Is your skin hot, irritated, itchy, and begging for a break? Let cucumber refresh your skin with simple and easy treatments that take seconds to make, leaving you and your skin the time to relax and unwind. Cucumber is a mild astringent which is naturally cooling and especially helpful for inflamed skin, making it the perfect choice when you do not want to expose your sunburned, rash covered or insect bitten skin to the harsh chemicals of over the counter treatments.    

Cucumber Astringent

Try this astringent if you have sensitive skin. It is perfect to reduce grease and oils on your face that can make it shine. It is especially soothing when used as a night-time treatment.

Place ½ peeled cucumber in the blender, and blend until smooth. Apply liberally to the face and allow it to stay on the skin for about 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water, and pat dry.

Cucumber Full Body Treatment

One of the easiest cucumber treatments takes nothing but cucumbers and a knife: simply cover the affected area of skin with cucumbers that are touching but not overlapping, and allow the juice to soak into the skin for 10 – 20 minutes. To treat the whole body, lie on your stomach first and treat your back (with a friend’s help), and then flip and treat your front side. A full body cucumber treatment takes about 3 – 5 thinly sliced cucumbers. Your skin will continue to benefit from the treatment for about 4 hours afterwards, so refrain from showering until then for the maximum benefit.

Soothing Facial Mask

This mask combines the soothing properties of cucumber, chamomile and green tea to alleviate puffiness, and aloe vera to help maintain moisture and heal burned or chapped skin. Peel and skin one small cucumber. Place cucumber in the blender, and puree until smooth. Strain and reserve the juice.  Steep and strain 2 ounces of green tea, and 2 ounces of chamomile tea. In a small saucepan, heat the tea and one packet of unflavored gelatin until dissolved. Add the cucumber juice and one ounce of aloe vera gel to this mixture, pour into a glass container and place in the fridge for about 25 minutes until it starts to thicken.    

Spread over face and neck with fingers and allow to dry for 20 minutes. Place cucumber slices over eyes for a quick puffy eye reducer. Peel mask from skin and rinse with warm water. Pat dry.

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