What is apple cider vinegar in skincare?
Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apple juice twice – first to alcohol, then to acetic acid. The result is a liquid of roughly 5 to 6% acetic acid with a pH around 2 to 3, plus trace malic acid and polyphenols.
Its skincare reputation rests on the idea that its acidity restores the skin’s acid mantle and that its antimicrobial action clears acne. Both claims sound reasonable; neither has held up well under testing.
What skin concerns does apple cider vinegar treat?
It is used as a toner, a spot treatment and a soak for eczema. The problem is concentration: undiluted ACV is roughly a hundred times more acidic than skin, and chemical burns from it are well documented in the dermatology literature.
The most direct test was unflattering. A clinical study found apple cider vinegar soaks did not improve skin barrier integrity in atopic dermatitis and caused irritation in most participants, and a companion study found they did not alter the skin bacterial microbiome either.
What ingredients are best paired with apple cider vinegar?
The practical answer is to keep it in the kitchen. If you insist on trying it, dilute heavily – one part vinegar to at least four parts water – patch test, keep it off broken or sensitive skin, and never leave it on overnight.
Everything it is reached for has a better-controlled alternative: lactic or glycolic acid for exfoliation and pH, salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide for acne, and ceramides with niacinamide for barrier repair. Take our Skin Quiz.
What is hormonal acne?
Hormonal acne is acne whose timing and pattern track with hormonal activity rather than with cleansing habits or diet alone. It typically appears along the lower face – jawline, chin and upper neck – as deep, tender papules and cysts that flare on a predictable cycle.
It is most recognisable in adult women, where breakouts often arrive in the week before menstruation and settle again afterwards.
What causes hormonal acne?
Androgens – testosterone and DHT in particular – bind to receptors on the sebaceous gland and increase sebum production. When androgen activity rises or oestrogen falls, oil output climbs and follicles clog more readily.
Menstrual cycles, starting or stopping contraception, pregnancy, perimenopause and PCOS are the usual contexts. Stress raises cortisol, which amplifies the same pathway. Persistent hormonal acne with irregular cycles or excess hair growth is worth investigating medically.
What ingredients are best for hormonal acne?
Retinoids are the most effective topical, because they stop the plug forming regardless of how much oil is being produced. Azelaic acid reduces inflammation and the marks that follow, and niacinamide helps regulate sebum.
Salicylic acid keeps pores clear between flares, and benzoyl peroxide targets bacteria in inflamed lesions. Because hormonal acne is driven from the inside, topicals manage rather than cure it – consistency across the whole cycle beats spot-treating during a flare. Take our Skin Quiz.
