The idiom “cool as a cucumber” is spot on, not only because the inside of a cucumber is literally up to 20 degrees cooler than its outside, it is also packed with benefits for skin that makes it a cool food for beauty seekers.
Cucumber belongs to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon. Like watermelon, cucumber is made of 96 per cent water, which means eating them on a hot summer day can help you stay hydrated. Water is not all that cucumber has to offer, it also contains minerals like potassium, a key player in keeping cells hydrated and skin moisturized.
Besides eating you can also apply cucumber on your skin directly and let it work its magic. Cucumber is extremely effective in skin tightening. Early use of cucumber can reduce pre-mature ageing signs like fine lines, wrinkles and dull skin. Cucumber also comes in handy if you are troubled by dull and dark looking skin around your eyes. Simply place two cucumber slices on your eyelids for 20 minutes, the dark circles and puffiness will be soothed in no time.
Cucumber contains antioxidants that resolve inflammation on skin, that’s why many people use it as an ingredient for facial mask. Put pureed cucumber directly on your face to lighten it and relieve it from clogged pores and excessive oil. To moisturize dry and chapped skin, you can use pureed cucumber mixed with yoghurt.
Cucumber can also be a natural sunscreen. The credit is due to the flavonoids, tannins, and vitamin C in cucumber that give it an antioxidant property that helps it combat the cell-damaging free radicals generated by UV rays.
