Cucumber is one of the best ingredients for homemade beauty products and treatments, especially in the summer months. It is cooling and soothing to sunburned skin, and great for simple home facials.
Cucumber Treatment for Puffy Eyes
Cucumber works wonders for puffy and tired eyes. Simply place a slice of cucumber over each (closed) eye, then lie back and relax for 15-20 minutes.
Cucumber Treatment for Sunburned Skin
You’ll need
- half to one cucumber (depending on how much skin you want to cover with cucumber)
- optional: 1-2 drops of Lavender essential oil (Lavandula angustifolia)
Put the cucumber through a blender or a food processor. If you want to add lavender oil, which is excellent for all kinds of burns, add a couple of drops into the blender with the cucumber and blend it well, so that the oil gets mixed evenly with the cucumber mash.
Spread the cucumber mash on the sunburned areas, or apply it all over the body – this treatment is nice and cooling after a day in the sun. Leave on for, say, 15-20 minutes and rinse it off.
Very Easy Cucumber Facial for All Skin Types
A cucumber facial is a quick, easy home treatment for skin that is a little tired. It works on all skin types; it hydrates dry skin, and because it is mildly astringent, it also works on oily or combination skin.
How to do it: slice a cucumber into thin slices – if you keep the cucumber in the fridge for a while before using it, it feels even more cooling on the face. Place the slices on a cleansed face (and on the neck and the chest if you wish). Lie back and place two slices of cucumber over your closed eyes. Relax for 15-20 minutes, then remove the cucumbers and use a natural toner (such as rosewater) and a moisturizer to finish.
Cucumber and Yogurt Facial for All Skin Types
I found this wonderful face mask recipe on the UK Cucumber Growers’ Association’s website. It blends cucumber with natural yogurt, which is soothing and mildly antiseptic on the skin. This face mask works especially well for combination skin.
Mix in a blender:
- half a cucumber
- a tablespoon of natural yogurt
Apply the mask on your cleansed face and neck, and leave on for up to 15-20 minutes. Wash with warm water, and finish with a toner and a moisturizer.
Photo: Morguefile.com
