5 Beauty Benefits Of Apple Cider Vinegar

Ever wondered just how good apple cider vinegar benefits for your skin and hair are? Is it myth or is there really some science behind it?

From apple cider vinegar hair rinse to acne help and first aid remedies - it's impressive. ACV is an incredibly cost-effective way of enhancing your beauty arsenal.An important reminder is that apple cider vinegar is strongly acidic so should be diluted before you apply. Your skin has a delicate pH balance of around 5.5, which can be easily disrupted, particularly through skincare (however all of Odylique's organic skincare is pH balanced to skin)!

There are numerous suggestions on line as to what dilutions of apple cider vinegar to water should be used, ranging from using it neat to a 1:5 ratio.

* Face Toner

The most important beauty benefit of apple cider vinegar is its ability to restore your skin’s pH. Your skin is covered by a protective layer called the acid mantle which has a pH of 4.5 – 5.5. This delicate mantle can be disturbed simply by water (pH 7) as well as some shampoos and soaps. A damaged acid mantle allows in bacteria, pollution and leads to moisture loss and free radical damage. So by re-balancing your skin’s pH with a gently acidic toner after cleansing, you can help prevent a lot of skin problems from rashes to dry skin and breakouts.

* Brightening Skin Toner

If your skin is dull, there's an interesting twist on the standard apple cider vinegar toner using aspirin. Jillee of One Good Thing by Jillee suggests adding five dispersible or crushed aspirin tablets to an ACV and water toner. The salicylic acid in the aspirin does a little peeling and gives a brightening effect.

Take care on sensitive skin though - if you have especially sensitive skin, we recommend trying an organic toner to avoid any irritation.

* Sensitive Skin Soothing Vitamin Rich Toner

Substitute some organic aloe vera juice for the water in your toner mixture.

This will boost the standard apple cider vinegar benefits, creating an amino acid and vitamin powerpack that not only balances the skin’s pH, but is soothing for sensitive skin.

Alternatively, boil some water with calming garden herbs – like chamomile or calendula flowers and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture and let the flower infused water cool before adding it in place of regular water to your mixture. The calendula flowers will soothe and add to the already present beta-carotene in the ACV which counteracts damage caused by free radicals.

* Detox Toner For Oily Skin

Another great apple cider vinegar benefit is that it naturally helps to balance sebum production and remove excess oil from the skin.

For an extra helping hand on oily skin, replace some of the water in your toner blend with other astringent or detoxifying ingredients like witch hazel and green tea (you can brew up a bag of green tea and use entirely instead of the water).

This is a great as regular treatment (3 times per week) if you have a tendency to acne or breakouts.Cider vinegar also contains malic acid (antiseptic and antibacterial properties) which give additional spot prevention power.

* Deep Pore Detoxifying Treatment Mask

ACV benefits the skin via its A and B vitamins, enzymes, mineral salts and amino acids.

It also contains powerful alpha hydroxy acids to help remove dead skin cells, increase blood flow to the skin and minimize pores, revealing a fresher and healthier complexion.

By applying apple cider vinegar as a mask you’ll get a powerful deep cleanse and give your skin more of a chance to reap the beneficial nutrients.

Mix equal parts of apple cider vinegar and fuller’s earth or green clay (less ACV if you have sensitive skin!) and add 1 teaspoon of honey to it. Apply this on the skin and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. This detoxifying, deep pore treatment will cleanse your skin to remove dirt and bacteria.