When I think cucumbers, I always jump to the image of a lady with a green face mask and cucumber slices on her eyes. Apart from a face treatment I got on Groupon once, I’ve never been to real spa. So I figured hey, why not have a home cucumber spa day, complete with a cucumber scrub and a cucumber toner.
But before we start, I had to get to the bottom of why people put cucumber slices on their eyes. Like, why not apple slices? Why not slices of roasted turkey? Well there are a few possible explanations:
- Water evaporates from the water-dense cucumber, causing a cool cooling sensation on the skin.
- Coolness decreases flow of blood to that area, reducing puffiness.
- The skin around your eyes is very thin, and therefore more prone to damage and wrinkles as result of puffiness, so reducing puffiness with cucumbers may prevent aging as well.
- Antioxidants in the cucumber are thought to reduce aging by fighting the free radicals in the skin.
Now I know these pictures, namely the cucumber toner, look awful. Like a science experiment gone wrong. But both the scrub and the toner were really so refreshing.
Cucumber Face Scrub
The scrub is a combination of shredded cucumber and baking soda.
- Cucumber is refreshing and cooling
- Baking soda acts as a light exfoliant.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cucumber shredded, peel still on
- 2 Tbsp baking soda
Instructions
- Mix cucumber and baking soda, adding more baking soda if you want more exfoliation.
- Gently rub onto face, scrubbing in circular motions, then rinse with water.
- Store covered in refrigerator.
Refreshing toner and mist
This toner is comprised of green tea, aloe vera gel, and cucumber. You can either dab this on with a cotton swab or put it into a spray bottle and mist it onto your face (super refreshing).
- Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an anti-inflammatory that may reduce sun damage and prevent skin cancer. Though not as effective as using a moisturizer with some SPF, this is a good foundation for your skincare routine!
- Aloe vera is moisturizing without being greasy. It’s especially good for sunburned skin.
- Cucumber acts as a refresher and an antioxidant.
Blends right in.
Ingredients
- 1 green tea bag
- 1/2 cup aloe vera gel
- 1/2 cucumber matchstick, julienne cut
- 1/2 cup hot water
Instructions
- Steep tea bag in 1/2 cup hot water for 5 minutes, then allow water to cool.
- If using gel from a fresh aloe leaf, split the leaf open lengthwise to expose the inner part of the leaf. With a spoon, gently scrape the gel from the leaf. Process in blender prior to mixing with other ingredients. Aloe gel can also be found in the health section of your grocery.
- Mix tea, aloe vera gel, and cucumber slices.
- Dab onto clean face with a cotton swab prior to applying moisturizing, or use a spray bottle to create a refreshing mist.
- Store covered in refrigerator.
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