Cucumber raita, salads, curries and refreshing drinks make summer a breezy time. But that’s not all cucumbers can do! The cucumber or Cucumis Sativa is a creeper and has a light to dark green colour, thin skin, is moisture-rich and has tiny edible seeds inside. It is enjoyed mostly in salads, sandwiches or as juice. It has 96% water and thus is great in keeping the body hydrated. It has very little to no calories making it an integral part of a weight loss diet too. Cucumber for skin, hair as well as overall health is very beneficial. The cucumber has many health benefits. It aids digestion, maintains electrolyte balance, helps our body detox. Moreover, it is very beneficial for diabetic patients because it triggers the production of insulin from the pancreas.
How Is It Beneficial For Skin?
What is good for our salad, is also good for our skin. Due to its content of silicon, sulphur, sodium, potassium and other essential nutrients it has many skin benefits. Cucumber for the face is absolutely safe and also very healthy to consider.
Being rich in water, it also is a very good hydrating addition to DIY skincare. It is also good for sensitive skin as it lacks the harsh and potentially harmful chemicals that can harm the skin.
It is a very good antioxidant, has soothing and cooling effects, reduces swelling and also alleviates sunburn. The cucumber benefits for skin are undeniably great.
7 Must-Know Cucumber Benefits For Skin
1. Revitalizes Skin
Cucumbers are great to revitalize your skin and provide an instant glow to the face. Silica found in cucumbers makes it a wonder veggie. You can apply cucumber to your face skin directly without the need for any extra effort. Cucumber promises supple and healthy skin.
2. Reverses Skin Tanning
Cucumbers are mild astringent that helps in skin tan reversal. Cucumbers are rich in Vitamin C and caffeic acid. These components help in soothing the irritated or tanned skin. In addition, being a natural coolant it prevents puffiness around the eyes, burns and treats skin problems.
3. Soothes Sunburn
Cucumbers cool down the area of sunburn and thus soothing it. As they have natural antioxidant and analgesic properties that prevent and also heals sunburn.
4. Treats Open Pores
Applying cucumber all over your face and neck can help seal open pores. Besides being a mild astringent cucumber also has anti-ageing properties. Direct application of cucumber or when mixed with lemon juice can help with open, large pores
5. Reduces Dark Circles
Cucumbers are also known to fade dark circles. The silica in cucumber helps lighten the stubborn dark circles around the eyes. A slice of cucumber on the eyes reduce stress and also prevent dark circles.
6. Treats Blemishes
Soothing the skin can help get rid of pigmentation and blemishes with the help of cucumbers. Using cucumber for cleansing your skin can help reduce blemishes and prevent freckles.
7. Reduces Eye Wrinkles
Relaxing the areas of skin can reduce wrinkles and cucumbers are known to aid in that as it helps restore the skin’s natural elasticity. Cucumber juice is used as an active and effective ingredient in products used to prevent wrinkles.
7 Easy Ways To Use Cucumber For Face & Skin
1. Aloe Vera & Cucumber Face Pack For Skin Rejuvenation
This cucumber and aloe vera face pack rejuvenate your skin and make it glow.
You Will Need:
- 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel or juice
- 1/4th grated cucumber
Method:
- Mix the ingredients and apply them to your face and neck.
- Leave it on for 15 minutes and wash it with warm water.
2. Lemon & Cucumber Face Pack To Treat Skin Tan
This cucumber and lemon for face pack have a lot of benefits including controlling excess pollution and also fading away tan. This is a great face pack considering the increase in the level of pollution nowadays.
You Will Need:
- Cucumber juice
- Lemon juice
Method:
- Mix three parts of cucumber juice and one part lemon juice and then apply all over your face and neck with cotton.
- Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.
3. Apply A Cooling Eye Treatment For Puffy Eyes
Leading hectic lives have become a part of most of us now. Many of us get less sleep than we would like to get. Cucumber benefits for skin also include reduction of swollen eyes and soothing damaged skin. The vitamin C and folic acid in the cucumber are responsible for this refreshing feeling
You Will Need:
- Cucumber cut into slices
Method:
- Wash the cucumber adequately with plane running water.
- Cut it into slices and place it on the top of your eyes.
- It can make your eyes look more awake and fresh.
- It also provides a cooling sensation to the general irritation.
4. DIY Toner To Soothe Burnt Or Damaged Skin
Sometimes even on our best sunscreen days, we get sunburnt and a homemade cucumber toner can help soothe the skin and provide a calming effect to damaged skin
You Will Need:
- Cucumber
- Rosewater
- Drinkable water
- Cooking pan
- Blender
- Spray bottle
Method:
- Peel the cucumber and slice it in a pan and add enough water to cover the pieces.
- Heat for 5 to 7 minutes before transferring it to the blender.
- Blend the mixture until smooth and then squeeze out the water into a spray bottle.
- You can add a tablespoon of rose water or witch hazel to your DIY cucumber face spray/toner.
- Don’t keep the spray for more than 3 to 4 days as it can go bad without preservatives.
5. Cucumber Face Mask For Acne-Prone Skin
Cucumber for acne is a very useful trick for everyone to know. It soothes the spot without stinging too much or drying the skin out.
You Will Need:
- Cucumber
- Bentonite clay
Method:
- Infusing cucumber water with bentonite clay can help create a mask that can protect against skin irritation and swelling.
- You can just rub a slice of cucumber on the acne spot or wait after applying a sheet mask.
6. Washing Face With Cucumber Water
Cucumber is a natural coolant and helps soothe irritated skin.
You Will Need:
- Cucumber
- Blender
- Strainer
Method:
- Make a puree of unsliced cucumber in a blender or food processor.
- Using a drainer separate the solids.
- Wash your face with cucumber water to feel refreshed and awake at any time of the day.
- You can also use cucumber for open pores.
- It absorbs the heat and provides coolness to the skin thus, closing any open pores.
7. Cucumber Face Pack For Pigmentation
Cucumber has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the skin and thus help in fading pigmentation.
You Will Need:
- Oats
- Cucumber
Method:
- Mix one tablespoon of oats in cucumber pulp and allow it to sit for thirty minutes. Your cucumber face pack for pigmentation is ready.
- Apply this pack all over the face and let it sit for 20 minutes.
- Wash your face with warm water followed by cold water.
Product Recommendations With Cucumber For Skin
You can also try certain products from the market:
- Yes to Cucumbers Calming Micellar Cleansing Water: A gentle but effective makeup remover. It draws out impurities without over-drying the skin, leaving it hydrated and glowing. It has 95% of natural ingredients.
- Kiehl’s Cucumber Herbal Alcohol-Free Toner: Made with the finest herbal extracts, it balances and tones the skin. It contains a mild astringent while making the skin not too dry. It is alcohol-free and caters to dry and sensitive skin.
- Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Lotion: Ideal for oily and troubled skin. Helps to dry current blemishes and also prevents new ones from forming. It is a refreshing, disinfecting and deep cleaning astringent.
- Peter Thomas Roth Cucumber Gel Mask Extreme Detoxifying Hydrator: A soothing and cooling mask with hydrating properties. This ultra-gentle gel helps soothe dry and irritated skin. You can apply a thin layer of it and leave it on overnight.
- Timeless HA Matrixyl 3000 with Cucumber: It is a cooling and hydrating product for refreshing the skin. It is instantly absorbed by the skin and gives the dry and dull skin a boost. It is lightweight and perfect for all skin types.
These products can be a very nice replacement for homemade DIYs. Cucumber facial cleansers are easily available in the market too. While trying these, however, you should read all the caution before using them. Choose a product according to your skin type and preference. Cucumbers can be good for you from both the inside and outside. Other than being a low-calorie snack, it also acts as an excellent facial remedy. Cucumber juice benefits for skin are innumerable. As it has anti-inflammatory properties, contains antioxidants and lots of essential nutrients it can be a great ingredient for a face mask.
Making your DIY mask is super easy and can be made in a jiffy or you can also buy them at shops or online. If you are sensitive to a lot of things, you should check with your dermatologist if you can use a cucumber face pack or not. Lastly, cucumbers surely help solve a lot of problems but nothing is permanent or 100% effective. It varies from person to person but it surely does help refresh the skin.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Does cucumber whiten the skin?
A. Although cucumbers are known to solve a lot of skin woes but there are some things they cannot do, like whiten your skin. There are no studies to support this fact. Lightening of dark spots happens with dead cell turnover and production of new ones. Applying masks or leaving slices of cucumber of skin overnight might give you a glow but cannot whiten your skin tone.
Q2. What are the side effects of using cucumber on face?
A.Cucumbers apart from being an amazing snack are also amazing for the skin. There are a lot of essential nutrients. It has no side effects of using cucumber on skin but you should still check with your doctor before using it. You can apply a cucumber face pack as it has so many benefits. You can also use it on specific areas of the face or just use cucumber water to wash your face daily.
Q3. Is eating cucumber good for your skin?
A.Cucumbers contain vitamins A, B, C, K, manganese, potassium and many other essential nutrients that keep the immune system and body healthy. If your body and the immune system are healthy, it is reflected on your skin, hair and nails too. You can also apply cucumber for open pores, puffy eyes, dark circles and many other skin issues.
Q4. Can we apply cucumber on the face daily?
A. Washing your face daily with cucumber water can be a great habit and also help blemishes or pigmentation. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and thus helps soothe the skin. Cucumber for face is the easiest mantra to follow.
Q5. Should I wash my face after applying cucumber or just leave it on?
A. You can apply cucumber and leave it on for 10-15 minutes and wash it off or you can also leave it on and not rinse it. Cucumber is generally considered non-irritant but if you have sensitive skin, exercise caution before using.
