Sorting the Bounty of Botanical Beauty Products

NEW YORK -- There is such a bounty of botanical-based beauty products, you might think they grow on trees.

Many fruits and vegetables are indeed considered legitimate treatments, but it's because of that efficacy that users should know the differences between grapeseed and grapefruit extracts.

"This is serious skin care even though it's botanicals. It's not 'fluff' like some people think it is," says June Jacobs, founder of an eponymous all-natural product line.

Pumpkin, for instance, is a strong antioxidant and exfoliator, while cranberry's vitamin C can help prevent bacteria from growing on the skin, which is good for people with acne-prone or combination skin, she explains.

Someone with sensitive skin would fair better with papaya enzymes, which also can clear dead skin cells, but is gentler and more hydrating.

Among the garden ingredients often used for beauty are:

• Apples. Dr. Ana Mercedes Ciurea, a dermatologist and assistant professor at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, says she's surprised the fruit, which can be a good conditioner and toner, isn't more popular in skin-care products. Apples have vitamin C, which has been shown to protect and repair skin cells, without the drying effect of citrus fruits such as lemon and grapefruit.
• Wheatgrass. It's good for you -- inside and out, says Helen Ambrosen, the science coordinator and co-founder of cosmetic company Lush. She recommends wheatgrass for dry and mature skin because it is reparative and fights free radicals. 
• Bananas. "It's a gentle, inert fruit that can be used on the skin and hair," says Ambrosen. Mashed banana is moisturizing, calming and soothing -- and can be mixed with oatmeal and honey for a face mask, she adds. A lesser known trick is to use a bit to tame dry, curly hair. 
• Turmeric. This tropical root is a key ingredient in curry powder, says alternative-medicine researcher Joerg Gruenwald, but, perhaps surprisingly, it also is used in Malaysia as an anti-inflammatory and a healing ingredient. 
• Watermelon and tomatoes. Both are sources of lycopene, which Ciurea says is a powerful antioxidant. "My grandmother used to crush tomato and put it on her face -- and her skin was gorgeous," she says.