Why you should include apple cider vinegar as part of your beauty essentials

Apple cider vinegar can replace your toner, your mask, your anti-aging product and even your conditioner. Photo: AFP

There's no need to spend a fortune on all kinds of beauty products, since apple cider vinegar is full of benefits for skin and hair.

A basic ingredient in many time-old beauty recipes, it can soothe sensitive skin, make hair shinier and rid oily skin of impurities.

Known for giving a tangy touch to summer salads, and for relieving certain digestive problems, apple cider vinegar is perhaps less known for its skin benefits.

However, it's certainly not lacking on that front, and can be used to deal with many skin and hair woes at minimal cost. So for anyone with sensitive, oily or mature skin, or even dull hair, apple cider vinegar is made for you.

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Antibacterial properties

Primarily composed of water, apple cider vinegar is nonetheless rich in nutrients, organic acids and mineral salts, which give it a thousand and one virtues for the skin.

It is also a powerful antibacterial agent that helps rid the skin of impurities (pollution, makeup) while fighting against blackheads and other blemishes. On top of that, it purifies the skin and reduces the appearance of enlarged pores, providing a clearer, brighter complexion.

Apple cider vinegar can be used as a lotion or toner to tackle all these problems.

In the morning and evening, after removing your makeup and cleansing your skin, simply apply it to a cotton wool pad and sweep it over your face. Note that it's better to dilute the vinegar with a little water, or to buy a vinegar-based lotion or toner directly, so as not to harm sensitive skin.

Soothing and anti-aging

Rich in beta-carotene, and therefore in antioxidants, apple cider vinegar is also an ally for mature and tired skin, especially since it promotes cell renewal. As such, it's perhaps no surprise that this vinegar has often been compared to an elixir of youth in the past.

Used regularly, it could help reduce wrinkles, fine lines and other signs of aging, while considerably improving the appearance of skin.

Apple cider vinegar is also a must-have during the summer season, soothing itching caused by insect bites – especially mosquitoes – and acting as a repellent.

While it has long been considered a time-old remedy for sunburn, in this case, it's better to seek the advice of a medical professional, as cider vinegar can aggravate the most serious burns.

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Healthy, shiny hair

Apple cider vinegar has many benefits for hair. Not content with being the number one enemy of limescale, thanks to its acidic pH, it also smooths and tightens the cuticle to make hair stronger and shinier.

Once again, it's best to dilute the product with water, rather than pouring the bottle of apple cider vinegar directly onto your hair.

If the smell of this beauty must-have can put some people off, its many and varied virtues should soon win over anyone who's yet to try it. – AFP Relaxnews