Pineapple is the must-have skincare ingredient for the summer

Smooth and soothe with a natural fruity exfoliator

Pineapples aren’t just for pina coladas – thanks to its much-hyped skincare abilities, it’s having a moment in the beauty world.

This trend is the latest in a long line of Korean beauty imports – think sheet masks, cushion foundations and BB creams. And while pineapple is primarily made of water, 87 per cent in fact, there’s actually more to this unassuming fruit than you may have realised.

While it’s jam-packed with H2O to hydrate your skin, it also boasts an impressive cocktail of essential vitamins and nutrients ideal for tackling dull, wintry complexions.

According to Dr Anil Budh-Raja, a leading dermatologist specialising in anti-ageing treatments, pineapple contains some pretty impressive beauty credentials, including alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) and, more specifically, a beta-hydroxy-acid (BHA) called bromelain, making it an excellent natural exfoliant.

The reason pineapple is hailed for its exfoliating abilities is because it’s one of the only ingredients that combines both natural AHAs and BHAs, meaning it helps to smooth the skin’s surface and promote glow all at the same time.

Sarah Lee and Christine Chang, founders of Korean beauty brand Glow Recipe, add that bromelain is also an anti-inflammatory. So together with high doses of antioxidants such as vitamin C and vitamin E, which are also found in pineapple, the fruit can help reduce puffiness as well as counteract the damage caused from air pollutants and UV sun rays.

“Because of its brightening and exfoliating properties, pineapple is a great ingredient to create a flawless, radiant ‘glass skin’ effect,” Lee and Chang tell The Independent.

“The AHAs and bromelain enzymes help exfoliate dead skin and resurface the complexion by gently dissolving the top layer of skin that contains dead keratin proteins.”

It’s because of this unique combination of skin-boosting nutrients that pineapple products are now firmly on our beauty radar and popping up in stores everywhere.

Glow Recipe launched a pineapple product in April – its Pineapple-C Bright Serum, shortly followed by Marc Jacobs Beauty with its Youthquake Skin Moisturiser in May.

That same month, Too Faced – a brand known for its food-themed beauty launches – unveiled the Pineapple Glow face mask as part of its new Tutti Frutti range.

According to Budh-Raja, this spike in popularity could be because consumers are becoming increasingly more discerning about what they use on their skin.

“As with many other facial and hair care regimes, the benefits of fruits are becoming more well-known and people are preferring to use natural organic ingredients that mother nature has given us to maintain skin health,” Budh-Raja says.

Top left, Marc Jacobs, Youthquake Hydra-Full Retexturising Gel Crème, £21, Net-a-Porter; bottom left, Ren, Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask, £36, Cult Beauty; centre, Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum, £38, Glow Recipe; top right, Too Faced, Pineapple Glow Face Mask, £32, Too Faced; bottom right Kiehl’s Pineapple Papaya Facial Scrub, £24, Kiehl’s

Meanwhile, Sylvie Rouaix, vice president of product development at Marc Jacobs Beauty, says the results speak for themselves.

“It works really well,” Rouaix tells The Independent.

“Our pineapple enzyme water is a custom-made ingredient designed to rid skin of dead skin cells to allow for maximum hydration, plumpness and renewed glowing skin. There’s no point in trying to hydrate dead skin cells, is there? We believe in exfoliating dead skin cells to maximise hydration. We understand what it is, how it works. Pure efficacy while being gentle for all skin.”

But, is it really good for all skin types?

Kate Somerville, ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment, £72, Space NK; Herbivore Botanicals, Brighten Pineapple + Gemstone Mask, £38, Cult Beauty; Oskia, Renaissance Cleansing Mask, £55, Look Fantastic; Drunk Elephant, B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Serum, £44, Space NK

While most people will benefit from using pineapple skincare, Budh-Raja says that because it is a chemical exfoliator, those with mild pigmentation, sun damaged, dull and acne-prone skin are likely to see the most improvement.

Budh-Raja also recommends that those with sensitive skin, and those prone to dermatitis and eczema, might want to give it a miss because the combination of vitamin C and exfoliating enzymes could cause mild irritation.

However, this issue is something that Lee and Chang were careful to consider when it came to formulating Glow Recipe’s Pineapple-C Bright Serum.

“We noticed that individuals with sensitive skin tended to stay away from vitamin C, so we wanted to make sure our formula was gentle for sensitive skin types to have the ability to incorporate vitamin C daily,” they explain.

As is the case with many beauty buys, incorporating pineapple skincare into your routine requires a bespoke approach and is likely to differ from person to person.

But one thing you can guarantee is that adding any of these products to your summer skincare arsenal will leave you feeling like you’re lounging on a tropical beach and smelling like a holiday in a bottle.