Apple cider vinegar has become one of the darlings of natural skincare. With purported benefits like brighter, clearer skin, can you really blame anyone for risking smelling like a salad dressing if it means better skin? We've definitely done weirder things in the name of beauty. Even skincare experts agree that this fermented liquid can do great things for your skin. "Apple Cider Vinegar is not only famous as your favorite salad dressing and as a fat-melting elixir," says Michele Green, a board certified dermatologist based in New York City.
Because it can be found in your kitchen, the pantry staple may seem innocuous to try in a DIY skincare recipe. But before you go pouring the bottle all over your face, find out what dermatologists and skin experts have to say about the potential benefits and side effects as well as the best way to apply apple cider vinegar (hint: pouring the bottle all over your face is not recommended).
- Type of ingredient: Exfoliator
- Potential benefits: Balances pH, chemically exfoliates, and antibacterial.
- Who should use it: In general, people with oily and acneic skin.
- How often can you use it: The use of apple cider vinegar depends on what product and concentration you're using it in.
- Works well with: Anti-inflammatories.
- Don’t use with: Other acids, retinoids.
What is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar (aka ACV) is derived from apples and made by a process of fermentation. It comes in a liquid form and when used topically, it's commonly applied as a toner but can also act as a spot treatment. "[Apple cider vinegar] naturally has an acidic pH and can help balance the pH of the outer skin layer," says Joshua Zeichner, MD, Mount Sinai Hospital director of cosmetic and clinical research. As a vinegar, it contains acetic acid, which has antibacterial and keratolytic properties, and it also contains malic acid, a gentle chemical exfoliant.
Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar for Skin
Although there's not enough scientific evidence to support most of the claims made about apple cider vinegar, in theory, its properties could potentially provide the following skin benefits:
Because the chemical exfoliant malic acid is more mild than most AHAs, Green notes that it's suitable for all skin types—just make sure to patch test any new products on your skin beforehand. Other components of apple cider vinegar can be irritating and drying to the skin, and studies show the acetic acid found in apple cider vinegar can cause chemical burns.4 An easy way to avoid this is just to dilute the formula more than is recommended if it ends up being too harsh.
Apple cider vinegar is very strong and, as we mentioned, can cause chemical burns. For this reason, it should always be diluted with water first before applying it to the skin—generally, a ratio of one part apple cider vinegar to four parts water.
Like many, Sophia Roe, a natural-beauty expert, holistic chef, and member of The Vitamin Shoppe Wellness Council, recommends using it as a toner. "It’s a beauty product–saturated world we live in," Roe explains, "So many are using multiple cleansers, masks, etc. Over time, this can disrupt the skin's natural defenses." Once that happens, you open your skin up to things like breakouts and dry skin. "Using ACV as a quick toner is a great way to restore the skin's natural defenses, remove excess dirt, and helps fight against acne,” she says.
Cosmetic chemist Ginger King, CEO of Grace Kingdom Beauty, concurs. "It's been used as a toner due to its acidity," she says, "and dilution is recommended, especially for sensitive skin."
"Apple cider vinegar is remarkable at fighting acne-causing bacteria and helps to reduce the appearance of both pimples and scars," Valerie Grandury, founder of Odacité, says. Her recommendation is to use it as an overnight spot treatment by mixing a bit of it with a powder mask like Odacité Synergie Immediate Skin Perfecting Mask ($64) until it forms a poultice, then applying it to your blemish and leaving it on overnight.