Dry Skin Care With Cucumbers Really Works - And You Can Make It At Home
01/21/2008
I recently overheard a woman say that placing ice cubes, or anything cold, over the eyes worked just as well as cucumber. While it’s true that ice tightens the skin, the therapeutic value of cucumber goes far beyond mere tightening. In fact, cucumbers have been used as a dry skin remedy for centuries, and they are also effective in the treatment of other skin problems. While you obviously can’t spend all your time cocooned in cucumber for all-day dry skin care – for that you need a shielding lotion – there are a number of ways the cucumber can help ease your skin problems.
You have probably noticed the prevalence of cucumber in skin care products. What does the cucumber do for you? It’s high in Vitamins A & C – both of which are vital for dry skin care – iron, potassium, magnesium, folate, molybdenum and silica. While all of these minerals are good skin care ingredients, the silica adds something special: it is an essential component of connective tissue – the collagen, elastin and reticular fibers that keep our skin firm and give it body and shape.
These ingredients, along with the 90% water content, make cucumbers the perfect dry skin food. You can eat them, juice them or use them topically to make your own dry skin care products at home. Placing cucumber slices over the eyes is a well known remedy for bags and sags, but here are a few more recipes you might want to try.
- For cleansing, mix one teaspoon of cucumber juice with one teaspoon of milk and add ¼ teaspoon of lime juice. Leave it on for about 15 minutes and wash off with warm water. This juice gets right into the pores for a good deep cleaning.
- If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, try blending a cucumber and slathering it all over your face and neck, including around the eyes. Wash off after 15 or 20 minutes. If you do this regularly, it will reduce blackheads, pimples, dry skin and even wrinkles.
- To lighten the skin, mix a few drops of lime juice and a dash of rosewater or turmeric powder with a tablespoon of cucumber juice. Smooth into your face and neck and rinse off with warm water after about 30 minutes. Your skin will be lighter, and have a bright, clean glow.
Any of these recipes will reduce swelling, and clean and hydrate the skin. But if you’re going to bother doing this, you should make sure you get the most out of it by applying a shielding lotion immediately afterwards. A good shielding lotion bonds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer that locks in moisture and keeps out chemicals and irritants. The combination of cucumbers and shielding lotion might be all the dry skin care you need, and making your own cucumber skin care products at home will save tons of money and ensure you have all natural ingredients. Give it a try and you’ll see the difference!
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