Ah, the pomegranate! It’s been used for centuries in still life paintings, it adds a tart, crunchy flavor to salads, and it’s even thought to help with your overall health. But did you know it’s also fabulous for your skin? Yes, that mysterious but extraordinarily beautiful fruit performs a multitude of functions when it comes to keeping your skin healthy and looking its best. For that reason, in this article, we’ll talk about what pomegranate fruit extract is, pomegranate skin benefits, and how to use pomegranate fruit extract in your skincare routine.
IN A NUTSHELL
Ingredient Category: Antioxidant.
Main Benefit: Full of antioxidants like vitamin C, pomegranate fruit extract is known primarily for its ability to protect the skin from environmental stressors.
Find It In: Prince Charcoal Detox Mask.
What is Pomegranate Fruit Extract?
Derived from the medieval Latin pomum (apple) and granatum (seeded), pomegranates are known for their beautiful, red-purplish color and come from small trees and shrubs. When cracked open, they contain dozens of little berries. When those little berries are taken from the shell of the pomegranate and pressed, they produce the extract that’s used in skin care products.
Pomegranate Fruit Extract Skin Benefits
Like a lot of fruit-based extracts, pomegranate fruit extract has a myriad of benefits for skin when applied topically in a skincare product. Here are a few of the fabulous benefits pomegranate fruit extract offers:
- It contains antioxidants - Antioxidants are one of the best defenses against aging, as they help to protect the skin from environmental stressors. Pomegranates are full of antioxidants – including vitamin C.
- It has a calming effect on the skin - Antioxidants are known for having a gentle effect on the skin and for their ability to relieve discomfort.
- It has anti-aging properties - Again, due to the high antioxidant content of pomegranates, it works to help diminish wrinkles and dark spots.
- It is great for sun bunnies - Pomegranate fruit extract is said to help minimize the appearance of dark spots to promote healthy looking skin.
- It helps improve skin tone - One of the things pomegranate fruit extract contains is a fatty acid called punicic acid. Punicic acid is thought to help even out skin tone, which is one reason why we’ve included it our Prince Charcoal detox mask.
How to Use Pomegranate Fruit Extract
While you can take pomegranate fruit extract in a tablet form or simply eat a few pomegranates, to get the full benefits for skin, we recommend using pomegranate fruit extract topically. Whether you go the DIY route or use pomegranate fruit extract in an already existing product, there are a lot of great options.
Use pomegranate fruit extract as an oil
You can easily DIY a pomegranate oil by scooping out the seeds (officially called arils) and heating them under a medium heat along with the rest of the pomegranate in olive oil or coconut oil. Take the resulting mixture and pour it through a sifter or cheesecloth to drain the oil out of the mixture. Once it cools down, it’s ready for use on your skin.
Use pomegranate fruit extract as a toner
One of the best ways to use pomegranate fruit extract is as a toner. Although the process of getting the oil out of the pomegranate is fairly laborious (see above), making the toner is a cinch. Simply combine equal parts pomegranate oil and distilled water and put it in a spray bottle. Spritz it on and let it absorb into your skin.
Use pomegranate fruit extract as an exfoliant
If you do decide to go the DIY route, save a few seeds and turn them into an exfoliant by mixing them with a teaspoon of yogurt and a little honey. Gently rub the mixture onto your skin to exfoliate, then rinse off with water.
If all of this sounds a bit laborious, you can easily use pomegranate fruit extract in an already existing product. Generally speaking, pomegranate fruit extract is most often used in serums, moisturizers, and face oils primarily for its anti-aging properties, as well as for its ability to moisturize the skin. We have included it in our detox mask, along with a host of other highly effective botanicals, to leave your skin feeling and looking silky smooth.
We hope this has helped shed a little light on what exactly pomegranate fruit extract is, what it does, and how you can incorporate it into your skincare routine. Those pretty red berries are more than just a yummy topping on your salad!
