Loved for their refreshingly sweet and tart flavor, mulberries are a superfood packed with a number of powerful nutritional compounds. What many don’t know is that, in addition to being a tasty way to boost your health, these juicy berries can be transformational for the skin too. Stick with us as we talk you through the top mulberry benefits for skin, along with some of the best ways to use the ingredient.
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Mulberry Extract for Skin: What is Mulberry Used For and What are the Top Mulberry Benefits for Skin?
When it comes to skincare, there are a few main things that mulberry is used for; skin lightening (check out our Best Skin Brightening Products guide), anti-aging, and general skin health. Let’s take a closer look at the key mulberry benefits for skin:
Skin Lightening Benefits – A Natural Alternative to Hydroquinone
Whether it may be dark spots due to sun damage or acne marks from teenage breakouts, mulberry will help to fade these away. Studies have found that mulberry is effective at reducing melanin content in the skin, which is the pigment that gives your skin those darker marks [1]. In fact, it works so well that many tout it as a natural alternative to hydroquinone, a skin lightening chemical with several unwanted side effects.
The Benefits of Paper Mulberry for Melasma
While the dark spots of melasma can be caused by sun damage, many experience it due to hormonal fluctuations. As a result, it can be difficult to treat, but this is where mulberry excels.
Research shows that this ingredient can significantly reduce the severity of melasma [2]. Paper mulberry, a special variety of the plant, does this best, but all types of mulberry will have the same overall anti-melasma effect.
RELATED: How to Remove Wrinkles Naturally at Home
Mulberry Extract Benefits Aging Skin By Reducing Wrinkles
Mulberries are packed with a huge array of antioxidants. And, when it comes to the fight against skin aging, antioxidants are what you need on your side. They’ll neutralize the oxidative stress caused by free radicals – in other words, they’ll repair all of that cell damage brought on by sun exposure, pollutants, chemicals, and all of the other day-to-day impurities you come across. As a result, the aging process slows down, and the skin firms up, leaving you looking youthful for longer.
A White Mulberry Serum Will Soothe Skin Irritations
All types of mulberry contain powerful anti-inflammatory properties, but if a powerful skin soother is what you’re after, white mulberry is the variety to go with. It’s a highly effective anti-inflammatory [3] that will calm irritation and sensitivities in your skin.
Nutritional Benefits: Contains Vitamin C and Vitamin E for Skin Health
Vitamins C and E are known for being skincare superstars. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can brighten the skin, reverse the signs of aging, and boost skin cell function. Vitamin E is vital when it comes to keeping the skin naturally moisturized and protected. Together, they’ll help you to maintain a healthy complexion, and both can be found in high concentrations in mulberry.
How to Use Mulberry for Skin: Uses for Mulberry Root Extract, Dried Mulberry Leaf Powder, and Mulberry Fruit Supplement Tablets Made From Berries and Leaves
When it comes to using mulberry, you have several options, but here are a few of our favorites:
- Mulberry root extract – this is available in many skincare products, which would be the easiest way to gain full benefits.
- Alternatively, you could purchase the extract or the dried leaves as a powder. Mix 2 tbl of the powder with 1 tbl each of mashed banana and aloe vera to create your own DIY skin lightening face mask
- Mulberry leaves – try steeping these in some olive or coconut oil for a couple of days, before applying the oil to your skin. Alternatively, add a few leaves to your bath the next time you take a soak
- Mulberry tea – fresh or dried mulberry leaves can be steeped in hot water to make a refreshing tea that will nourish your skin from within
- Mulberry supplements – since mulberries are considered a superfood, there are numerous supplement options out there. Just like mulberry tea, these will feed your skin from within and will work even better when combined with the topical use of mulberry
FAQ:
Q: Are mulberries good for you? What does mulberry do for the body?
Yes, mulberries are so good for you! From lowering cholesterol to improving blood sugar levels to reducing your risk of cancer, these small berries do so much for the body.
Q: Does mulberry extract lighten skin and how long does it take to work?
Yes, apart from other mulberry benefits for skin, the mulberry extract has been proven to be effective at lightening the skin. It takes about 8 weeks to notice big improvements, but you’ll start to see small changes long before this, so long as you’re using it regularly.
Q: What is mulberry extract good for?
When it comes to skincare, the mulberry extract is good for lightening hyperpigmentation, reducing skin aging, and protecting the skin from environmental damage.
Q: How do you use mulberry on your face?
You can either purchase a skincare product containing the extract or buy the extract yourself and use it to make a homemade face mask.
Q: How much mulberry extract should I take and are there any side effects?
While it would be best to speak to your doctor, general guidelines state that 1g three times a day is the maximum amount of mulberry extract anyone should take. If you exceed this, side effects can include dizziness, bloating, and constipation.
Q: What are mulberry leaves used for?
Mulberry leaves have been used medicinally for centuries to treat everything from inflammation to diabetes to heart disease.
Q: What is mulberry tea good for?
In addition to providing a dose of antioxidants to your skin, a cup of mulberry tea will clear your liver, treat high cholesterol, balance your blood pressure, protect you from heart disease, and so much more!
If you want to try out something different that will give you the results faster, we recommend a good glutathione skin whitening cream.
Conclusion
As you can see, mulberries are quite the superfruit. And, unlike many of the other natural ingredients commonly used on the skin, mulberries have plenty of science to back up their benefits. Whether you’ve been battling acne marks or you’ve been noticing the signs of aging creeping up, mulberries are an ingredient well worth adding to your skincare routine.
References:
[1] https://www.researchgate.net/publication/268435959_Whitening_and_Antierythemic_effect_of_a_cream_containing_Morus_alba_extract
[2] https://tahomaclinic.com/Private/Articles4/Mulberry/Alvin%202011%20-%20Mulberry%20(Morus%20alba)%20Extract%20Oil%20Versus%20Placebo%20as%20a%20Topical%20Treatment%20for%20Melasma.pdf
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33572374/
