Cinnamon is a popular spice made from the bark of cinnamon (Cinnamomum) trees. It’s made use of in dishes throughout the world as a flavor enhancer and also natural source of antioxidants. Cinnamon important oil is often contributed to cosmetic products like fragrances, creams, lip balms, and also scrubs. For instance, some people include it to homemade skin care remedies in an effort to lighten skin, enhance acne, and minimize signs of aging. Regardless of its large usage, cinnamon is a questionable skin care ingredient because it’s taken into consideration a skin irritant. Skeptics think that it should never ever be made use of as a skin care ingredient, while proponents believe it leaves their skin much healthier.
This article tells you whether cinnamon can profit your skin — or if it’s much better left on the spice shelve.
Properties
Cinnamon is rich in plant compounds referred to as polyphenols, such as cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and also different flavonoids. These boast anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that assist battle cell-damaging free radicals.
The sort of cinnamon frequently located on supermarket racks and also in food products is called cassia cinnamon, stemmed from the Cinnamomum cassia tree. This type contains dramatically fewer polyphenols than a kind called Ceylon.
Ceylon is gotten from the Cinnamomum verum tree. Nevertheless, although it consists of higher quantities of health-promoting antioxidants, it’s much less common, more difficult to get, and also typically more expensive.
Does It Affect Skin Wellness?
Cinnamon is an antioxidant-rich spice. Several believe it can add to rosy skin, either by consuming it or using it topically.
Ingestion
Consuming cinnamon, specifically the antioxidant-rich Ceylon variety, has actually been linked to many health advantages. For instance, it might serve as an all-natural anti-inflammatory, minimize the risk of heart disease, and also lower blood glucose levels.
Nonetheless, there is little study on its result on skin health.
Theoretically, a diet high in antioxidants — including antioxidants from cinnamon — might sustain skin health and wellness by fighting totally free radicals. Free radicals can or else harm skin cells and also speed up indicators of aging like wrinkles and reduced skin elasticity.
Yet, no scientific evidence validates that consuming cinnamon benefits your skin, and extra research study is required. That said, if you appreciate the taste, there’s nothing wrong with including the spice to your dishes.
Topical Application
Applying cinnamon to your skin might supply some advantages.
In a 2012 test-tube research, Ceylon cinnamon extract was revealed to support collagen synthesis. Collagen is the major structural protein in your skin that deteriorates with aging, bring about enhanced skin sagging as well as wrinkles.
Likewise, a 2008 study found that a cream with extracts of Ceylon cinnamon, aloe vera, pomegranate, licorice, turmeric, and also various other antioxidant-rich herbs enhanced skin elasticity, firmness, as well as hydration. Nonetheless, these advantages might not be connected to cinnamon alone.
Researchers have actually suggested that cinnamon’s high cinnamaldehyde web content might be accountable for its collagen-promoting results, while its antioxidant properties might safeguard the skin from collagen-degrading cost-free radicals.
What’s more, some test-tube and animal studies have revealed that cinnamon extract may advertise skin wound recovery thanks to its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Cinnamon may likewise hinder tyrosinase activity, which is what leads to brown spots in food products. Some individuals think that this impact might also relate to brown pigments in the skin and also use cinnamon to treat hyperpigmentation, though no research study backs this use.
Beyond these research studies, no human clinical tests back up the concept of cinnamon as an effective skin care ingredient for treating signs of aging, acne, skin discoloration, as well as hyperpigmentation or to lighten the skin.
Moreover, readily available researches normally make use of cinnamon extract, which has higher focus of antioxidants compared to cinnamon powder. So, utilizing normal cinnamon powder in skin care therapies is not likely to have any benefits.
Preparation and Forms
Along with being a popular cooking spice, cinnamon is added to some skin care and also cosmetic products as a result of its scent or supposed wellness benefits. That said, its use in industrial products is limited because of its possible irritating effects on the skin.
Rather, cinnamon is primarily utilized in homemade skin care remedies, such as face masks and body scrubs. Particularly, honey and also cinnamon face masks have grown in popularity as a potential treatment for acne, though no study backs this claim.
Some individuals make use of cinnamon alone as a face scrub. However, this might aggravate the skin and isn’t recommended.
Risks
Cinnamon is a controversial skin care ingredient as a result of its recognized side effects. Actually, cinnamon hypersensitivity can occur both with ingestion and topical application.
Allergies from eating cinnamon consist of mouth prickling, itching, stomach pain, hissing, as well as difficulty breathing.
Typical reactions to using cinnamon topically consist of skin rashes, redness, discoloration, inflammation, and also burning. If you experience any one of these signs and symptoms, cease use and speak with a healthcare professional.
What’s more, straight using cinnamon essential oil to the skin can lead to skin inflammation. There have actually also been rare records of second-degree burns from this usage.
If you wish to try utilizing industrial skin care products with cinnamon, it is necessary to do a little patch test initially. Simply position a small amount of the product on your inner lower arm as well as wait 24 hours to see if your skin has an unfavorable reaction.
As well as when it comes to homemade skin care solutions with cinnamon, it might be best to avoid them.
The Bottom Line
Cinnamon is a delicious, healthy and balanced spice used in dishes all over the world.
Rich in antioxidants and advantageous plant substances, cinnamon is growing in appeal as a skin care ingredient. Proponents declare it can aid treat hyperpigmentation and acne, lighten the skin, and also reduction indicators of aging. Nonetheless, no research sustains these cases.
While eating cinnamon is a wonderful means to flavor foods, making use of cinnamon powder as well as vital oil in skin care ingredients is connected to skin irritation, discoloration, as well as burns– especially when utilizing homemade skin care products.
In conclusion, it’s most likely best to maintain cinnamon on the pantry shelf and out of your skin care routine.