Organic tomatoes, at peak season and even a bit beyond, are bursting with vitamin C and potassium, and they are the most concentrated food source of lycopene. A powerful antioxidant and carotenoid, lycopene gives tomatoes and other red and orange fruits their gorgeous color. (Remember, tomato is a fruit!) And since it also helps protect skin cells from damage, lycopene is a popular ingredient in skincare, which will help keep our skin gorgeous, too! It not only helps clear up oily and blemished skin, it is good for aging skin, too. Here is a simple mask you can apply to temporarily tighten up your skin: Cut a tomato in half. Gently massage the open side onto clean skin. Let it dry, then rinse with warm water.
—Photograph and text by Rona Berg