Whether you're snacking on cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, or beefsteak tomatoes, tomato season is one of the best times of the year. It turns out that beyond being delicious, eating a tomato-heavy diet has skincare benefits, too. Tomatoes are full of vitamins and antioxidants, and are "low-calorie, but nutrient-dense which means they are packed with tons of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients," says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian for the Good Housekeeping Institute. "The vibrant red hue of tomatoes comes from a powerful antioxidant known as lycopene. They are also loaded with vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and even folate."
What are the skincare benefits of tomatoes?
That's right: Tomatoes have skincare benefits. But before you start applying tomato juice to your skin or rubbing tomato slices on your your face, take caution. Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, board-certified dermatologist, founder of Entière Dermatology and clinical instructor at NYU Langone, advises against any DIY methods. "In general, any acidic fruit or vegetable can cause irritation on the skin," Dr. Levin says.
Don't worry — plenty of skincare products are out there that are specifically formulated to harness the carotenoid's properties. Here's what that means for your skin:
- Vitamin C stimulates collagen production. Vitamin C is widely used in skincare, and "tomatoes contain quite a bit of vitamin C, [an] antioxidant that can help fight free radicals and naturally stimulate collagen synthesis," says Sassos.
- Lycopene protects agains free radicals and UV damage. "For the skin, lycopene not only neutralizes free radicals but also is protective against oxidative stress and UV-radiation (the sun)," notes Dr. Levin. "As in the oral form, topical lycopene has been shown to have antioxidative properties as well," says Levin. She notes, however, that there is more research for oral lycopene — so when patients ask her about mixing in the powerful antioxidant, she typically steers them in the direction of ingested forms of lycopene.
Below, we've rounded up the highest rated products made with tomatoes: