Well known in kitchens, apple cider vinegar is also installed in our bathrooms and our beauty routine. If his ability to make hair shine is no longer confidential, its virtues on the skin are still nebulous for many of us. Focus on its beauty properties for our epidermis and five ways to use it to display beautiful skin.
We know it is good for health, able to beautify our hair by making it very shiny and even to treat some of our scalp problems, but apple cider vinegar is also a smart natural care for the skin. This grandmother’s remedy is also used on the skin of the face as well as that of the body to make us a pretty skin. It is therefore far from being an ingredient reserved for our culinary recipes and is even readily included in our home care recipes!
But in which cases can it really be used? Let’s review its beauty properties for the epidermis and discover the good ways to integrate it into your skincare routine, as well as our tips for using it safely.
What is apple cider vinegar?
As its name, which recalls the alcoholic drink popular with Bretons and Normans suggests, apple cider vinegar is a vinegar made from apples. Apple cider vinegar also has a long name that expresses its origin very clearly because it is also called apple cider vinegar. The name of this fruit vinegar also refers to its manufacturing process which is close to that of cider because it is produced, like the latter, from fermented apple juice. But instead of being satisfied with a fermentation which gives rise to cider to drink at the table with the pancakes, the cider vinegar goes through a second fermentation during which the alcohol it contains is then transformed into acetic acid, a substance with disinfectant and moisturizing properties. This is what makes apple cider vinegar no longer an alcoholic drink but becomes a vinegar, and at the same time a real beauty treatment.
Rich in minerals and trace elements like potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium, apple cider vinegar also contains amino acids, antioxidant polyphenols, vitamins good for the skin (especially vitamins A, B and C), as well as exfoliating enzymes. It is therefore able to offer a gentle exfoliation, to hydrate and protect the skin, but also to purify and soothe it if necessary. No wonder then that it has made a place for itself in beauty routines and that we want to adopt it for these various benefits on our skin.
How to use apple cider vinegar on the skin?
As we told you previously, apple cider vinegar can be used both on the body and on the face to pamper your skin because it is ultimately a fairly gentle natural treatment with the epidermis. Indeed, even if apple vinegar is an acidic treatment, the skin is naturally acidic too. This vinegar therefore has in itself a pH rather suitable for the skin (provided it is used correctly as we will see now) because the skin must remain acidic in order to be balanced and in good health, and not present any skin problem.
But before you rush to apply apple cider vinegar to your face or any other area of your body in search of a perfect epidermis, know that apple cider vinegar should not be used pure on the skin, however. It must be diluted beforehand in water before application to reduce its acidity because it can also cause irritation and burns on the epidermis when it is used pure (and therefore improperly). Indeed, it is a treatment that must be used with caution so that it only reveals benefits. Keep in mind that it is better to dilute it generously, by mixing an amount of apple cider vinegar in the same amount of water minimum to avoid any risk. It is also important to apply it to healthy and uninjured skin, that is to say not to small cuts or wounds because its acidity would make the application unpleasant or even painful, and the vinegar could then weaken your skin even more. damaged skin.
In case of sensitive or reactive skin, and especially if you plan to use it on the face, do not hesitate to do a test on a very small area of skin to see the effects of apple cider vinegar on your fragile skin and to be able to see clearly whether or not yours tolerates this apple cider vinegar well. This is the best way to be sure that you can use it without worry over a larger area or the entire face without fear of unpleasant surprises.
Good to know : if like all vinegars, apple cider vinegar has an acidic odor that some find unpleasant, it quickly fades.
The different ways to use apple cider vinegar on the skin
Since it is at the same time soothing, hydrating, purifying and antioxidant, apple cider vinegar can be suitable for many skin types regardless of their concerns, and can quickly find its place in your beauty routine. Here is more precisely how to use it:
As an anti-pimple lotion for the face
Apple cider vinegar is one of those natural treatments that are perfect for cleansing oily skin prone to pimples. It allows to clean the pores effectively but gently, to disinfect the small buttons so that they heal more quickly and to rebalance the skin to put an end to the excess of sebum and the imperfections that it creates. More precisely, it reveals a double action, both exfoliating and antiseptic, which is ideal for purifying problem skin, drying out unsightly pimples and even helping to fight acne. All this while also offering a significant anti-inflammatory action when the imperfections are red and the skin is irritated. Its astringent power also allows it to tighten dilated pores to limit the appearance of blackheads, and its exfoliating properties prevent the appearance of residual traces left by imperfections. Used regularly on the face, as a tonic lotion, it can therefore help restore clear skin.
Rest assured, if you wish to make use of it, then it is very easy to concoct your face lotion made from homemade apple cider vinegar because it suffices to dilute a tablespoon of apple vinegar in the equivalent of half a glass of lukewarm water before applying the lotion to your face and leaving it on for a quarter of an hour. Then rinse off the lotion with clean water.
If you want to use it a little less diluted so that it dries your pimples more effectively, we advise you to favor a local application by directly dabbing the vinegar diluted in water on the imperfections using a cotton swab.
As an anti-aging tonic on the face
Thanks to its richness in polyphenols (powerful antioxidants that protect the epidermis), apple cider vinegar is also an ally for mature skin. It would fight against natural skin aging and tone facial skin when used frequently. In short, it would be able to help us keep the skin firm and delay the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles to display youthful skin for longer. Another advantage: it would also prevent the appearance of pigment spots (which are more frequent with age) thanks to its gentle exfoliating action which gives radiance to all skin types and at all ages.
To benefit from these anti-aging benefits, apple cider vinegar-based lotion is again the preferred option because it is easy to make, use and integrate into your current skincare routine. A simple tablespoon of apple cider vinegar diluted in half a glass of lukewarm water will indeed serve as an anti-aging face treatment on a daily basis.
Diluted in bath water to benefit from its various benefits on the body
If the bath is a moment conducive to relaxation, it is also a perfect treatment to pamper the skin of the body as a whole and very easily. Apple cider vinegar is also readily available in bath water to hydrate, purify and soften the skin in addition to preserving its beauty. Just add one to two cups of apple cider vinegar in the tub, bathe for about 20 minutes before rinsing off and you’re done! Thus used, this natural ingredient can even be of great comfort to people prone to eczema and psoriasis thanks to its soothing properties.
As a soothing treatment to relieve minor overheating caused by the sun
We hear a lot about apple cider vinegar as an ideal after-sun treatment to refresh UV-burnt skin. It is true that it reveals cooling and calming effects which can indeed be useful when your skin is slightly heated after exposure, that it has reddened and it feels tight, because it will then calm the unpleasant sensations.
But this use of apple cider vinegar remains limited because it is better to turn to milder solutions in case of more serious sunburn. Far from being a miracle cure, apple cider vinegar also unveils exfoliating effects and an acidity that will not be the most tender in case of really sunburned skin. We therefore advise you to only use the cider vinegar trick for minor skin overheating associated with low intensity exposure, and to favor ultra-gentle care in the event of real sunburn. If you want to treat your sunburn with a natural care, opt instead for aloe vera gel soothing, ultra hydrating and repairing which does not risk worsening the case of your skin!
As an SOS treatment against insect bites
If you have been bitten by a mosquito or other small beast and the bite is not serious but itches, apple cider vinegar can also be of great help to prevent itching and worsening the reaction due to of its anti-inflammatory properties.
A drop of vinegar diluted in a drop of water then applied by massage on the insect bite and the itching should quickly disappear. No more unsightly redness associated with compulsive scratching and skin swollen by irritation!
What apple cider vinegar for the skin?
As with all natural ingredients used as cosmetics, apple cider vinegar intended for skin application must be chosen with the greatest care. The ideal is to select an organic apple cider vinegar – which is therefore from organic farming – because this ensures that your beauty vinegar has been produced without the use of chemicals (such as pesticides) that could leave traces in vinegar, and not be well tolerated by your skin.
Another tip to make sure you are getting a quality apple cider vinegar rich in active ingredients that are good for the skin: carefully observe the appearance of apple cider vinegar in the bottle you want before buying it. If there is a cloudy deposit a little thick in the bottle, it is a good sign! This is the “mother” of vinegar, a deposit that actually indicates that vinegar is rich in nutrients. Organic cider vinegars from artisanal production and unpasteurized are therefore generally good for pampering your skin.
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The virtues of apple cider vinegar:
Elodie Le Gall
Passionate about writing and beauty, Elodie swaps her lipstick for her laptop to find the best in makeup, hairstyle and skincare trends, and professional tips …