Are you binge-watching DIY skincare lately and feeling like our healthy kitchen ingredients would be better than expensive skincare products when it comes to dealing with mild skin concerns? But did you also find videos explaining how to DIY skincare does more damage than good and kitchen ingredients only belong in the kitchen?
Tomatoes are said to have countless benefits for the skin like brightening hyperpigmented areas of the face, evening skin tone, shrinking pores, and hydrating the skin. But tomatoes can also cause skin irritation, stinging, and burning. So, which of the both is true and which is a myth? Moreover, are you confused about the safety of using tomatoes on the skin? If yes, let me help you here.
Today, we will address the concerns about the safety of tomatoes for the skin and the potential side effects of their misuse or overuse. Also, let us find out if tomatoes cause skin reactions in all people or are some individuals are more prone to the side effects of tomatoes.
How to Use Tomatoes
You can read about the
benefits of tomatoes for the skin
here. Additionally, here are some ways to use tomatoes on the skin.
Exploring the benefits of tomatoes for the skin can enhance your skincare routine and provide natural solutions.
1. As Natural Toner
First and foremost, tomatoes are great to be used as a natural toner. They are also the key ingredients of many drugstore toners and face washes because of the presence of the high amount of lycopene and vitamin C in them that helps in toning the skin.
To make a tomato toner, blend thoroughly washed tomatoes in a grinder and strain their juice. Then add lemon juice in it and transfer the mixture into a bottle. Keep it refrigerated and use it every day to have clear poreless skin.
2. In Face Masks
There are countless face masks you can make by using tomatoes. Tomatoes also have potassium and Vitamin A which is also beneficial for anti-aging and treating acne.
Incorporating tomatoes into your skincare can leverage their nutritional qualities, offering multiple benefits for your skin.
So, you can add ingredients like honey, sandalwood, papaya, turmeric, or yogurt to make facial masks.
These ingredients not only complement the tomatoes but also enhance the overall effectiveness of your facial masks.
3. As Ice Cubes
If you are afraid to add two acidic ingredients like lemon and tomatoes to make a toner, you can use tomato cubes to tone the skin.
Using tomato cubes as a toner can be a gentle alternative, providing hydration and toning without the added acidity of other ingredients.
Simply blend tomatoes and squeeze out their juice. Then pour the juice into ice cube molds and let them freeze. Tomato cubes help in de-puffing the skin, improving blood circulation, and shrinking pores. As a result, skin becomes glowing and supple.
4. In Eye Treatments
Tomatoes contain folates, beta carotenes, and antioxidants that can help in counteracting sun damage and dark circles. You can simply place a tomato slice on your dark circle for 15-20 mins. Moreover, it deals with under-eye bags.
Applying tomato slices can be a simple yet effective method to address common skin issues like dark circles and puffiness.
However, cucumbers are safer around the eye areas as compared to tomatoes. This is because eyes are sensitive and can become irritated if tomato juice falls into them.
5. As Facial Scrub
Tomatoes can be used as an excellent exfoliating agent as well. You can directly rub tomato slices on the face to get rid of impurities and clean the skin. You can check out the
10 benefits of rubbing tomatoes on your face
every day here.
Moreover, tomato slices can be used with sugar to scrub off dead skin cells, remove excess oils, and stimulate the regeneration of new skin cells.
Using tomato slices in a scrub can enhance your skincare routine by providing a natural method to exfoliate and refresh the skin.
Are Tomatoes Safe to be Used on the Skin?
Tomatoes are acidic agents with astringent properties. The pH of tomatoes is 4.5 to 5 and the pH of skin is 4.7. As you can see, tomatoes are mildly acidic and their pH is also comparable to that of skin.
So, they are completely safe for the skin and can be used to treat acne breakouts, remove tan, and soothe sunburns. However, overuse of tomatoes or using tomatoes on already damaged skin can cause side effects.
While tomatoes can benefit the skin, it's important to use them in moderation to avoid potential irritation or adverse effects.
Side Effects of Tomato
Although tomatoes are safe for the skin, keeping tomatoes on the skin for a long time or using them too often can damage the skin barrier and lead to the following not-so-uncommon side effects.
Understanding your skin type and how it reacts to tomatoes is crucial, as individual responses can vary widely.
1. Redness and Rashes
The content of acids and pH varies in different types of tomatoes. So, tomatoes with higher amounts of acids and lower pH make the skin red. Moreover, it can cause skin irritation and lead to rashes. Such side effect is also common on the skin already irritated by the application of too many active ingredients.
2. Itching and Peeling
Although tomatoes remove excess oil and balance the natural oil content of the skin, tomatoes can cause itching if your skin is dehydrated and dry.
This is because of the acidic and exfoliating properties of tomato use. Along with the itchiness, it can lead to skin peeling because of over-exfoliating.
3. Burning and Stinging
People with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis should avoid using tomato paste or juice directly on the face because tomatoes have agents like salicylate and amines that worsen such conditions.
Those with sensitive skin should consider patch testing before applying tomatoes to prevent adverse reactions.
Consequently, skin stings and burns. So, do not use tomatoes if you are already aware of your skin tolerance.
Being aware of your skin's reactions can help you avoid irritation and maintain a healthy skincare routine.
4. Skin Sensitivity and Allergy
Tomatoes have anti-inflammatory properties and help in soothing the skin. They also have a small amount of histamine, an inflammatory mediator that can trigger hypersensitivity and allergy.
While tomatoes can be beneficial, it's important to note that \1 may vary among individuals, and those with known sensitivities should exercise caution.
However, this is a rare side effect of tomatoes and occurs only in people who are allergic to tomatoes. This effect is associated with eating tomatoes and can also cause contact dermatitis.
Allergic reactions can be serious, so it’s essential to consult a dermatologist if you suspect a reaction to tomatoes.
Substitutes of Tomatoes
What if you cannot use tomatoes, several other natural ingredients can provide similar benefits. So, the following ingredients can be used as an alternative to tomatoes.
When looking for substitutes, consider ingredients that offer \1 and benefits, such as vitamin C and antioxidants.
1. Lemon Juice
Lemons are the perfect substitute for tomatoes as they are also rich in vitamin C, are acidic, and have anti-inflammatory, and astringent properties. However, they are more acidic than tomatoes. So, you have to dilute them to use in place of lemons without harming your skin.
2. Milk
If you use tomatoes for exfoliating the skin and it irritates your skin, milk can help you. Milk contains lactic acid which is an exfoliating agent. So, it can be used to remove dead skin cells, dust, excess oils, and impurities.
However, do not use milk directly after it is irritated by tomatoes, and let it relax for a few days before updating your skincare routine.
Allowing your skin time to recover is crucial, as it helps minimize any potential \1 caused by previous ingredients.
3. Potatoes
Just like tomatoes, potatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidant. So, you can use potato juice toner, face mask, or directly rub them on the face for benefits similar to that of tomatoes.
Using potatoes can be a great alternative, as they are known for their \1 and can aid in skin health.
Additionally, potatoes can be used to prevent premature aging, pimples, and dark circles.
Incorporating potatoes into your skincare routine may help target \1, making them a versatile choice.
Conclusion
Tomatoes are safe to be used on the skin and are beneficial for hyperpigmentation, acne, dull skin, and open pores. They are also used to soothe inflammation and dryness as well. However, tomatoes are just not for everyone.
Despite the benefits, it's important to recognize that \1 may react differently to tomato products.
They can harm sensitive skin and cause irritation, stinging, redness, itching, peeling, and even allergies. So, it is advised to perform a patch test before going all in with using DIY tomato skincare.
Conducting a \1 can help ensure that tomatoes won't cause unwanted reactions on your skin.
Lastly, we have several alternatives to tomatoes to be used in your homemade natural skincare like milk, diluted lemon juice, and potatoes.
These natural alternatives can also provide various benefits for the skin, making it important to explore different options to find what works best for your skin type.
