Photo by Luis Guillen.

No, it doesn’t come in a fancy bottle. It doesn’t smell like an expensive French spa or feel luxurious when you use it. In fact, it smells like salad dressing & it tastes downright disgusting.

My #1 beauty secret is apple cider vinegar… & based on the number of questions I got when I tweeted this Beauty Bender article about my beauty routine, it’s something not a lot of people know about!

Apple cider vinegar — as the name suggests — is a type of vinegar made from apples. As the apples begin to ferment, enzymes & nutrients are produced which act like super-chargers! That’s not very exciting, but what is exciting are the amazing things contained in apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar contains malic acid which makes ACV anti-viral, anti-bacterial & anti-fungal; potassium which prevents hair loss, brittle teeth & runny noses; calcium which is good for strong bones & teeth; pectin which helps to regulate blood pressure & reduce bad cholesterol; & acetic acid which slows the digestion of starch, that in turn lowers the rise of glucose after eating.

What else can ACV do for you? You can dab it on blemishes & watch them disappear overnight, drink a spoonful every morning & see your skin become brighter & clearer, or even add it to your pet’s dinner to promote a healthy coat! (Your pet probably won’t be happy you did this — Hank makes faces every time we add some to his meal — but it’s very good for him.) Apple cider vinegar is also known to prevent joint pain & stiffness, break down fats & speed up your metabolism, & works as a remedy for heartburn. It will even dissolve warts. See? It’s practically a miracle!

Blah blah blah facts. What you really want to know is whether it works. I say YES. I can attest to ACV’s power as a tremendous skin phenomenon. I swear that it clears up your skin & will give it a lovely glow. Go out & buy some, & drink it religiously every day. See if it makes a difference after a month! (Be sure to give it some time to work: two days isn’t enough research!) Plus, it’s so cheap to buy a bottle that if you don’t see any change after a month, you can always just stop. Not like those super-expensive cosmetic lines that make you feel like you need to sell organs to fund your habit!

How should you use it? I keep it simple, & knock back a tablespoon of the stuff every morning. It’s part of my morning routine, just like taking my vitamins & doing a gratitude list!

If you don’t think you can hack the taste of undiluted ACV — & I wouldn’t blame you, it’s definitely an acquired taste! — simply add a tablespoon to a glass of water, & drink it that way. You can even add honey or agave to sweeten it up a little. I recommend having some food in your stomach before you do this, because the “vinegar” part of the name is no joke: as sweet Liza pointed out to me (hello!), it can damage your teeth, throat & stomach when you drink it undiluted. So be careful, you sweet thing!

Alternatively, you can use it as a salad dressing… but don’t use too much!

Do you have a CRAZY amazing beauty secret too? Share them with us on Facebook… Or we’ll come after you & your lovely face, demanding the mysteries of your ungodly beauty!