Tropical Adventure

Beauty ingredients good enough to eat

- Zoe Louise Cronk

For hundreds of years plants, shrubs and spices have hidden amongst the undergrowth in tropical destinations around the world, their benefit now being marvelled at and transformed into products to covet. New creams, lotions and serums land on the shelf every year professing to have harnessed an ingredient that will attend to fine lines, dry complexions and neglected locks. But which are worth the price tag and where do they come from? Here, we shine a spotlight on the hero ingredients that are a permanent fixture in our beauty regimes.

CARICA PAPAYA

Carica papaya is a giant herbaceous plant originating from Central America, and can now be found growing in exotic locations around the globe. You will likely have enjoyed its juicy goodness that adds a taste of the tropics to any fruit salad.

In beauty products one of the most widely acclaimed brands to harness its multitude of goodness is Dr Paw Paw. They started first with a Clear Balm for lips back in 2011, and have gone onto launch tinted options and a 7-in-1 Hair Treatment Styler. But what does their hero ingredient actually add to these products? Fermented paw paw has been shown to be full of antioxidants, natural healing properties and minerals. They might have monikered it a lip balm, but their original product has a variety of applications, including use as a moisturiser, skin protector and leaving lips with a satin-smooth finish.