Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Your Face

Apple cider vinegar is a well-liked component in homemade cleansers, toners, and acne spot treatments. Scientific backing for apple cider vinegar in facial care is limited. Always patch-test any new product, including natural remedies, on a small skin area before broader use.

If you’ve spent any time exploring skin care, you’ve likely seen the many applications people attribute to apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) forms when apple cider undergoes fermentation by yeast and beneficial bacteria.

The fermentation produces a substance known as acetic acid, recognized for antibacterial and antifungal activity.

A lot of ACV’s potential effects come from its fruit acids, including acetic acid and malic acid.

Whether your concern is fine lines, breakouts, or a mild sunburn, below are several ways people apply apple cider vinegar to facial skin.

Ways to use apple cider vinegar on your face

There are many DIY skin care formulas that feature apple cider vinegar as a main component.

Below are some methods to incorporate apple cider vinegar into homemade face products. If your skin is sensitive, you may not tolerate every suggestion listed.

ACV face wash

Cleansing your face every day helps remove oil, grime, and other particles. The most effective route to thoroughly clean skin is to use a gentle face wash or cleanser.

Used as a facial cleanser, apple cider vinegar can help remove bacteria and surface debris.

To make a simple natural ACV face wash, combine:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Use this diluted ACV solution to gently cleanse rather than relying on harsh soaps or aggressive chemicals.

ACV toner

The purpose of a toner is to purify and tighten skin, helping shield it from bacteria and pollutants. Apple cider vinegar acts as an astringent and can serve as a toner when applied appropriately.

A basic apple cider vinegar toner recipe:

• 1 part apple cider vinegar
• 2 parts purified water

After cleansing, apply this blend to the face using a cotton pad or ball. You can also place it in a spray bottle to mist the mixture across your skin. If your skin is reactive to certain products, dilute the mixture further before use. For a ready-made alternative, consider an apple cider vinegar toner to simplify your routine.

ACV spot treatment

A spot treatment targets isolated blemishes quickly. To craft an ACV spot remedy, dab a tiny amount onto the pimple with a cotton swab or cotton ball soaked in the vinegar solution.

Because apple cider vinegar has strong antibacterial properties, it may help stop a pimple from fully developing.

Apple cider vinegar face products you can buy

If DIY isn’t your thing, many commercial skin care items include apple cider vinegar as an active ingredient.

Numerous products also use acetic acid to help balance the pH of the formulation.

Below are some options you can find online for cleansing, toning, and treating the skin.

Apple cider vinegar toners

• Made From Earth’s Apple Cider Vinegar Toner w/Organic Apple Juice & Tea Tree Oil

This toner includes apple cider vinegar along with apple juice and tea tree oil. Tea tree oil is commonly used for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic characteristics.

• S.W. Basics’ Skin Care Toner

S.W. Basics lists a short ingredient roster featuring organic apple cider vinegar, witch hazel, and essential oils.

Explore more ACV toners online.

Apple cider vinegar face cleansers

• True Cider’s Gentle Creamy Cleanser

This apple cider vinegar cleanser also contains vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B3, to support healthy skin. The vinegar’s acidity may help balance skin pH while cleansing.

Nature Ski Shop offers a foaming cleanser that combines apple cider vinegar with willow bark, another ingredient valued for anti-inflammatory benefits.

Apple cider vinegar spot treatment

• Hello Cider’s ACV Face Wipes

ACV face wipes are convenient for on-the-go cleansing and make a handy spot treatment when you sense a blemish emerging.

Search online for additional cleansers and ACV wipes.

Common skin care claims about apple cider vinegar

Evidence supporting many popular uses of apple cider vinegar for facial care is sparse; much of the support is anecdotal.

Wrinkles

With age, skin loses elasticity and wrinkles can develop. Preventing premature wrinkles involves consistent skin care.

Apple cider vinegar can be used as a toner, face wash, or spot application.

Using an ACV toner may help tighten the skin and offer some protection from environmental stressors.

Tightening skin cells can also help reinforce the skin and potentially reduce wrinkle formation.

Skin tags

Skin tags are harmless, soft growths that occur on various body areas. While not dangerous, people often seek ways to remove them.

Some at-home approaches use apple cider vinegar with the aim of drying a skin tag so it detaches. There’s no solid research proving ACV removes skin tags, but the risk of serious harm appears low.

Acne

The Mayo Clinic identifies bacteria on skin as a key factor in acne. Bacteria plus oil can clog pores, so lowering skin bacterial load is useful for acne control.

Vinegar has antimicrobial qualities because of its mix of organic acids.

Acetic acid, one of these acids, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit bacterial growth and to disrupt bacterial biofilms.

Given these antimicrobial effects, apple cider vinegar might help reduce acne breakouts when incorporated into a daily regimen.

Sunburn

There’s no proof that apple cider vinegar prevents or cures sunburn. Still, diluted ACV is sometimes used by people for gentle after-sun skin care.

Exfoliation

Exfoliation removes dead skin cells from the surface of the skin, an important step in many skin care routines.

Chemical exfoliation uses acids or other chemicals to slough off dead cells.

Apple cider vinegar contains fruit acids, like malic acid, which can act as a mild chemical exfoliant. Malic acid in ACV may help shed the outermost skin layer.

The bottom line

Apple cider vinegar is a common kitchen staple that’s become popular in skin care for its astringent and antimicrobial attributes.

From DIY face washes to spot treatments for acne, there are multiple ways people use apple cider vinegar on the face. If you try ACV, dilute it appropriately and patch-test first to reduce the chance of irritation.