Look At The Top Cucumber Benefits For Skin

While luxurious skin treatments and fancy facials may seem enticing, you don’t always need to break the bank to get healthy, glowing skin. Sometimes, simple ingredients like plants are exactly what your skin’s been craving. One of our favorite skin-friendly plants? Cucumbers.

The cucumber belongs to the gourd family, which also includes pumpkin, squash, and zucchini. Cucumbers are known for being crunchy and cool, but they’re also great for your complexion and are a well-known superfood for the skin. They’ve been used in skincare for decades to address common skin concerns like hydration, aging, and inflammation. Let’s take a look at the top cucumber benefits for skin.

* Packed With Skin-Lovin’ Nutrients

Cucumbers contain plenty of vitamins and nutrients that give them the upperhand when it comes to skincare. Vitamins play a key role in overall health but they’re particularly effective in supporting skin health when applied topically.

Cucumbers are loaded with antioxidants, which are molecules that help fight oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Fruits and vegetables in general are rich in antioxidants but cucumbers in particular contain vitamin C, caffeic acid, and folic acid. Vitamin C, often linked to citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits, is an antioxidant that clarifies and brightens skin. Caffeic acid and folic acid help increase collagen production and defend against signs of premature aging. Collagen production typically declines over time, which is why it’s beneficial to incorporate ingredients like caffeic acid and folic acid into your daily skincare routine.

* Hydrate Skin

Keeping your skin hydrated helps improve elasticity and firmness. Lack of hydration can cause a visible difference in your skin in that it may look dry and flaky, and be more prone to fine lines and wrinkles. Maintain a healthy, glowing complexion by replenishing your skin with hydrating ingredients like cucumber.

Similar to aloe vera, cucumbers contain polysaccharides, which help the skin attract and retain moisture. Cucumbers also consist mostly of water; they’re 96% water, to be exact. This high water content is a key benefit of cucumbers in that it allows them to provide superior hydration to the skin.

* Soothe Inflammation

Cucumbers have soothing and cooling effects on the skin, making them particularly beneficial for those with sensitive or irritated skin, although they’re suitable for all skin types. They also have anti-inflammatory properties in that they help reduce swelling and morning puffiness.

* Alleviate Sunburn

Spend a little too much time in the sun? Or maybe you forgot to reapply your sunscreen? Aloe vera is popular for alleviating sunburn, but cucumber also does the trick. It can soothe mildly burnt or damaged skin and help alleviate sunburn due to its cooling properties.

* Great for Acne-Prone Skin

Cucumbers are a mild astringent, meaning that they tauten and tighten pores, help regulate oil production, as well as reduce the appearance of pore size. Excess oil and large, clogged pores often contribute to breakouts so if you have oily or acne-prone skin, cucumber will be your skin’s new BFF.