Apples are one of the favorite fruits of many people because of their delicious taste. Apples are rich in nutrients and beneficial for the health of the body. It turns out that in addition to its health benefits, apples are also useful for beauty treatments, especially apple cider vinegar.
In general, apples can increase your levels of vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, which can help your body produce collagen. Apples also contain many other nutrients such as copper, a mineral that contains melanin that can help protect the skin from UV rays, and vitamin A which is good for the skin.
The best way to get maximum beauty benefits from this fruit is to use apple cider vinegar in your skin care.
What is apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar / apple cider vinegar is made by crushing and squeezing apples, to produce apple cider. Then the apple cider is added to the bacteria and yeast which causes this liquid to ferment.
Jackie Cochran, Executive Sous Chef at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Stowe, Vermont (United States) explains that this process converts the sugar found in apples into alcohol. Then the second fermentation process that converts alcohol into vinegar.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Face and Hair
While most people use apple cider vinegar for cooking purposes, such as making salads, it turns out that it also doubles up as an efficient and inexpensive product for the care of your skin, face and hair.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Health and Beauty
1. Soothes and exfoliates the skin
“The anti-inflammatory properties of apple cider vinegar can soothe the skin. While acetic acid can soften the skin,” explains Dendy Engelman, MD, director of skin surgery at Metropolitan Hospital in New York City.
“Apple cider vinegar contains alpha hydroxy acids that are able to remove the buildup of dead skin and give birth to new healthy skin cells,” he added.
How to use: Mix apple cider vinegar with water, because concentrated apple cider vinegar can cause skin inflammation, so it must be diluted with water. So, to get the benefits of apple cider vinegar to soothe the skin, an easy solution is to pour it directly into your bath. In a regular-sized bath, add one cup of apple cider vinegar to warm water. You can soak for 15-20 minutes to absorb into your skin. Or it could be just soaking certain parts of your skin that need treatment.
The usefulness of this method is that it can help balance the pH of the skin, reduce oil levels and also prevent it from being too dry.
2. Eliminate dandruff
You can also use apple cider vinegar for your hair. In fact, it is very effective against dandruff.
“Dandruff is basically the body’s inflammatory response to high levels of yeast that can grow on your scalp,” explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital’s Dermatology section in New York. “Apple cider vinegar helps lower the amount of yeast that grows on your scalp, which in turn, helps protect your hair against dandruff.”
How to use: Mix apple cider vinegar and water with a 1:1 composition in a bowl. Then apply to your hair and scalp before shampooing.
If you don’t like the strong smell, you can put this mixture in an old shampoo bottle, because it has been mixed with the smell of the former shampoo, the strong smell of this apple cider vinegar mixture will be disguised.
3. Overcoming acne problems
As explained by Dr. Engelman, apple cider vinegar has three powerful benefits as a strong antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agent, it makes it able to fight acne-causing bacteria.
The way it works is by reducing the level of acne-causing bacteria and exfoliating dead skin cells on your face.
In addition, the benefits of apple cider vinegar can also help treat or prevent blemishes on the face.
How to use: Use a cotton swab to apply to the jawline before the cheeks to make sure the skin doesn’t feel like it’s “burning.” If a reaction occurs (redness, burning, itching after five minutes) then discontinue use. Otherwise, apply a thin layer all over the face and away from the eye area.
4. Reduce oil on the face
Apple cider vinegar works as a natural astringent, removing dust, oil and dirt with a cotton swab.
“Once you apply it to your skin with a washcloth, your skin will feel smoother and that will help reduce fine lines. In addition, it also helps absorb excess oil on the facial skin. According to Lily Talakoub, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center in McLean, Virginia.
How to use: Moisten a cotton ball with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water (one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar for every two cups of water). Apply all over the face, avoiding the eye area.
With the right dilution, apple cider vinegar won’t cause any irritation and will leave your skin feeling refreshed.
5. Neutralize odor
“The acid in apple cider vinegar will change the pH level of your skin, which fights bacteria and neutralizes odors,” explains Dr. Engelman. Believe it or not, because of its antiseptic properties, apple cider vinegar can prevent foot odor.
How to use: Mix 1/4 apple cider vinegar with 3/4 water in a bowl, soak the feet for a few moments to absorb, then rinse with fresh water.
6. Relieves sunburned skin
Since apple cider vinegar can restore the pH level of your skin, it quickly works to repair some of the damage caused by overexposure to the sun.
How to use: Mix apple cider vinegar and water in a bowl. You can soak the burned area directly, or you can also rub the area with a rag.
If problems like acne and dandruff haven’t gone away with these benefits of apple cider vinegar, visit a board-certified dermatologist for prescription options tailored to your skin’s needs.
That’s the above discussion about the benefits of apple cider vinegar for health and beauty. Hope it is useful!
