Ingredient Spotlight: Why Is Papaya Good For My Skin?

Papaya fruit halved

What is papaya? 

Papaya is a fruit that grows on the Carica papaya L. plant, which is part of the Caricaceae family. It is native to Central America. Rather than a tree, it can be considered a giant herbaceous plant, due to its fast growth and short life span of 7-15 years. Although the plant can reach more than 10m tall, it only gives fruit during the first few years. 

What does papaya do for the skin? 

Papaya is first and foremost known for the proteolytic enzymes it contains, including papain. This enzyme has a keratolyic activity on the skin, which means it helps to dissolve dead skin cells. This means the skin will be brighter, less dull, with a reduction in the appearance of pores. 

Papaya is also rich in vitamin C, which is known for its powerful antioxidant and brightening properties. Specifically, its antioxidant activities include fighting against environmental and UV damage, reducing inflammation, and accelerating the skin’s natural collagen production system. 

Papaya is thus a great ingredient for all skin types – and particularly helpful to skin types prone to clogged pores and breakouts. 

Is papaya safe for all skin types? 

Papaya (and its enzyme papain) is safe for all skin types, but should not be used more than 2 to 3 times per week for the most sensitive of skins. 

Which Alchimie Forever products contain papaya? 

We use papaya in two of our products: 

  • Purifying Gel Cleanser. This is our foaming cleanser ideal for normal, combination, and oily skin types. The low concentration of papaya is safe enough for daily use, yet effective enough to help deep-clean pores. 
  • Gentle Refining Scrub. The papaya provides enzymatic exfoliation (physical exfoliation is provided by pearls of cranberries and jojoba) to dissolve dead skin cells and brighten dull skin. 

Learn more about our Gentle refining scrub by watching the video below.

Alchimie Forever Brightening Moisture Mask and Gentle Refining ScrubAlchimie Forever Brightening Moisture Mask and Gentle Refining Scrub

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