Having hard time drinking 8 glasses of water daily? Munch some crispy cucumbers; naturally they’re packed with 95% of water. The cool cuke is fourth cultivated vegetable in the world and renowned for its soothing properties. Either you consume it or use topically; it cools down blood and body temperature.
Though it’s native to South Asia, other continents also cultivate cucumbers. Uses of cucumber for skin dates back Roman times. According to Wikipedia.org Roman emperor has the cool cuke over his table daily during summer and winter.
Depending on it cultivation cucumber is distinguished into 3 main groups, namely slicing, pickling and burpless. Where slicing cucumbers are eaten raw, pickling cucumbers are cultivated for pickles and burpless cucumbers are sweeter with thin skin.
Cucumber Benefits for Skin
Highly priced skin care products include cucumber as one of the vital ingredient. And we knew that it is used in beauty salons and spas to rejuvenate the skin. Now let’s point out impressive uses of cucumber for skin.
1. Cucumber as a Moisturizer
Almighty fashioned human with all necessary resources, but because of dangerous pollution and mischief we make on earth, we’re lacked with natural resources. Skin is gifted with natural oil to moisturize; this oil develops a barrier to protect your body from dangerous bacteria. But with alarming levels of pollution, dirt and chemical filled soaps, our skin loses moisturizer and become prone to skin diseases.
Here comes cucumber, an innate moisturizer. Because of its high level of water content it not only hydrates your body from the inside but when you topically apply over face it treats dry skin. As it’s packed with antioxidant properties it restrains free radicals and enhances skin tightening.
To hydrate your skin, mash fresh cucumbers into bowl and blend with powdered milk for topical application. Or you can consume it raw.
2. Removes Dark Circles and Puffy Eyes
Hereditary, aging and long hours of working in-front of computer are few causes for dark circles. Thin skin over dark circles is called as periorbital skin. Vitamin C, K and antioxidants fight dark circles. As the skin here is very delicate, sliced cucumber is the unrivaled remedy for dark circles.
This is why most spas place two sliced cucumbers over your eye lids, as face pack may irritate thin skin on eyes. Cucumber handles it gently.
Must read: How to Get Rid Of Hereditary Dark Circles
3. Cucumber to Soothe Burns
High levels of water in cucumber, soothes burns. According to a journal published in Fitoterapia, cucumber can relive minor skin irritations and reduce swelling.
On affected area put sliced fresh cucumbers, repeat the process for fast relief.
4. Treatment for Skin Tanning
Tanning is caused when your skin is overexposed to harmful UV rays. Bleaching property in cucumber, reverse skin tanning. Grate half cucumber; add powdered milk and lemon drops. Mix it well and apply it over prewashed face. Rinse it off after 15 minutes.
5. Excellent Remedy to Rejuvenate Your Skin
Nutritional properties in cucumber restore skin’s elasticity and glow. Mash cucumber pulps mixed with lemon drops and apply it over your face to rejuvenate your skin. If you’ve dry skin, limit the use of lemon juice.
6. Cucumber to Get Rid of Freckles
Freckles are natural dark brown spots on face and shoulders, genetics being its main cause. Though there is no permanent solution to treat freckles you can lighten dark spots. Cucumber with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties come in handy. Vitamin A or retinol in cucumber, aids to control melanin production, thus reduces dark spots.
Also read: Cucumber for skin lightening
7. Cucumber for Cellulite
Cellulite normally appears over your thighs spoiling your physical appearance. Apart from taking low fat diet, try some topical remedies to reduce cellulite. Grab some fresh sliced cucumbers and start rubbing over your cellulite, this enhances collagen to tighten and bumps disappear.
Also read: Dry Skin Brushing to Reduce Cellulite and How to do it?
8. Cucumber Banish Blemishes
According to book Natural Beauty Secrets from India, cucumber is an astringent, this property helps to treat acne by lighten blemishes. Acne is caused due to excess sebum, dead cells and bacteria. Topically applying cucumber face mask sheds dead cells and hydrates your skin from the outside. When you apply cucumber mask, it open-up clogged pores and cleanse dirt accumulated. Regularly wash your face with cucumber juice and have raw cucumbers to treat acne.
9. Cucumber to Remove Wrinkles
Antioxidants in your body tighten skin, when your skin gets older it loses antioxidants leading to wrinkles. Cucumber is packed with assorted antioxidant properties, when you topically place sliced cucumbers on skin it absorbs antioxidants in it and thus results in wrinkle free skin.
10. Cucumber Revitalizes the Skin
Vitamins and minerals in cucumber revitalize the skin, these properties in this cool cuke tightens skin. Mash cucumber pulp with powdered milk and lemon juice, apply it over prewashed face. Rinse it off after 15 minutes.
11. Treats Open Pores
Mix cucumber with apple cider vinegar, tomato pulp and aloe vera gel. Apply it over face to unclog pores to easy breathing.