Monday, January 26, 2009

Skin care from kitchen - tomato

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Tomatoes have long been used in home remedies for oily and blemish-prone skin, and with good reason. These bright red fruits contain large amounts of vitamins and minerals, such as A, C, E, iron and potassium, which help nourish the skin. Tomatoes also provide an astringent effect on the skin to help remove excess oil and refine the pores.

*Tomato Mask for Oily Skin
mash up a ripe tomato and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water

* Tomato+ Honey Facial Toner
Things You’ll Need:
Large, ripe organic tomato
All natural raw honey
Knife
Mesh strainer
Bowl
Spoon

Purchase a large, fully ripe, organic tomato. Not only are organic tomatoes free of harsh chemical pesticides and fertilizers, they general contain greater amounts of vitamins and minerals for pampering your skin. Tomatoes contain gentle acids which will help to cleanse your skin while removing dead skin cells.
Choose all natural raw honey as well which has not been treated with heat or mixed with chemical preservative. Honey is a natural moisturizer with anti-bacterial properties, helping to eliminate the bacteria which forms acne while keeping the skin soft and supple.
Wash the tomato thoroughly and then cut it into small pieces. Place the pieces in a mesh strainer, setting the strainer over the lip of a bowl, and then use the back of a spoon to press the juice and fine pulp through the strainer.
Add enough honey to the bowl to make a thick paste and then apply your facial toner evenly to your face and neck. Allow the toner to do it's job for at least 15 minutes and then rinse with cool water. Your toner is gentle and effective, perfect for everyday use.

*Green Tomato Pore Tightening Facial Mask
Ingredients:
1 green tomato
1 teaspoon honey

Instructions:
Put the tomato and honey in a blender. Blend until consistency is a thick pulp.
Cleanse your face with warm water. Ex-foliate using a gentle facial brush, washcloth or your favorite scrub product.
Massage the mask on to your face with your fingers. Take your time.
Leave on for 20-30 minutes.
Rinse off with cold water.
~Put any remaining mask into a sealed container and store in a fridge. Use within two weeks.

*Refreshing tomato mask
Ingredients
1/4 peeled and seedless tomato. Chop it.
3 teaspoons of yogurt
1 teaspoon peeled and then grated cucumber
1 teaspoon of aloe vera gel
3 teaspoons of oatmeal (finely ground)
Additional ingredients are 2 mint leaves, fresh and crushed so the essential oils run out of the leaves.

Preparation

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Apply on the face and leave on for about 10 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water.

* Lemon - Tomato Mask
Use this on oily skin. The acid in the tomato and lemon work on acne and blackheads.
Ingredients:
1 over-ripe tomato; inside scooped and mashed
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp instant oatmeal

Instructions:
Puree all ingredients in a blender. Apply to freshly cleaned face and leave on for 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water and pat dry.

*Tomato Face Mask
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized ripe tomato
1 handful of green beans
1 tbsp. sour cream
Instructions:
Slice the tomato and place the chunks in a small cooking pot. The natural acids found in tomatoes make them a gentle and natural astringent, helping to clean the pores. Tomatoes are also rich in anti-oxidants which help regenerate skin, giving your face a healthy, younger look.
Add a handful of green beans to the pot and cook until soft. Green beans are high in zinc, a vitamin which is known to heal damaged skin.
Mash the tomatoes and green beans until smooth and add 1 tbsp. of sour cream. The lactic acid found in sour cream will soothe and soften dry, itchy skin. Sour cream adds a moisturizing ingredient while at the same time tightening wrinkles and refining pores.
Wash your face with warm water and pat dry. Apply the still warm face mask evenly to your face and neck and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Gently rinse the mask off with warm water and pat dry with a towel.

*Tomato Facial Mask
Ingredients:
Tomato
Lemon juice
Oatmeal
Cornmeal
Non-fat dry milk
Brewer's yeast
Yogurt
Tomato juice
Carrot juice
Olive oil
Instant mashed potato flakes

Instructions:
1. Chop one tomato and combine in a food processor or blender with 1 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. oatmeal. Blend to a smooth paste. Cleanse face and neck. Apply the tomato facial to blemished skin, leaving on for 10 minutes. Gently remove with a warm washcloth and rinse skin with warm water to remove all residue.
2. Peel and seed one tomato and mash the pulp with a fork. Combine that with 1/4 cup cornmeal, mixing well. Massage onto cleansed skin of face and neck, staying away from the eyes. Rinse off with cool water.
3. Cut one tomato into quarters or eighths, if it is large. Taking one piece at a time, gently rub the pulp-side onto clean face and neck, but do not use around the eyes. Massage tomato pieces in a circular motion until the skin is covered with juice. Allow to dry and then rinse skin with cool water.
4. Mix one cup oatmeal with 3 tbsp. non-fat dry milk, moistening all the oats. Chop one tomato and puree it in a blender. Add that to the oatmeal-milk mixture, stirring to incorporate all ingredients well. Apply to cleansed face and neck skin with the fingertips, keeping free of the eye area. Leave on the skin for 45 minutes. Use a warm washcloth to remove the facial and splash face with warm water.
5. Blend 1 tbsp. powdered brewer's yeast with 1/2 tbsp. plain, unflavored yogurt, 1 tsp. each of lemon juice, tomato juice, carrot juice and olive oil. Mix by hand or in a food processor or blender to form a smooth paste. Cleanse face and neck and apply the facial mixture with fingertips, but not near the eyes. After 15 minutes, remove the mask with a warm washcloth and rinse skin with warm water.
6. Remove the peel and seeds from one tomato and puree the flesh in a food processor or blender. Mix in 1 tsp. instant mashed potato flakes, blending well. Pat the facial onto cleansed face and neck skin. Keep away from the eyes. After 10 minutes, rinse off with warm water.



*Tomato against Painful Joints
The juice of the whole plant including leaves, mixed with equal quantity of sesame oil, is heated until all the watery part is evaporated and the oil is preserved in a bottle. This oil, massaged over painful joints and sprains and fomented with dry heat gives a great relief.

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