Next time you hit up your local grocery, be sure to stock up on tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit, pink guavas, papaya, apricots, and red bell peppers. Have a dinner party, a slumber party, a pool party. Make sure the menu includes one of the following: smoothies, fajitas, pasta, pizza, and anything you can put ketchup on.  Why? Well, because you've got to get your LYCOPENE on.

About two months ago Jenny posted a blog listing the benefits of eating pizza.  Did you read it? Did you love it? Did you note that consuming anything with tomato paste increases your skin's collagen-elasticity and as well as your protection against the sun's harmful rays?

Here's why: Tomato paste, and any of the fruits and veggies I listed above, contain this magical carotenoid called LYCOPENE.

Beauty companies are hip to this ingredient's buzz: Revlon uses lycopene as an ingredient in their lipglosses, Aveda in their Color Preservation haircare, and Booth's in some of their facial masques. But the reason I was so intrigued: Garnier Nutrioniste counts it as a major player in their Skin Renew Regenerating Moisture Lotion, which happens to be the moisturizer that I can't live without. When I found out I was already using it, I just had to know what's up.

What does it do?

• It's a Powerful Anti-Oxidant: Anti-Oxidants are mega important, being that they help neutralize the damaging effects of the sun, the environment, crappy diets, nasty smog, crazy lifestyles, etc. The list goes on, and Vitamin C is usually relied on to do all the work.
• Important Source of Vitamin A: Guess what retinol is? A form of Vitamin A. Guess what Vitamin A does? It rocks your world! It also helps keep your skin firm, your skin clear, and improves your vision. No joke.
  
• Skin Regeneration: Lycopene helps speed up cell turnover, new cell regeneration, and exfoliation. If radiance is what you're after, look for products with lycopene.

Lycopene is also rumoured to ease the digestive process and has been suggested to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis.  While research is still being conducted regarding those claims, in the beauty world, it has already proven itself. I say, anything that allows me to eat more pizza and pasta is definitely my new bff.