The Magic of Tomatoes!

Do you know the part of the tomato with the stem that you always slice off and throw out? Well what if I told you that instead of wasting that part you could use it as an exfoliator for your face?  Follow these steps:

1.   Cut off a slice of the tomato with the stem still attached. 
 

2.   Pour out some white granulated sugar on a small plate.
 

3.   Now hold on to the stem of the tomato slice and dip it into the sugar.


4.    Rub this tomato slice all over your face in a circular motion.

5.   
Re-dip the tomato slice into the sugar as needed.
 

6.   Leave the juice of the tomato on your skin for 5-10 minutes and then wash with lukewarm water.

Your skin will feel lovely and soft after this treatment as it scrubs away all the dead skin. I usually do this before my egg facial once a week (You will find a separate blog on this in the hair and beauty section).  This is also a great way to exfoliate when you are away from home if you forgot to pack your facial exfoliator.

The use of tomatoes for skin care is ideal because of their cooling and astringent properties. They are rich in vitamin C, which is great for acne and brightening dull skin. Tomatoes also contain vitamin A, which is needed for building healthy skin. Their naturally acidic properties help balance the skin and get rid of excessive oil. 

Tomatoes are also fabulous for our skin because they contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which fights the signs of ageing. Lycopene is a great antioxidant for the skin because it provides protection from environmental damage. It helps cells grow and reproduce, thus improving the skins texture. Improving cellular functions is also essential to keeping the skin looking young. Lycopene strengthens the skin by enhancing its ability to produce collagen and reducing the DNA damage that leads to wrinkles.

Considering how good tomatoes are for our skin, it is no surprise then that so many new skin care products have tomatoes in them!   

Burt's Bees does one of my favourite facial soaps called Garden Tomato Complexion Soap for people with normal to oily skin.  I really like it because it is 96.80 percent natural so it doesnt contain any of the harmful chemicals that so many beauty products do.  It contains a vegetable soap base, fragrance, tomato powder and aloe barbadensis.  Not only does the Garden Tomato Soap combat sagging skin and unbalanced pH conditions, it smells absolutely wonderful. 

If you are looking for a great moisturizer made with tomatoes then try another one of my favourite products. Yes To Tomatoes Totally Tranquil Facial Hydrating Lotion balances and hydrates normal to oily skin. It is made from 99.6% natural ingredients including organic tomatoes, watermelon, chamomile and Dead Sea minerals. It smells lovely and it is just the perfect consistency for my skin.  It goes on nice and thick but still feels really light.  I highly recommend this product to anyone who likes natural products at a great price.