If you've ever wondered why so many people credit apple cider vinegar with glowier, smoother, or less congested skin, the answer has nothing to do with trends and everything to do with biology.
When used correctly, ACV acts as a digestive-strengthening, skin-supportive tonic that can help calm internal triggers such as poor gut health, blood sugar fluctuations, and sluggish digestion. These are some of the most common root causes behind breakouts, inflammation, and skin sensitivity and reactivity.
This article breaks down exactly how apple cider vinegar works, what the research shows about how it supports skin (and the gut-skin axis) from within, and how to use ACV to help balance blood sugar and as part of your skincare routine.
What Is Apple Cider Vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is produced through the fermentation of crushed apples combined with yeast and beneficial bacteria. During this process, the apples' natural sugars convert into alcohol, then into acetic acid, which is the main active compound responsible for many of ACV’s metabolic and skin-related benefits.
Raw ACV (which means it's unfiltered and unpasteurized) contains:
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Acetic acid, known for its antibacterial, metabolic, and blood sugar–supportive effects.
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Polyphenols, which are antioxidant plant compounds similar to those found in berries and green tea, that help reduce oxidative stress.
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Live enzymes and organic acids, which support healthy digestion and nutrient absorption.
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A natural “mother,” the cloudy substance made of beneficial bacteria and proteins that contribute to gut health and fermentation benefits.
How Apple Cider Vinegar Can Improve Your Skin Naturally
While ACV is not usually applied as a topical skincare ingredient, its internal effects can help reduce the impact of acne triggers and improve the skin's overall health and appearance.
More specifically, ACV can help manage inflammation, glycemic control, digestive function, detoxification, and immune health, all of which impact the skin. (1)
Below are the most research-supported benefits of apple cider vinegar:
1. Supports Healthy Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
Blood sugar spikes are one of the most common internal acne triggers because they influence insulin levels, hormonal activity, and inflammation. More specifically, they can increase insulin, which increases oil production and can then contribute to breakouts.
Stable blood sugar creates more stable, predictable skin.
Research has found that consuming vinegar with meals can improve glucose (sugar) responses, including in people with metabolic concerns (2). In one study, ACV helped reduce the usual blood sugar spike after eating by slowing down how quickly food leaves the stomach, which helps your body process carbs more steadily. (3)
2. Helps With Detoxification
When detoxification lags, your body has a harder time processing hormones, inflammatory compounds, and metabolic byproducts. These can build up and show up on the skin as congestion, dullness, or reactive breakouts. Supporting detox pathways means less internal burden and usually a clearer, more balanced complexion.
ACV contains organic acids that can help your body do what it’s already designed to do: process and remove waste efficiently. (4)
Research shows that acetic acid, along with the polyphenols found in apples, can support liver antioxidant defenses and healthy metabolic function. (5) In simple terms, ACV can help your liver neutralize oxidative stress more effectively, which keeps detox pathways running smoothly. (6)
3. ACV Supports Healthy Digestion
When digestion is sluggish, food can ferment improperly or fail to break down fully. The result is often bloating, gas, constipation, and inflammation, all of which can indirectly trigger skin congestion.
Apple cider vinegar can help give your digestive system a gentle boost, since it naturally stimulates stomach acid and digestive enzymes that break down your meals more effectively.
Studies show that vinegar can improve digestive comfort, support nutrient absorption, and promote smoother digestion. (7) One study found that acetic acid can even help regulate digestive enzyme production, which keeps food moving at the right pace instead of sitting too long in the stomach.
4. Supports a Healthy Gut Microbiome
A balanced gut can help lower systemic inflammation (such as from leaky gut) and lead to smoother digestion and healthier immune signaling. Because the gut and skin communicate constantly through the gut-skin axis, anything that improves gut health often translates to clearer skin, fewer inflammatory breakouts, and a more resilient barrier.
Raw ACV naturally contains beneficial bacteria and also has antimicrobial properties that help balance the gut environment. Research suggests that acetic acid can support healthy gut bacteria, reduce the growth of harmful microbes, and promote microbial diversity. (8)
A Complete Guide to Using Apple Cider Vinegar for Skincare
It's best to avoid applying ACV directly to your skin, since this can cause irritation, especially if you're dry or sensitive. Instead, you can ingest good-quality ACV and use it strategically as part of an internal skin routine.
Here are the best, safest, and most effective ways to use ACV for skin benefits.
1. Start Slowly
ACV is acidic, so starting gradually is important to allow your digestive system to adjust. Begin with a small amount, such as 1 teaspoon each day, and increase only as your body tolerates it.
2. Use ACV Before Meals for Best Results
Taking ACV before meals is best for supporting digestion and stabilizing blood sugar after eating. This timing also aligns with how ACV has traditionally been used as a digestive tonic.
3. Consider Combining ACV with Digestive Bitters
Digestive bitters can amplify ACV’s benefits by stimulating digestive enzymes, stomach acid production, liver pathways, and lymphatic movement.
Bitters help “activate” digestion at the level of taste receptors, which signals your gut to prepare for food. This can often improve bloating, fullness, sluggish digestion, and nutrient absorption. Bitters can also support clearer skin, especially in people who break out along the lower cheeks, jawline, or neck due to lymphatic stagnation or sluggish digestion.
4. Hydrate Properly When Using ACV
Because ACV affects digestion and blood sugar, it works best when paired with a nutrient-rich diet, good hydration, and balanced electrolytes. You'll have the best results when you avoid foods that can cause acne, limit added sugar intake, and drink plenty of good-quality water.
What Makes CLEARSTEM's A.C.V. CLEAR The Best for Skin:
Now that you understand how apple cider vinegar works, you can choose a form that is designed specifically for skin health.
A.C.V CLEAR is CLEARSTEM’s digestive bitters blend made for acne-prone skin (including those who experience breakouts on their neck and body) and anyone who struggles with digestion, lymphatic congestion, or detoxification.
It combines fermented apple vinegar with synergistic bitters and botanicals—including dandelion root, a traditional liver-supportive bitter herb, and echinacea, long used for immune support—for multiple skin-supportive effects. It's designed to help support:
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Balanced blood sugar*
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Healthy digestion*
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Liver and lymphatic detoxification*
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Gut health*
To use A.C.V CLEAR, shake the bottle well, place 1/4 teaspoon on your tongue before meals, allow it to sit briefly to activate digestive enzymes, then swallow. We recommend using it in the morning to kickstart digestion.
Want even better results? Pair A.C.V CLEAR with other CLEARSTEM products (or supplements, such as MINDBODYSKIN® for hormonal acne), which are always made without pore-clogging ingredients, for a complete inside-out approach to clear, radiant skin.
*Statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.
Final Thoughts on How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Clear Skin
Apple cider vinegar is more than a wellness trend. It supports digestion, blood sugar balance, microbial harmony, and detoxification, all of which influence your skin’s clarity, tone, and resilience from within.
For the most targeted, acne-friendly approach, ACV paired with digestive bitters offers a powerful, synergistic way to support the internal pathways connected to skin health.
If you're ready to try a form of ACV crafted specifically for clearer, healthier skin, we've got you covered.
Shop A.C.V CLEAR and the entire CLEARSTEM collection.
Sources:
Source 1: The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8243436/
Source 2: Culinary strategies to manage glycemic response in people with type 2 diabetes: A narrative review
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9684673/
Source 3: The improvement effect of apple cider vinegar as a functional food on anthropometric indices, blood glucose, and lipid profile in diabetic patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10679383/
Source 4: Dietary Polyphenols: Review on Chemistry/Sources, Bioavailability/Metabolism, Antioxidant Effects, and Their Role in Disease Management
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11047380/
Source 5: Apple Cider Vinegar Powder Mitigates Liver Injury in High-Fat-Diet Mice via Gut Microbiota and Metabolome Remodeling
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40647261/
Source 6: The effect of apple vinegar consumption on glycemic indices, blood pressure, oxidative stress, and homocysteine in patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia: A randomized controlled clinical trial
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31451249/
Source 7: Debunking Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/health-and-wellness-articles/debunking-the-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar
Source 8: Beneficial effect of vinegar consumption associated with regulating gut microbiome and metabolome
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10792460/
