Kakadu Plum for Skin: The Vitamin C Fruit in Our Clay Mask

Kakadu plum is good for skin mainly because it's one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C ever measured, and it's full of other antioxidants too. In skincare it's used as a vitamin C-rich botanical extract. That's exactly the job it does in the Gleamin Vitamin C Clay Mask.

Here's where this small green fruit comes from, what the science actually says, and how to get the most from it.

What is Kakadu plum?

Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is a small, pale-green fruit about the size of an olive, with a single large seed. It grows on a slender tree in the open woodlands of northern Australia, across the Kimberley in Western Australia and the Top End of the Northern Territory. You may also see it called gubinge or billygoat plum.

Aboriginal communities have eaten the fruit and used the tree for generations, long before food scientists took an interest. Most of the world only learned about it in the last few decades, once researchers measured what was inside [3].

On the ingredient list of our mask it appears as Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit.

Why is Kakadu plum famous for vitamin C?

Kakadu plum holds the record for the highest natural vitamin C content found in a fruit. Researchers first reported its unusually high levels in The Lancet in 1982, in a short paper titled "An outstanding food source of vitamin C" [1]. Later analysis of commercially grown Australian native fruits confirmed its exceptional vitamin C and antioxidant capacity [2].

Vitamin C isn't the whole story. Kakadu plum is also rich in polyphenols, mainly gallic acid and ellagic acid [2]. Both are antioxidants. That's why it's valued as a whole-fruit ingredient and not only as a vitamin C source.

One honest note: vitamin C levels in the fruit vary with the tree, the season and how the fruit is handled after picking. A number measured in fresh fruit doesn't carry over directly to an extract in a jar. So we'd rather explain that than quote a big multiplier.

What does the research say about vitamin C and skin?

Most skin research on vitamin C tests purified forms, such as L-ascorbic acid and its stable derivatives, in leave-on serums. Across that research, topical vitamin C does three useful things [4][5][6]:

• It's an antioxidant. It helps neutralize the free radicals from UV and pollution that stress skin.
• It interrupts tyrosinase, the enzyme that starts melanin (pigment) production.
• It supports collagen. Skin needs vitamin C to build it.

Research on Kakadu plum itself is mostly food and lab science: its vitamin C, its polyphenols and its antioxidant capacity [2][3]. We haven't found well-designed human studies testing Kakadu plum extract on skin. So we won't claim what it does to your skin on its own. What we can say is that it's a remarkably concentrated natural source of an antioxidant dermatology has studied for decades.

If you want the deeper science on vitamin C and uneven tone, read Vitamin C for Dark Spots: How It Works and How to Use It.

Why is Kakadu plum in the Vitamin C Clay Mask?

The mask started with a kitchen ritual. People were mixing turmeric and vitamin C into homemade masks because they loved how bright their skin looked afterward. Gleamin set out to make a version that was stable, balanced and easy to use.

Kakadu plum is one of three vitamin C-rich Australian fruits in the formula, alongside desert lime and finger lime. They sit in a base of kaolin and our Hydroclay blend, with turmeric and aloe vera. Our Kakadu plum and desert lime still come from Australia, where the mask was first made.

Kakadu plum is in the mask as a botanical extract, not as an isolated vitamin C. That's why we don't print a vitamin C percentage on the jar. For the full story of the formula, read Inside Our Vitamin C Clay Mask.

The mask stays on for about 10 minutes, then rinses off. So think of Kakadu plum as part of a weekly glow ritual. Right after rinsing, skin looks fresher and more radiant. For daily leave-on vitamin C, a serum does that job better, such as our Superactive Serum.

Who is Kakadu plum good for?

As part of the mask, Kakadu plum makes sense for:

• People who want a brighter, more even-looking tone and enjoy a weekly ritual.
• Skin prone to dark spots, as one step in a steady routine with daily sunscreen.
• Anyone who likes antioxidant-rich botanicals in a rinse-off format.

A few cautions. Skip it on broken, sunburned or freshly shaved skin. If you have known allergies to plant extracts, patch test first on your inner arm for a few days. The mask itself is dermatologist tested: in a repeat insult patch test on 52 adults, supervised by a consulting dermatologist (Princeton Consumer Research, 2023), no irritation or allergic reactions were observed. Every skin is different, though, so stop if anything stings or itches.

How do you get the most from Kakadu plum?

1. Start with clean, dry skin. Clay and botanicals work best without makeup or sunscreen in the way.
2. Apply an even layer with the brush or your fingertips, avoiding the eyes and lips.
3. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
4. Follow with serum and moisturizer, and wear SPF 30 or higher every morning.
5. Use it once or twice a week to start, building up to three times if your skin is happy.
6. Give it time. A more even-looking tone builds over 8 to 12 weeks of consistent care, and results vary.

The step-by-step version is in How to Use a Vitamin C Clay Mask. You can find the Vitamin C Clay Mask (2.5 fl oz) on Amazon.

The bottom line

Kakadu plum earns its place through its record vitamin C content and its polyphenols. The skin evidence comes from vitamin C research in general, not from Kakadu plum trials. In our mask it's one of three Australian fruits that make a 10-minute ritual feel like more than just clay.

References

1. Brand JC, Cherikoff V, Lee A, Truswell AS. "An outstanding food source of vitamin C." The Lancet (1982).
2. Konczak I, Zabaras D, Dunstan M, Aguas P. "Antioxidant capacity and hydrophilic phytochemicals in commercially grown native Australian fruits." Food Chemistry (2010).
3. Sultanbawa Y, Sultanbawa F, eds. Australian Native Plants: Cultivation and Uses in the Health and Food Industries. CRC Press (2016).
4. Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. "Topical vitamin C and the skin: mechanisms of action and clinical applications." Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology (2017). PMC5605218
5. Telang PS. "Vitamin C in dermatology." Indian Dermatology Online Journal (2013). PMC3673383
6. Pullar JM, Carr AC, Vissers MCM. "The roles of vitamin C in skin health." Nutrients (2017). PMC5579659

This article is for general information and isn't medical advice. If you have a skin condition or concern, talk to a doctor or dermatologist.