This Wildly Underrated Ingredient Will Help You Achieve Bouncy, Cashmere-Soft Skin

Quick! What are the best skincare ingredients for aging skin? Chances are you immediately thought of stalwarts like peptides, retinol, or vitamin C, but after spending two jam-packed days learning about the botanical MVP of the Origins Youthtopia line, I'd confidently tack on apples to your list. Yep—hear me out.

Call it the Charli XCX effect, but apples are becoming the main character in practically every avenue, beauty very much included. You might not immediately associate apples with soft, bouncy, glowing skin (I sure didn't!), but the fruit actually does pack a punch when it comes to preventing fine lines and smoothing texture. Allow me to share everything I learned after completely immersing myself in an apple-forward experience—from exploring upstate New York's sprawling orchards to enrolling in "apple science class" to slathering myself with apple-infused skincare.

What's so special about apples for skin?

Here's the thing. Apple-infused skincare isn't necessarily a brand-new venture. For example, I've seen a few brands leverage apple extract or juice for its antioxidant properties. We also can't forget about apple cider vinegar and its naturally exfoliating, skin-brightening perks. Oftentimes, those apple-derived ingredients are typically add-ons to an already brightening or exfoliating ingredient list, even if the formula declares apple the hero component.

Origins, however, uses the entire apple—fruit, seeds, peels, and all—to form its smoothing, plumping Youthtopia duo. The milky Refining Apple Peel, for instance, features apple cider vinegar (plus glycolic and tartaric acids) to refine pores and even skin tone; apple peel ferment (upcycled from the applesauce industry) for a powerful dose of antioxidants; and apple stem cells from a rare type of apple called Uttwiler Spätlauber—say that five times fast!—that's able to thrive in the snowy mountains of Switzerland. (Read: Your skin will absorb some very resilient stem cells.)

The Peptide Plumping Apple Cream also calls upon the aforementioned stem cells and ferment but swaps the ACV for apple seeds, which are upcycled from the apple cider industry and cold-pressed into a nourishing oil. Like its name suggests, the cream also features peptides to plump the skin and soften fine lines.

I've been using both formulas every night for the past two weeks, and I've already noticed an improvement in my skin texture. My complexion also somehow looks dewier than ever before, despite the cream having a rather lightweight, airy texture; I wake up in the morning with a nice, hydrated glow; and I happily am unable to spot the pesky etching that has recently decided to take up residence on my forehead.

I'm not saying that apples are the new retinol—not by a long shot. If you're hoping to treat aging skin concerns like sagging and wrinkles, apples aren't necessarily a cure-all ingredient. But Origins Youthtopia is all about prevention (the first few fine lines, the initial smattering of sunspots, etc.), and apples are wonderful at preserving bright, firm skin for the long haul.

At Origins, these discoveries all started in the lab. Lead scientist Rocky Graziose, PhD, shares that his team merely mentioned that the ingredient "might have some activity," and the brand became committed to following the science—years later, Youthtopia was born.

When it comes to the product development process, Global Brand President Amber Garrison tells me their central question is "What can we learn about nature that is sometimes overlooked?" This question helps Origins remain on the cutting edge of skincare innovations. For example, Origins was one of the first big players to hop on the mushroom skincare bandwagon with its Mega-Mushroom line—a collection that launched almost 20 years ago. Origins is known for leveraging natural ingredients revered for centuries in herbal medicine that haven't become super buzzy in our beauty zeitgeist. A juicy, tart, (seemingly) humble apple was simply next on the list. I'd wager it will star in everyone's routines by the end of apple-picking season.

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