Skincare Benefits of Kakadu Plum – Why Is Kakadu Plum Good for Skin?
The popularity of superfood has reached the point where we no longer resort to just eating them, but now adding them to our skincare routine! It just so happens that deep in Northern Australia grows an almighty powerhouse of a fruit called the Kakadu plum, which also goes by the name of the Billygoat plum.
Grown without any invention from humans and harvested in an extremely eco-friendly manner that not only protects the habitat of this ancient plum. Used for thousands of years by the native people of Australia for medicinal purposes due to its anti-inflammatory properties, great for helping with headaches and treating colds and flu. There are also the antiseptic properties too, meaning the plum was added to balms to help with wounds.
For a fruit that is no bigger than a large olive, the Kakadu plum packs more vitamin C than you could ever imagine. 3,000mg of vitamin C per 100g fruit, which is a concentrate 50% higher than 100 oranges. Packs a punch for such a small fruit huh? Our skin hugely benefits from vitamin C, but that’s not just the only benefits this supercharged fruit can offer your skin!
For the next part of this article, I want to run through all the benefits of this wonder fruit for you all to have a better understanding of how this unknown ingredient is the miracle your skin’s been missing.
Anti-Ageing Benefits of Kakadu Plum
As previously mentioned, the Kakadu plum is full of vitamin C. This ingredient is known to stimulate the production of collagen in the skin, this allows your face to appear plumped and firm with a more youthful look. The production of the collagen also results in fine lines and wrinkles becoming reduced in appearance.
The complexion is also brightened and any scarring and hyperpigmentation from sun damage or left-over acne scarring become less visible to the eye and lighter in pigmentation.
Is Kakadu Plum Antioxidant Rich?
The Kakadu plum is as rich in antioxidants as vitamin C! Ellagic acid is one of the powerful benefits, it is a strong antioxidant which you will also find in strawberries, walnuts and almonds too. It also just happens to have superior antioxidant abilities that are five times more powerful than blueberries.
Including antioxidants into your regime is hugely powerful due to the fact that antioxidants neutralise unstable molecules know as free radicals. If your skin happens to have an excessive amount of free radicals can harm the skin’s barrier and cause oxidant stress. Antioxidants come and bind the free radicals protecting the cells on your skin against the toxic effects which result in damage. The damage is caused by environmental factors and by this I mean, pollution and overexposure to the sun’s UV rays.
Kakadu Plum Is Naturally Antibacterial
The plum is naturally antibacterial, one of the main reasons it has been used so much by the indigenous people in Northern Australia, the fruit contains two ingredients that make it such a powerful product. Phytochemicals gallic and ellagic acids are both sought after for their antifungal and antibacterial properties.
Gallic acid- is able to kill bacteria and restore the skin’s natural barrier
Ellagic acid- encourages the production of the skin’s elasticity and suppleness
This has meant the extract of the Kakadu plum is ideal for any skincare products formulated to help blemish-prone skin, by fighting the spot producing bacteria and also restoring balance to the overall skin health and appearance.
Kakadu Plum Helps Reduce Redness
Kakadu plum oil extract is deeply soothing for the skin and is able to reduce any irritation and sensitivity your skin may be experiencing.
Due to the fruit containing Gallic acid, which had previously been mentioned, which is a natural anti-inflammatory which calms inflammation and sore skin that is irritated and sensitive. Due to the fact that this is such a natural, botanical ingredient, it is gentle and effective enough to use on a lot of skin types, however, there are some risks to take into consideration when using such a potent extract.
If you have an extremely sensitive skin type, the best thing to do before drowning yourself in products containing Kakadu plum, is to perform a small patch test first of all. This will allow you to see if your skin can handle the strength of the extract. If you happen to have dry and sensitive skin and your patch test has shown no reaction, then the most effective way to gain the benefits is to layer Kakadu products with hyaluronic acid to avoid any potential stinging.
Kakadu Plum Helps Fight Skin Infections
It isn’t just the fruit itself that contains skin benefits, the inner bark of the Kakadu plum tree can be extracted and used to cure many skin disorders and infections.
Due to the antifungal and antiseptic properties, the bark extract is an excellent wound healer! A treatment balm can be used on wounds, sores, boils and many more, including treating the skin conditions such as psoriasis.
Kakadu Plum For Hair Care
It will appear this super fruit helps more areas than you thought. Kakadu plum gives hydration and moisture to the hair and levels of collagen are maintained throughout, which is essential for the hair to remain healthy and grow.
With the moisturisation given to hair, you will find your hair is shiny, healthy-looking with plenty of bounce, frizzy, dry tresses are smoothed out and detangled which notable leads to less breakage to the hair and keeps it remaining thick and strong.
It’s amazing to think this incredibly plum, smaller than a kiwi, found on the other side of the world could quite possibly be the answers to our skin prays. With all the benefits and skin-saving ingredients in such a high concentrate, it’s a wonder we haven’t discovered it sooner. Thinking about it though, in a way, the harvesting and growing of this fruit are so wonderfully sustainable, it makes it just that little bit more precious, in a place that has so much history and culture! There has been an increase in the popularity of A-beauty (that means Australian Beauty don’t you know) the ethos and attitude backing A-beauty is one of simplicity and a laidback approach to beauty and skincare, the polar opposite to the better know K-beauty, which consists of a complicated 10 step skincare routine.
Natural, effective ingredients are an important factor, which will probably explain the popularity of the Kakadu plum in products, due to the fact it’s at its most effective and fully active when at its most pure and natural state.
So there is a little more information for this bush harvested wonder, without a witchetty grub in sight!
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
