Pictures of a girl with a cosmetic mask on her face and cucumber slices on her eyes are perhaps one of the most famous beauty stereotypes. However, many stereotypes are, in fact, based on truth. So do cucumbers really have beauty benefits or is it just a myth? Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of cucumbers for your skin.
Cucumber fruits consist of 94–96% water, so at first glance they seem completely useless as far as skincare is concerned. But it is the remaining 4–6% that matter. Alongside water, cucumbers contain various vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, folate), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc.
Your skin needs all these nutrients to stay healthy, so the cosmetic use of cucumbers is more than justified. Today they are widely used both in DIY skincare preparations and in the production of anti-acne, skin lightening, and moisturising products. Cucumber extract helps to reduce puffiness, smooth out fine lines, protect the skin from the harmful effect of free radicals, make it look fresh and glowing, etc.
As far as DIY skincare recipes are concerned, you can use cucumber slices, grated cucumber, or freshly squeezed cucumber juice as ingredients in homemade skincare products, such as face masks, toners, tinctures, and even cosmetic ice. However, you can’t use just any cucumbers; in order for your skin to really benefit from the nutrients contained in cucumbers, you need to use fresh, seasonal produce.
Otherwise, the skin benefits of cucumber will be insignificant, because “winter” cucumbers grown in a greenhouse are much lower in nutrients and often contain more nitrates than seasonal cucumbers. That is why store-bought skincare products with cucumber extract and cucumber juice are better for your skin.
For example, the well-known Ukrainian brand Dr. Sante offers a whole collection of products for oily and problem skin based on cucumber extract. It’s titled Cucumber Balance Control. The collection includes a foaming facial cleanser, peeling gel cleanser, antibacterial toner, mineral face mask, moisturising face cream, exfoliating face mask, make-up remover lotion, and a refreshing eye cream.
In addition to cucumber extract, Dr. Sante Cucumber Balance Control products contain other natural ingredients, such as aloe vera extract, white tea extract, algae extract, lemon extract, rooibos extract, shea butter, and patented moisturising and anti-inflammatory complexes. These products take excellent care of the skin: they provide it with moisture and nutrients, produce a mattifying effect, improve the skin’s protection from UV radiation, and combat acne and comedones (blackheads and whiteheads).
Other Ukrainian brands that offer skincare products with cucumber extract include Agor, Aromatika, Beauty Derm, Cocos, YAKA, etc. They offer cucumber face masks, hydrolate toners, handmade soaps, and other products you can include in your skincare routine. These products usually have a skin lightening, moisturising, smoothing, and revitalising effect; they help to fight acne, unclog and tighten pores, etc.
In our online shop Organic Store, you can find a great selection of natural and organic products with cucumber and other natural ingredients at reasonable prices. We offer convenient payment methods and international delivery to most parts of the world to make your online shopping experience as positive as possible.