WHY IS EMU APPLE EXTRACT GOOD FOR MY SKIN? – Tropic Skincare

Our Little Emy Nappy Cream doesn’t just get its powerfully protective antioxidant capabilities (or its name) from nowhere, you know. They’re all courtesy of the adorably named emu apple extract, known scientifically as owenia acidula.  

Now before you get too excited, we have to put to rest any visions of emus working in harmony tending to their orchards. The origins of this berry’s name are swathed in mystery, but we can confidently (and with great sadness) say that it’s not the result of any genius feathery friends with a penchant for agriculture.

Hailing from the woodlands of the Australian outback, the emu apple tree is a pioneer species, meaning it’s the first to thrive on land which has been previously barren or damaged. Its survival over centuries in this often harsh wilderness has shaped it into a fighter and developed what we like to think of as its superpower – the ability to store large quantities of naturally occurring chemicals known as phyto-compounds, which help to protect it against infection. Yes, even trees can get their own version of the common cold! If we were placing bets on the plant version of Survivor Australia, this would be the odds-on favourite to win.

It’s not the tree itself that makes its way into our formulations, however – we’re interested in a much smaller little hero. Long valued by native Aboriginal peoples as a tasty treat, the tiny berry produced by the emu apple tree measures a mere 1cm in diameter, proving that good things really do come in small packages. The phyto-compounds that enrich the tree on which it grows can all be found here too (A-listers include flavonols, phenolics, catechin and quercetin), making it a veritable treasure trove of skincare goodness.

‘How do all these phyto-compounds help my skin?’, we hear you ask. Most of them are powerful antioxidants in their own right, and when they’re brought together in this supercharged berry, the results are radiant. Helping to keep cells at their healthiest and skin at its strongest, antioxidants work their magic by preventing the formation of damaging unstable molecules in the body known as free radicals. 

With so many protective benefits in one place, when we knew we needed a natural wonder to care for delicate newborn skin with our nappy cream, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use this efficacious extract. So, next time you’re soothing your little one’s unhappy nappy sores, give a nod to the rich history of this persistent pioneer and its determination to distribute its dishy antioxidants – from the snack selection of Aboriginal peoples to the dermal diet of our Little Tropic fans!