BOTANICAL EXTRACT
Tomato Fruit Extract
Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Fruit Extract
An antioxidant-rich extract of ripe tomatoes, a natural source of the red carotenoid lycopene, used to help skin look bright and even.
Source
Ripe tomatoes
Used for
Dull, uneven-looking skin
How it works
The colour of ripe tomatoes, in skincare.
Tomato fruit extract comes from ripe tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). Their red colour comes mainly from lycopene, a carotenoid antioxidant, alongside smaller amounts of colourless carotenoids called phytoene and phytofluene, plus natural vitamins and polyphenols.
Lycopene is the compound tomatoes are best known for, and in a study with volunteers a gel-cream containing it was associated with better skin hydration and elasticity readings and a more even-looking tone.
Its carotenoids are fat-soluble, so the extract blends easily into oil-based formulas such as facial oils. It suits daily use, morning or night.
Lycopene is the compound tomatoes are best known for, and in a study with volunteers a gel-cream containing it was associated with better skin hydration and elasticity readings and a more even-looking tone.
Its carotenoids are fat-soluble, so the extract blends easily into oil-based formulas such as facial oils. It suits daily use, morning or night.
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Extracted from ripe tomatoes, a natural source of lycopene
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An antioxidant-rich carotenoid ingredient
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Lycopene, its best-known compound, has been studied on skin for hydration and elasticity
Questions
What is tomato fruit extract?
It is an extract of the fruit of the tomato plant, Solanum lycopersicum, a member of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. Tomatoes are a rich source of carotenoids, a family of natural plant pigments, and these are the compounds the extract is best known for. (USDA GRIN; Khachik et al., 2002)
What is lycopene?
Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid in tomatoes and the main source of their red colour, alongside smaller amounts of related carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein. Carotenoids such as lycopene are considered promising antioxidants, which is why they interest skincare researchers. (Khachik et al., 2002; Sohail et al., 2022)
Is there research on tomato extract for skin?
Research has focused on lycopene, tomato's best-known compound. In a study with volunteers, a gel-cream containing lycopene improved skin hydration and elasticity readings and helped skin tone look more even. (Sohail et al., 2022)
About the plant
The cultivated tomato's wild relatives are native to western South America, from northern Ecuador through Peru to northern Chile, including the Galápagos Islands. One genetic study concluded that the tomato was first partly domesticated in the Andes and then fully domesticated in Mesoamerica. (Blanca et al., 2012)
Today the tomato is grown and naturalised so widely that botanical databases record it across much of the world. Its fruit contains a broad range of carotenoids, with lycopene the most abundant. (USDA GRIN; Khachik et al., 2002)
Today the tomato is grown and naturalised so widely that botanical databases record it across much of the world. Its fruit contains a broad range of carotenoids, with lycopene the most abundant. (USDA GRIN; Khachik et al., 2002)
The research
- Sohail M, Muhammad Faran Ashraf Baig M, Akhtar N, Chen Y, Xie B, Li B. Topical lycopene emulgel significantly improves biophysical parameters of human skin. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics. 2022;180:281-288. PMID: 36283632. (opens in a new tab)
- Khachik F, Carvalho L, Bernstein PS, Muir GJ, Zhao DY, Katz NB. Chemistry, distribution, and metabolism of tomato carotenoids and their impact on human health. Experimental Biology and Medicine (Maywood), 2002;227(10):845-851 (opens in a new tab)
- Blanca J, Cañizares J, Cordero L, Pascual L, Diez MJ, Nuez F. Variation Revealed by SNP Genotyping and Morphology Provides Insight into the Origin of the Tomato. PLOS ONE, 2012 (opens in a new tab)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN-Global). Solanum lycopersicum L. (opens in a new tab)
