What’s Kakadu Plum Extract? See How It Can Benefit Your Skin

I’m sure you’ve heard of the benefits of Vitamin C for our health. It is an amazing antioxidant, but one that our bodies cannot produce on their own. Luckily it is abundant in many food sources, and it is not difficult to get a recommended amount of it just by eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits.

Maybe you’ve been using Vitamin C for your skin’s health and appearance. A good Vitamin C serum is a must for anyone looking to even out their skin color and tone, protect the skin from photodamage and pollution, and diminish the visible signs of aging.

What might be new to you is the Kakadu Plum – an amazing fruit about which this post is about. Keep reading to see what Kakadu Plum Extract specifically has to do with Vitamin C and the health and look of your skin.

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What Is Kakadu Plum?

Kakadu Plum is a small – olive-sized fruit – which grows on the North Australian tree, scientifically named Terminalia ferdinandia.

Kakadu Plum, also known as Billygoat Plum, Gurumal, or Murunga, is a pale-green-colored fruit that happens to be the world’s richest botanical source of Vitamin C.

In fact, it contains up to 5,000 mg of vitamin C per 100 gm as compared to 50mg per 100 gm for oranges.

Kakadu plums have the highest recorded natural amount of vitamin C of any food in the world. In fact, 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of the fruit provide well over 3,000% of your daily needs.

Healthline

Additionally, the Kakadu plum contains tons of other nutrients such as zinc, iron, folate, and lutein as well as more antioxidants such as Vitamin E, which can nourish the skin and help ward off premature aging.

One study published in Food Chemistry gathered information of the various levels of phenolic compounds, vitamin C, sugars and antioxidant capacities of the Kakadu plum. 

Phytochemical divergence in 45 accessions of Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum)

As you can see, Kakadu Plum is a really great source of mineral and vitamin goodness for the skin.

What’s even more amazing is the fact that it is an extremely sustainable, good-for-the-planet wild-crafted plant. It is grown largely free from human intervention and harvested by indigenous communities in Australia. Not only is this good for the planet, but it also helps create much-needed environmentally-friendly jobs for these isolated communities. 

What Are Kakadu Plum Benefits?

What makes this little fruit so amazing for the skin?

Normal skin contains high concentrations of Vitamin C, which is crucial for collagen synthesis and antioxidant protection against UV-induced photodamage. 

However, when we age, the levels of vitamin C get lower and this leads to skin aging – less collagen, less protection from photodamage, and free radicals.

By adding Kakadu Plum to your diet – either in the powdered form for smoothies or as a liquid extract – and to your skincare routine, you can help replenish these Vitamin C levels both from the inside out and outside in.

Here are a few good, Australian-made Kakadu Plum powders and a liquid extract.

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What Can Vitamin C Do For The Skin when Used Topically?

Fights Free Radicals

Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant which means that it has the power to neutralize and remove oxidants, such as smoke, pollution, chemical exposure, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

This does not mean however that Vitamin C will protect your skin from photodamage like sunscreen will. However, it will offer an extra layer of protection. To read more about the importance of consistent use of sunscreen, go here.

Increased Collagen Production

I am an avid believer in collagen supplementation. As soon as we reach our mid-twenties, our innate ability to produce collagen start diminishing, and adding it via supplementation is crucial to keep the skin, nails, and hair be and look their best.

No amount of collagen will do anything though unless we also add Vitamin C to the regimen. Here, getting enough Vitamin C from food sources such as citrus fruits, leafy green vegetables, hibiscus flowers, and Kakadu plum is crucial.

Adding Vitamin C to the skincare regimen will boost collagen production in the dermis layer of the skin as well.

Skin fibroblasts have an absolute dependence on vitamin C for the synthesis of collagen, and for the regulation of the collagen/elastin balance in the dermis.

The Roles of Vitamin C in Skin Health

Vitamin C for Hyperpigmentation and Skin Brightening

If you ever suffered from hyperpigmentation due to sun damage, age spots, or pregnancy melasma, you’ll know how difficult it is to diminish it. Vitamin C is a proven nutrient that has been “shown to decrease melanin synthesis”

Apparently, the way Vitamin C does it is by a specific chemical reaction whereby the protein called Tyrosinase gets inhibited which prevents the overproduction of melanin.

Vitamin C has been attributed to depigmenting and brightening skin due to its ability to inhibit tyrosinase, thus suppressing melanin formation.

Effectiveness of a formulation containing peptides and vitamin C in treating signs of facial ageing

Lessening of Wrinkles

How about wrinkles? Can Vitamin C help here as well?

Apparently so. Vitamin C seems to be a cure-it-all when it comes to skincare. And there have been numerous clinical studies to prove that point.

The clinical assessment demonstrated significant improvement with active treatment greater than the control for fine wrinkling, tactile roughness, coarse rhytids, skin laxity/tone, sallowness/yellowing, and overall features.

Use of topical ascorbic acid and its effects on photodamaged skin topography

Kakadu Plum Extract Fortified Skin Oil

As soon as I learned about the benefits of Kakadu Plum, I started researching how to incorporate it into my skincare.

Of course, there are many very expensive products out there with the Kakadu Plum as one of their ingredients. If they can make it, so can I, I thought.

After a bit of searching, I found an oil-soluble Kakadu Plum Extract and I knew that this will be my way to include it in my regimen. Since I love facial oils of all kinds, this was an easy task.

Ingredients in My Kakadu Plum Oil

When I was making my Kakadu Plum Oil, I wanted to include as many Vitamin C sources as possible so that the product would work synergistically. The result is my Organic Vitamin C Serum which consists of the following ingredients:

ORGANIC ROSEHIP SEED OIL – High source of Vitamin C. With linoleic acid being major fatty acid, this oil has high protection against inflammation and oxidation. Due to its properties to combat oxidation, this oil is helpful in treating signs of aging. High anti-inflammatory properties make it suitable to treat scarring, redness, and inflammation. It also helps restore skin elasticity, reduce broken capillaries, fade age spots, and balance oil glands.

SEA BUCKTHORN OIL – Traditionally used for healing wounds and dry skin, Sea Buckthorn oil is another incredible source of Vitamin C. Additional benefits come from a long list of star ingredients including Vitamins A and E, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals that help reduce swelling and redness associated with many skin conditions.

HEMP SEED OIL– Contains 57% linoleic (LA) and 19% Linolenic (LNA) acids and antioxidants in the form of Vitamin E and carotene. Phytosrerols, phospolipds as well as a number of minerals found in hemp seed oil work synergistically to reduce skin dryness, itchiness, and transepidermal water loss.

KAKADU PLUM EXTRACT – See all the reasons why above. 

HIBISCUS EXTRACT – another strong anti-oxidant, helping to maintain the skin’s elasticity and thereby offering anti-aging effects, targeting skin tone and firming.

OIL-SOLUBLE VITAMIN C – Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate is a very stable, oil-soluble Vitamin C ester which has strong antioxidant activity, inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Unlike ascorbic acid, it will not exfoliate or irritate the skin.

VITAMIN E – protects cell membranes from damage by oxygen free radicals. It can prevent premature aging of the skin induced by UV irradiation and lipid peroxidation. Vitamin E and Vitamin C go very well together, so I had to include this second skin-loving nutrient in this recipe.

STEAM DISTILLED LEMON OIL—hydrating, anti-microbial, and antioxidant, this oil can help promote skin cell turnover via gentle exfoliation.

I opted for steam-distilled lemon oil here, because the regular lemon essential oil can make the skin very sensitive to photodamage and would hence make this Kakadu Plum Oil unusable in the morning.

FRANKINCENSE ESSENTIAL OIL — this powerful essential oil is revered for its ability to beautify and rejuvenate skin when applied topically, and to promote cellular health and immunity and produce a healthy inflammatory response.

CARROT SEED OIL – this essential oil is known for its anti-aging properties, as it boosts collagen, reduces fine lines, speeds cell turnover, and evens out skin discoloration and texture. 

It doesn’t smell great (a bit pungent in my view), but it is a great and potent oil, so using it sparingly works well for the efficacy and aroma of the product.

GERANIUM ESSENTIAL OIL– thanks to its antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties, this oil is beneficial for preventing skin irritations and also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is a powerful anti-aging ingredient used in many cosmetics. And, smells great to top it off.

How to Make Your Own Kakadu Plum Oil?

Here is the recipe for a 30 ml / 1 oz bottle of the oil:

• 2 tsp Rosehip Seed Oil
• 1 tsp Sea Buckthorn Oil
• 1 tsp Hemp Seed Oil
• 1 tsp Kakadu Plum Extract
• 1 tsp Hibiscus Extract
• 1 dropper-full of Vitamin E
• 1 dropper-full of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
• 10 drops Lemon Essential Oil
• 5 drops of Frankincense Essential Oil
• 5 drops of Geranium Essential Oil
• 3 drops of Carrot Seed Oil

This amount of essential oils makes for a 4% dilution. If your skin is highly sensitive, you might want to half the amount of essential oils at first and maybe build up with the second bottle.

Put all ingredients into a dark-colored glass bottle. Mix together and store away from light. (Light can lower the efficacy of the product)

Apply AM and PM after water-based serum. Take a few drops (3-5) into the palm of your hand, warm the oil in your hands and then press gently into the skin of the face and neck.

Make sure your other products do not contain Niacinamide, as Vitamin C and Niacinamide cancel each other out. If you are using any Niacinamide-based products, use them in the AM and use Vitamin C in the PM.

Many other ingredients work well with Vitamin C: Hyaluronic Acid and Peptides are the best companions for Vitamin C-based products.

Use the Kakadu Plum Oil within two months.

Not a DIY type?

If you’re not into doing it yourself, check out the Organic Vitamin C Serum in my shop. Below you’ll find a way to save 15% on your order.

Enjoy!