10 cool cucumber benefits for your skin

The old cliché of lying down with cucumber slices over your eyes isn’t to be sneezed at. It really can soothe puffy, stayed-out-too-late eyes.

The cucumber skin benefits don’t stop there. Try wiping the cucumber slices over your face before you put them over your eyes; cucumber is a natural skin toner. That’s why it’s the key ingredient in our Cucumber + Lettuce Toner mist.

What can you expect if you incorporate a cucumber-based toner into your daily routine?  Here’s a quick summary:

It helps to keep your skin at the right pH

After cleansing, your skin will have moved from its optimum slightly-acid state to the alkaline end of the pH spectrum. (More on balancing your skin’s PH). You need to get it back to a pH of about 5.5, to keep your skin barrier healthy and stave off bacterial attacks. Cucumber toning does that job for you. And it’s especially effective if you mist the toner over your skin several times, layer upon layer, then seal the hydration in with a good moisturiser. We much prefer misting to traditional wipe-over toners.

It freshens your skin during the day

Whether you work inside or outside, freshening up your skin a couple of times during the day makes you feel brand new and helps to keep your skin hydrated. Keep a bottle of cucumber mist toner in your desk or hand bag. Apply the mist sparingly, to ensure your makeup stays intact. In summer, keep your cucumber mist in the fridge for a super-refreshing wakeup call.

It helps to prevent acne breakouts

If your skin is prone to spots and acne, using a cucumber toner can help to prevent breakouts. Regular use of cucumber juice on your skin helps to keep excess oil under control. It also keeps your skin at the correct pH, which deters the growth of bacteria on your skin.

It helps to prevent wrinkles

The action of cucumber helps to hydrate skin and keep it supple. A study showed that cucumber juice stops the enzyme hyaluronidase from degrading hyaluronic acid, which is a natural substance in your skin that attracts moisture. Cucumber has also been shown to inhibit the degradation of elastin by the enzyme elastase. [1] So you can hope for more hyaluronic acid in your skin and springier elastin fibres – just what you need for younger-looking skin.

It’s good for burns

If you enjoy cooking (or even if you don’t) you’ll know that burns are a cook’s badge of honour. It’s easy to burn your hands and forearms when you’re wrestling hot pots, pans and oven dishes. First aid for burns is always cold running water. Once the sting of the burn has gone, mist on some cucumber toner. It feels lovely and will help the skin to heal.

It helps to overcome sun damage

Sun damaged skin is the downside of living in New Zealand. Our country has high UV levels, so it’s easy to turn pink, red or even blister in the sun. Sunscreen is the best prevention, but if you don’t apply enough or if it gets washed off while you’re swimming, you’ll be reaching for a sunburn remedy. Our cucumber mist toner is perfect for the job. It delivers a pleasing coolness, as well as a host of vitamins to aid skin recovery. Cucumber is also full of natural flavonoids, tannins, and vitamin C, which are potent antioxidants that can help to combat the cell damage that follows UV exposure.

It lightens your skin

Freckles and brown sun-damage spots can really muddy up your complexion. They certainly don’t belong with today’s quest for glass skin. Using cucumber mist toner at least twice a day helps to even out your skin tone. Cucumber does this by inhibiting tyrosinase, an enzyme responsible for melanin production.[2]

It helps to reduce dark eye circles

Cucumbers are full of antioxidants, including cucurbitacins, vitexin, orientin and isoscoparin, and you can absorb these antioxidants by applying cucumber mist toner. Dermatologist Gregory Nikolaidis says that these antioxidants may help reduce the inflammation that causes puffiness and dark circles.[3] So taking a nap with cucumber slices over your eyes isn’t an old wives’ tale!

It helps to reduce pore size

Enlarged pores make your skin look coarse and less than youthful. And they love to turn into blackheads, which are decidedly unattractive. Cucumber juice is one of the best natural ways to treat enlarged pores. It also makes your skin feel tighter and firmer.  

It teams brilliantly with lettuce

When you’re assembling a salad, cucumber and lettuce are best friends. They’re also best friends in Okana’s Natural Cucumber + Lettuce Toner. Lettuce juice is full of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, particularly vitamins A and K. It’s also cooling and soothing, like cucumber.

References

[1] Nema, Neelesh K., NiladriMaity, B. Sarkar, and Pulok K. Mukherjee.”Cucumissativus fruit-potential antioxidant, anti-hyaluronidase, and anti-elastase agent.” Archives of dermatological research 303, no. 4 (2011): 247-252.

[2] https://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/news/article_page/A_lighter_shade_of_pale/46878

[3] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/puffy-eyes-undereyes-cucumbers-cures-remedies_n_1964329