Apple cider vinegar on spots?

I’m all about experimenting and trying new hacks and remedies  when it comes to skincare so I thought I’d share a new spot remedy that I’ve been using for a couple of months and has worked well for me.

I had heard briefly that apple cider vinegar could be used to treat acne ,and  I assumed this to be some sort of myth . But nonetheless, curious as I was, I decided to just give it a go.

So the next time I got a breakout I soaked a cotton wool ball in apple cider vinegar and applied it to the spots on my face – within 24-72  hours they had either disappeared or had reduced significantly in size.

To be sure this was legit and not some sort of fluke, I stopped using my usual spot gel and instead used the vinegar whenever i got any spots, and  months later I can officially say it was working well on my skin.

So why is apple cider vinegar (ACV) known to be so effective on spots?

Well after doing some research I discovered that it plays a key role in restoring the natural acidity of our skin which is often disrupted in acne. This helps protect the skin from bacteria and pollution, and contributes to the antibacterial properties of the ACV.

It also help detoxify the skin and draw out any dirt and impurities whilst having an anti-oxidant effect due to the presence of beta carotene, which protect the skin against damage cause be free radicals.

How I apply ACV:

1. Once I’m back home for the day, I remove any make-up with Garnier Micellar water
2. I then pour some ACV (into a small cup and dilute with an equal amount of water to create a solution ratio of one part ACV and one part water. The ratio you use is totally up to you and dependent on you skin type.  If you’re unsure I would recommend you add much more water than this to make a more diluted solution and then gradually make it more concentrated with each use to see how your skin tolerates it.
3. Using cotton wool I apply the ACV to the affected areas on my face and leave for 30 minutes to a good number of hours. However if you’ve never used it before it’s probably best to leave it on for only 10-20 minutes and then gradually increasing the time , just to build your skins tolerance to it.
4. Finally, I wash my face and continue with my evening skincare routine.

This is just how I usually apply ACV , but there are many different ways to incorporate it into your personal skincare routine so definitely do some online research on how other people use it so you can decide what method you want to use.

Also, be sure to use organic ACV. The one I use is ‘Aspall’, but ‘Bragg organic ACV with the mother’ is also a popular brand that many people use for this purpose.

Now for the precautions:

I personally wouldn’t recommend this for anyone with dry or sensitive skin, but if you do want to give it a go, apply it very lightly and use a highly dilute solution.

Don’t soak your face in it. The vinegar is acidic so it will sting . Once I applied so much that it completely dried out my skin for a good couple of days, which was rather unpleasant!

I use this for mild to moderate acne breakouts,  so if you suffer from severe acne then be careful  and use a high dilution.

Hope you found this a useful and  interesting read. It might not work for everyone, but I’d say it’s worth a try if other remedies haven’t been working for you.

Let me know in the comments whether you’ve tried it and how it worked for you, and do share any other natural skincare remedies that you’ve used.

Love

CJ x

Disclaimer: I am no skincare professional, I am simply sharing what works for myself in the hope that it might be useful to someone else reading this. So if you have any doubts do consult a skincare professional and do your research.