Amour cautions to always check the
labels. “Is there any raspberry in it
or have they just put it on the label,
coloured it and added fragrance?” she
warns. Check the product listing. If
you’re looking for a skincare product
that contains real benefits from fruit,
it should be in the top third of the
ingredients list.
There is such a rich and vibrant
diversity and seasonality to fruits. Among
Mitchell’s favourites for natural beauty is
pomegranate, because it’s packed full of
antioxidants. “Pomegranate helps with
renewing the skin, regenerates cells and
plumps up and hydrates the skin,” she
says. “You can even add a few drops of it
to your moisturiser as you apply it.”The special ingredient in pomegranate
is urolithin A, which is a key rejuvenator.
Mango is another natural beauty product
that refreshes and plumps up the skin.
Mitchell shares that mangoes are full of
antioxidants and have astringent properties
that help tighten the skin and assist with
healing. “Adding a little rosehip or jojoba oil
to mango also works well,” she says.
An apple a day might keep the doctor
away but, according to Armour, it’s
also good for the skin: “Apples contain
phloretin, a flavonoid found exclusively
in them. Some studies have shown it has
photoprotective effects, a biochemical
process which helps with skin sun
damage caused by exposure.”
Blueberry is another top pick for
Armour because it’s high in vitamin C.
“This is important in the production
of collagen in the skin,” she says. “In
experimental models, blueberries block
glycation, which causes clumping of
collagen and elastin [and that] makes the
skin look yellow and sallow.”No matter which fruit you choose,
always pick the freshest possible and, when
making skin care products, use within a few
days to maximise effectiveness.
There are many fruits that can refresh
your skin and give it a youthful glow. Here
are some of the best.Lovely lemon
When life gives you lemons, turn them
into a natural beauty treatment. Lemons
are rich in vitamin C and an insufficiency
of this vitamin impacts the body’s ability
to produce collagen, which also naturally
diminishes with age.
Lemons also contain antibacterial
properties, so lemon juice is effective in
fighting skin conditions like acne.
The vitamin C in lemon boosts the
immune system and lemons contain pectin,
a prebiotic that assists with gut health.Fresh and fabulous skin food:
Start your day with a squeeze of lemon
juice and a little apple-cider vinegar in
water to cleanse the body.
Brighten and lighten your elbows and
knees by rubbing on some lemon juice.
Rinse off after 15 minutes.
The juice of a ¼ lemon and a tsp of
bicarb can whiten nails. Just mix and apply,
massaging in around the nail.
For a citrus exfoliating scrub, use ½
cup sea salt, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
1 tsp unrefined virgin coconut oil, zest
of a lemon and juice of ½ a lemon. Stir
salt and oils together then add citrus.
Massage dry skin before showering for
a zesty start to your day. (From Homemade
Beauty by Annie Strole.)Terrifi c tomato
Because of its luscious taste and bright
red colour, this edible red fruit was once
called a love apple. Tomatoes are a
nutrient-dense, versatile fruit rich in the
antioxidant lycopene, a carotenoid pigment.
Antioxidants in tomatoes fight free radicals.
Free radicals can accelerate the oxidisation
process, leading to visible signs of ageing.Fresh and fabulous skin food:
Add tomato slices to salads, snack on
cherry tomatoes or turn them into salsa
and pasta sauces.
As a sunburn remedy, mix tomato juice
and buttermilk and apply to sunburn. Rinse
off after 20 minutes.
Rub a half tomato over your skin; it
helps shrink the pores.
Tomato and milk juice cleanser (for
normal and oily skin): the lactic acid
content offers a gentle peeling action. Test
on the wrist for any allergic responses.
You’ll need one tomato, some fresh whole Photography^ GettyImagesPomegranate helps with
renewing the skin, regenerates
cells and plumps up and
hydrates the skin.32 | wellbeing.com.au
beauty
FRUIT FOR SKIN