Ingredient Spotlight: Australian Finger Lime

Lovers of natural skincare; particularly ones which hero native Australian ingredients, are likely to have heard of finger limes. Also referred to as lime caviar, this nutrient-dense fruit is now a highly popular ingredient featured in plant-derived skincare formulations. And with good reason. Here, we explore the phytonutrient qualities of the Australian Finger Lime, particularly when it comes to skin benefits.

What is a Finger Lime?

Traditionally found in the sub-tropical rainforest regions of Northern NSW and Queensland, Finger Lime trees are now grown throughout Australia and used in a wide variety of purposes. They can be found in some supermarkets and boutique grocers, are often used as an ingredient in high-end restaurants, and of course, a valuable addition to skincare. The long, sweet potato-shaped citrus fruits of the Finger Lime trees range in colour, from greens and yellows through to deep reds and purples. Inside is a dense cluster of tiny spherical pearls, closely resembling caviar - hence the ‘lime caviar’ nickname.

What are the skin benefits of Lime Caviar?

Finger Limes are a citrus fruit, so you may have already guessed the benefits when used as a skincare ingredient. Finger Limes are exceptionally rich in vitamin C, making it hugely beneficial as a plant-derived form of antioxidant protection. In fact, just 100g of Finger Lime contains 35% of our daily recommended nutritional intake of vitamin C, as well as a number of other skin-benefiting vitamins and minerals. This includes Vitamin A, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B6, and Magnesium.

Why is Vitamin C good for skin?

There are a number of vitamins and minerals that are proven to be beneficial for the overall health, function, and appearance of our skin. Vitamin C is certainly one of these. It is an essential component of our body’s collagen production processes, and collagen formation is imperative for retaining the skin’s plumpness, volume, and firmness. It is when collagen depletes that the skin begins to lose volume and thickness, resulting in sagging, wrinkles, and other classic hallmarks of ageing. Vitamin C is also one of our body’s primary forms of antioxidant protection. This is needed to neutralise free radicals, which attack our tissue cells, collagen fibres, and cause premature cell death leading to accelerated ageing.

Will I receive the skin benefits by consuming Finger Lime?

The simple answer is yes, consuming the daily recommended dose of vitamin C nutritionally will set us up for success when it comes to skin health. However, there are a number of external factors that the skin encounters, such as pollution or inflammation, that will be significantly better addressed through both good nutrition AND application of topical skincare products.

Once again, our native Australian flora has proven to be an exceptional source of multi-beneficial offerings, and a key provider of delicious skincare ingredients for our Mukti formulations.

Finger Lime is used in these Mukti products: Vital C Elixir, 2-in-1 Resurfacing Exfoliant, Orange Blossom Balancing Mist, Aloe Vera Moisturiser