TRENDS SPRING-SUMMER 2009

FRUIT AND VEG FRENZY

Fresh-faced cosmetics

Bursting with virtuous qualities, fruits and vegetables are the talk of the beauty world – perhaps because in the midst of all the physical, financial and mental pollution of our lives our bodies crave something a bit gentler and more natural. Perhaps it’s also because we really do love those home remedies our grandmothers used, and because fruits and vegetables are full of mineral salts and vitamins. Either way, they certainly do us good… By Lisa Bossi. Translated by Liana Gregorians.

For a few years now, we’ve all been leaning towards the simple life. Take as proof the recent emergence of certified organic cosmetics and the vast increase in the number of ‘natural’ beauty brands. But sometimes there’s no need to complicate matters – what you’re looking for can be found right under your nose. We’re reminded of it continually on TV, in supermarkets and on posters: for a healthy body, make sure you get your 5-a-day.

So, if these nutrients are so good for our bodies, why shouldn’t they be for our skin too? Most women have at some point cut two rounds of cucumber to make an eye mask, and though these treatments may be old fashioned there’s a reason why many of us are abandoning spas in favor of greengrocers… Now certain beauty laboratories have realised that Nature herself can offer us effective remedies on a silver platter. Fruits and vegetables are full of mineral salts, trace elements and vitamins which play a crucial part in the battle against cellular degeneration and ageing and which contribute heavily to the well-being of your skin. Tomatoes, for example, contain vitamin C, antioxidants and pro-vitamin A, which fight against infection and help in skin repair. Peppers are full of vitamin B, which boosts cell renewal. And the list goes on.

Some brands have had the idea to integrate these treasures of nature into their products, adding fruit and vegetable extracts in high concentrations for a deep and intense effect on the skin. The brand Yes To has three different skincare lines, Yes To Carrots (for normal to dry skin), Yes To Tomatoes (for oily/combination skin) and Yes To Cucumbers (for normal to sensitive skin), all of which contain organic fruit and vegetable extracts as well as purifying and moisturizing Dead Sea minerals.