5 Things You Need to Know About Kakadu Plum

In the world of clean beauty, it seems like there’s always a new “it” ingredient—coffee for scrub, rose for just about everything, walnuts for exfoliation, goat milk for calming, turmeric for inflammation…you know the drill. And look, there’s a reason “it” ingredients come to be. It’s because they really, truly work. 

 And at RMS, that’s always what we’re after; clean, good-for-skin ingredients that genuinely work—and work hard.

For years, one of our favorite “it ingredients” was a potent mix of hyaluronic acid—a naturally occurring amino acid in the body that binds connective tissue together and absorbs water to keep your skin hydrated—and Vitamin C, mainly from rosehip, a well-known antioxidant and ingredient that’s been heralded for decades as the ultimate skin brightener and dark spot fader. 

And while we’re still massive fans of these two ingredients ourselves (you’ll find hyaluronic acid in our ReEvolve Radiance Locking Primer and in our ReEvolve Natural Finish Liquid Foundation because of its hydrating properties, and Vitamin C in our Body Oil and more), we knew that for a brand so obsessed with skin-loving ingredients as RMS, there had to be more out there.  

Enter Kakadu. 

This powerhouse ingredient has the highest concentration of Vitamin C on the planet, and packs a hydrating, skin-softening, ultra-protecting punch all its own. We’re obsessed, and after reading this blog, we’ve no doubt you will be too. 

What is Kakadu? 

The Kakadu Plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) is a small green fruit found in the northern regions of Australia, primarily in the Kakadu National Park. It’s different than your average north american plum because Kakadu (pronounced Kah-kuh-DEW) is more closely related to an almond than a plum, and it contains the highest natural concentration of Vitamin C on earth, making it an absolute nutritional powerhouse for the body and the skin. 

 Every 100g of Kakadu contains 3,000mg of Vitamin C (which is 100% more Vitamin C than an orange), and Kakadu Plum contains 5x more antioxidants than a blueberry. 

Get to Know Kakadu Plum Seed Oil

 While you can certainly eat the Kakadu Plum—in Australia many people eat its fleshy, tart fruit on its own or in jams—the main Vitamin C source is its seeds, which are small, hard, and round, and carefully separated from the fruit and cold-pressed to extract the oil without compromising its nutritional value. The resulting oil is a rich elixir, similar to almond oil in texture, and is packed with essential fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, copper, and vitamins, and that is called Kakadu Plum Seed OIl. And this, dear clean community, deserves to be an “it” ingredient that outlasts all the trends.

What Does Kakadu Plum Do?

 Similar to Vitamin C, Kakadu Plum Seed Oil can do a lot for the skin. But because of its rich concentration of Vitamin C, it’s more potent than your average Vitamin C. 

 Get to know its five most powerful skin benefits below:

1. Brightens & Evens Skin Tone and Texture

Thanks to its ultra-rich concentration of Vitamin C and Beta Carotene (a potent antioxidant), Kakadu Plum Seed Oil can brighten dark spots, age spots, acne scars, sun spots, and more, better than your average Vitamin C serum. This potent oil can also help even out tone and texture, refining the look of pores and softening the look of fine lines, wrinkles, and even those tiny, pesky white bumps called milia. 

2. It Boosts Collagen & Plumps Fine Lines

Kakadu Plum Seed Oil is super rich in essential fatty acids, include omega-3s and omega-6s. Similar to hyaluronic acid (which absorbs moisture and keeps the skin’s connective tissue taught), these fatty acids play a crucial role in strengthening and maintaining the natural skin barrier, preventing moisture loss and keeping the skin plump and hydrated. 

Kakadu Plum Seed Oil also has a concentration of Vitamin A, which is a natural retinol (or what retinol is made out of). This Vitamin A, coupled with rich essential fatty acids, helps stimulate collagen production, which improves skin’s elasticity and firmness, and also refines and softens fine lines.  

3. It Calms Irritation & Flare Ups

Kakadu Plum is rich in a potent polyphenol called ellagic acid, which has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and even prebiotic properties. It’s also rich in Vitamin E, a vitamin known to soothe and calm the skin. Because of that, it can calm redness and irritation caused by a whole host of skin issues, including acne or eczema. It can also help

4. It Protects the Skin

Thanks to its whole host of antioxidant properties, including flavanols, aromatic acids, anthocyanins, and lutein, Kakadu Plum can protect against free radicals, which cause the skin to age faster, and accelerates photoaging. 

And while it should never be used as actual UV protection (for that, we suggest a sunscreen or nourishing skin protectant like our SuperNatural Radiance Serum Broad Spectrum SPF), it can accompany your SPF routine by being rich in antioxidants and protecting against UV damage.

5. It Seriously Hydrates

Because of Kakadu Plum’s rich concentration of fatty acids, it can hold and absorb water and moisture better than skin alone. It’s also very bioavailable, meaning it’s small enough for your skin to absorb better than other, larger oils. Your skin recognizes it as its own, and grabs it, holding onto nourishment and hydration. 

That also means that your skin is better able to absorb all the nourishment and nutrients Kakadu has to offer.

How to Incorporate Kakadu Plum Seed Oil Into Your Routine

Kakadu Plum Seed Oil is super easy to incorporate into your skincare routine. Our founder, master makeup artist Rose-Marie Swift, has been using it for years on its own as a facial oil, giving herself massages to lift and smooth the face. She’s also mixed it in with her Beauty Oil and UnCoverup, for a superfruit-packed tinted moisturizer that just transforms the skin.

Our favorite tip to incorporate Kakadu Plum Seed Oil into your routine is to add a drop to moisturizers, oils, and even face mists, to bring much-needed hydration and nourishment back into the skin.