found that apple has water-binding properties.
This, they said, could help keep your skin nourished and hydrated (2).
Removes Skin Dullness
Most importantly, one of the ways you can use apple on your skin is by exploring apple cider vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apple and this liquid often contains acetic acid and citric acid.
According to a 2021 study, acetic acid contains antioxidant properties that protect the skin from infection (3).
On the other hand, citric acid also works as exfoliating agent on your skin.
If you have used apple cider vinegar to clean any surface before, you will notice how well it wipes off dirt.
When you add some apple cider vinegar to your bathing water, you will notice how well it washes off the dull outer layer (dead skin cells) of your skin.
Apple Can Help Treat Acne
This is also another thing that apple cider vinegar could do.
Recently, few members of our healthy mums community tried this and it gave them a positive result.
Our decision to recommend apple cider vinegar is from a 2018 study.
In that study, researchers found that citric acid which is in apple cider vinegar may also be helpful in reducing inflammation like acne (4).
While this is helpful, it is okay to note that too much of this solution on your skin could irritate the skin.
How To Use Apple For Skin Care
For facial mask and other facial treatments, raw apples are your best bet. They are not highly acidic like apple cider vinegar.
For acne, you can mash the apple and whip with whipping cream or coconut oil then apply on your face.
Have You Read: 7 Common Natural Anti-Ageing Solutions For Your Skin
Remember that apple contains vitamin E which while help keep your facial skin soft and tender.
Also, the juice will further help keep the skin firm while maintaining the natural pH level of your skin.
If you want to use apple cider vinegar, we recommend you add few drops of it in a cotton wool and gently apply on the affected area.
Bear in mind that the darker the skin of the apple, the more antioxidants it contains. Red apples contain more antioxidants.
Green apples, however, are a better source of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K.
Kindly share this article with your friends and loved ones to help them know the best way to use apple for skin care.