Tomato is an essential kitchen ingredient as it tastes delicious and works as a lovely addition to most cuisines. But did you know that tomatoes rule the skincare spectrum too? The best part is that they suit almost every skin type. Read ahead to know more about the ten excellent benefits of applying tomato on face.
What does research say about applying tomato to the skin?
Research states that due to high levels of vitamin C present in tomatoes when applied on the face, they are tremendously beneficial in stimulating collagen production and improving skin elasticity. Additionally, they are found to have anti-ageing properties due to Vitamins B-1, B-3, B-5, B-6 and B-9.
The presence of lycopene makes tomatoes an excellent antioxidant and potent counteracting agent to free radicals, which in turn fights cellular damage in the skin.
Benefits of Tomato on Face:
1) Scrapes the Dead Skin off
The environment around us is pretty polluted these days, especially in the metro cities. Consequently, our skin absorbs a lot of oil and dirt whenever we step out. This makes our skin uneven, and all the dirt, oil, and impurities clog the skin pores.
Getting rid of this isn't that easy, only with regular cleansing. We need to exfoliate our skin properly. Tomatoes have a lot of enzymes, making them excellent exfoliators that help in scraping off the dead skin cells. It works wonders on people with sensitive skin, too, as Tomatoes are quite mild in the skin.
2) Gets Rid of Excessive Facial Oils
Tomatoes can reduce the oiliness of our faces, and this is one of its most significant benefits. Greasy or oily skin can be exceptionally bothersome, and it adversely affects our overall skin health. Die to excessive oils; even makeup doesn't stay in place for too long.
Due to their acidic properties, Tomatoes do wonders when combating and reducing the excessive oil on our skin.
3) Reduces Acne
Acne troubles a lot of people across various age groups. This is so because, on most of our faces, oil, bacteria, or dirt get trapped in the pores, leading to breakouts. These breakouts become even more problematic for people who have the habit of popping pimples.
The high levels of vitamins A, C, and K make it an acidic medium that can help balance the level of our skin and aid in deep cleansing. At times, using a Tomato may not provide the ultimate cure to get rid of acne from its root. However, using tomato for pimple reduction is an effective way to prevent the condition.
4) Tightens Pores
Having large pores can be one of the worst problems for our skin. The larger the pores, the more dirt, oil, and impurities can attract and cause acne and breakouts.
When several pollutants get mixed with our skin's natural oil, they can get very problematic. Tomatoes act as a natural solution to shrink pores further and even diminish their visibility.
5) Work as a Natural Sunscreen
Due to lycopene's presence, tomatoes work as an excellent shield against harmful UV rays, acting as a natural sunscreen. You can even add it to your regular sunscreen and step out with extra protection.
6) Manages Sunburns
Tomatoes not only protect us from the sunlight, but they have also proven to be an excellent cure for treating sunburns. Sunburns can get quite troublesome, as they cause so much redness on our skin, heat our skin, and can even give us nasty, itchy rashes all over.
Using tomato for tan removal and treating sunburns is very effective due to the abundance of vitamins A and C found in Tomatoes. They soothe our skin and take away all the redness and itchiness.
7) Have a Soothing Effect on Irritated Skin
People with susceptible skin have a tough time using cosmetics and skincare products. Makeup can prove to be their worst nightmare. They can have constantly flared up, itchy and irritated skin when using regular skincare products. Tomatoes, owing to their anti-inflammatory properties and the presence of lutein, beta carotene, vitamins E and C, help in soothing the flared-up skin to a great extent.
8) Provides a Youthful Glow
Tomatoes can Increase the production of collagen on our faces. Collagens, a kind of protein that gives an excellent structure to our skin, helps to achieve a precise and dewy texture—balanced levels of collagen help in keeping skin glowing and soft, even as one age. Using Tomato for face whitening and improving glow is an excellent home remedy.
9) Has Anti-Aging Properties
Because of a few factors, there are times when you begin seeing indications of untimely maturing all over, like scarcely discernible differences, wrinkles, spots, dark circles, and imperfections. This causes your skin to seem inert and dull. Fortunately, tomatoes are incredibly plentiful in Vitamin B. Nutrient B.
Its buildings have hostile to maturing properties and are exceptionally useful in warding off the apparent signs and returning that energy to your skin.
10) Has a Hydrating Effect On Skin
Tomatoes assist with reducing oiliness from the skin. However, it doesn't influence the normal oils required for your skin. Indeed, it impeccably balances the dampness of your skin, so regardless of whether you have moderately dry skin, you can use tomatoes all over to hydrate it and give it a characteristic shine.
Tomato Face Packs
Just like our everyday skincare products, tomato-based face packs come in various varieties too. By combining Tomatoes with different ingredients, depending on the skin concern we wish to fight, we can create DIY face packs that work wonders.
From sunburn to ageing, tomatoes are like a magic ingredient and provide a sure-shot solution to achieve that glorious skin you always wanted. The following are different kinds of Tomato-based face packs.
1) Anti-Acne Facepack Using Tomato
Combining tomato with Tea tree oil, jojoba oil, and rose water works wonders on skin breakouts and treats acne. All these ingredients have acne clearing, anti-inflammatory as well as antibacterial properties that altogether increase our skin’s elasticity. This pack also leads to tan removal. This formula flushes out all toxins and makes skin glow.
Method:
- Take the puree of half a tomato.
- Add one tsp of jojoba oil.
- Add about four-five drops of tea tree oil.
- Mix everything well to form a smooth paste.
- Dab it on your face and allow it to sit for around 15 minutes.
- Rinse two times, first with lukewarm water and then again with some cold water.
- Use this thrice a week for obtaining the best results.
2) Anti-Blemish Tomato Face Pack
Tomatoes work wonders on dark spots and blemishes. They even treat sunburns and the marks that this condition can affect our skin. Adding honey to tomatoes has a very soothing effect on the skin.
This nourishing face pack is an effective solution for curing blemishes. It has abundant antioxidants that soften the skin and make it blemish-free and supple.
Method:
- Take two tbsp of tomato-pulp.
- Add one tsp of honey.
- Blend well to form a smooth paste.
- Apply on your face and let sit for around 20 minutes.
- Rinse the pack off with lukewarm water.
- Use this two times a week for the best results.
3) Blackhead Removal Tomato Mask
Combining oatmeal with Tomatoes works wonders on the skin. This combination improves skin texture and has an exfoliating action on the skin that gets rid of blackheads and dead skin cells and by cleaning all the accumulated impurities. If we add some yoghurt to this oatmeal-tomato mixture, the lactic acid present in yoghurt can further help clear the toxins from our skin and clean the pores clogged with dirt and sebum.
Method:
- Take two tbsp of tomato pulp.
- Add one tbsp of roles or flattened oats.
- Add one tbsp of yoghurt.
- Blend all this well to make a smooth pulpy mixture.
- Warm it up a little.
- Apply this pack and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Rinse it off using lukewarm water.
- Use this two times a week for getting the best results.
4) Tomato Face Pack for Curing Dark Circles
Tomato has excellent bleaching properties that aren't too harsh on the skin, making it an effective solution for tan removal and curing puffy dark circles. The under-eye area is sensitive and delicate. Hence they require gentle care, even if you have stubborn patches and dark circles. Tomato-based eye packs are very effective in reducing dark circles. Adding aloe vera to Tomato pulp soothes our skin and works wonders by making it supple and elastic.
Method:
- Take a tsp of tomato juice.
- Add a few drops of aloe vera gel.
- Apply this gel-like mixture under the eyes.
- Let sit for 15 minutes.
- Rinse it off with cold water.
- Use this twice every day for getting the best results.
Some other Tomato face packs:
- Mix the pulp of one tomato with Multani mitti and a teaspoon of fresh green mint leaf paste to get glowing and refreshed skin.
- Mix Tomato pulp with cucumber juice and apply it to the face. This pack helps in reducing inflammation caused due to heat.
How to Apply Tomato on Face
1) You can apply Tomatoes in the form of their juice by adding some lime juice to it. Using tomato and lemon for face is very beneficial.
2) Mixing tomato juice with some buttermilk is also an excellent remedy for treating sunburn and heat rashes as this mixture cools our skin down.
3) Mixing tomato Pulp with some aloe vera is also a way to apply Tomatoes to the skin and moisturise it.
4) Applying tomato pulp directly on our face, leaving it on for 10 minutes, and then rinsing it also has excellent benefits.
5) You can directly apply Tomato on your face by cutting it into two halves and rubbing it in a circular motion on the skin. After this, leave the face intact for 10 minutes and rinse with cold water. This is an effective remedy for tan removal and reducing oiliness.
Side Effects of Applying Tomato on Face
Tomatoes are magical ingredients for skincare and hardly have any side effects. However, everyone has different skin types, and not all kinds of Tomato-based face packs might suit all. Therefore, it is always better to go for a patch test and see how the skin reacts to the pack for applying it on the entire face.
1) If you feel any irritation or redness, avoid using it.
2) Tomatoes have astringent and acidic properties. Hence, it is normal to feel a slight tingling sensation on the applied area.
3) However, if anything more than this happens to the skin, wash it off immediately.
Summing Up on Tomato on Face
Tomatoes are abundant in lycopene - a type of antioxidant with tremendous skin-related benefits. Additionally, tomatoes contain vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin K, folates, and potassium that make them an excellent skincare ingredient in addition to being a dietary marvel.
To conclude, applying tomatoes can have numerous benefits for our skin. Moreover, they are cheaply priced and available all year. Therefore, for achieving glowing, blemish and acne-free skin, applying tomatoes can be very effective.
FAQs
1) Can I Apply Tomato on My Face Everyday?
Yes, we can use it as desired by us. Depending on the skin condition, we can apply it daily as well. Rubbing tomato on face everyday can work wonders for shrinking pores.
2) Can I Rub Tomato on My Face Twice a Day?
Yes, for treating sunburn, you can apply tomato juice twice a day on the skin and find relief. You can also use tomato for skin whitening by applying it twice a day.
3) How Long Should I Leave Tomatoes on My Face?
The duration to leave on any tomato-based face back or solution on the front is about 15-20 minutes. You can repeat the number of times you apply it on your face rather than leave it on for a longer duration at once.
References:
- Assunta Raiola, Maria Manuela Rigano, Roberta Calafiore, Luigi Frusciante, and Amalia Barone, March 2014; Enhancing the Health-Promoting Effects of Tomato Fruit for Biofortified Food - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3972926/
- Shravan Paswan; Tomato-A Natural Medicine and Its Health Benefits - https://www.academia.edu/2002782/Tomato-
- Erica N. Story, Rachel E. Kopec, Steven J. Schwartz, and G. Keith Harris, December 2013; An Update on the Health Effects of Tomato Lycopene - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3850026/
