Cucumbers have long been associated with beauty and pampering. Aside from fresh cucumbers being applied directly over the eyes, skincare products often feature cucumbers as their star ingredients.
Hands down, this fruit is oozing with beautifying benefits. But what exactly are the benefits of cucumbers on the eyes? Do they really deserve all the hype that they’ve gotten through the years? Join us as we explore how this fruit can boost your beauty routine.
Do Cucumbers Actually Help Your Eyes?
Yes, cucumbers, when applied to your eyes, can help your eyes. It is a natural soothing and cooling agent that can help with problems in your eyes and the skin around your eyes. Unless you’re allergic to cucumbers, you can enjoy healthier, glowing, and well-hydrated skin, especially in your eye area.
When consumed, cucumbers are packed with plenty of vitamins and minerals that can help your eyes maintain healthy vision. Remember that you can always enjoy the benefits of cucumbers on the eyes by incorporating them into your diet or by using them raw as part of your beauty routine.
13 Benefits of Cucumbers on Eyes
Offering several benefits, cucumbers are a real treat for the eyes! Apply a few cucumber slices on top of your eyelids to:
#1. Soothe Puffiness
Cucumbers contain anti-inflammatory compounds, namely caffeic acid and ascorbic acid. This powerful combination can reduce the puffiness of your eyelids and under-eye areas. The fruit also has vasoconstriction abilities, allowing it to get rid of accumulated fluid under your eyes.
#2. Lighten Eyebags
Thanks to the generous vitamin K content of cucumbers, you can expect the dark circles under your eyes to slowly lighten. This is because vitamin K helps strengthen the walls of the blood vessels which helps make them less visible under the skin.
#3. Hydrate Your Eyes
Cucumbers are known for their high water content, making them an excellent hydrating agent for your eye area. If you allow the cucumbers to sit on your eyes for several minutes, your skin will absorb the water of the fruit and keep it moisturized.
#4. Relieve Eye Stress
Do your eyes feel dry and tired after being in front of your monitor the entire day? When this happens, your eyes are telling you that they need to rest and relax. To soothe that burning sensation, you can put slices of cucumber on top of your closed eyes and let its cooling effect ease your discomfort.
#5. Reduce the Inflammation Around Your Eyes
Chilled cucumbers are similar to cold compresses. They can soothe the irritation and tenderness around your eyes. This benefit is all thanks to the vitamins A, B, and C as well as isolated bioactive compounds like cucurbitacins found in cucumbers. They fight the toxins in your skin, specifically around your eye area. Cucumbers also soothe damaged skin.
#6. Tighten the Skin Under Your Eyes
Cucumbers are natural cooling agents, so when you apply them directly to your eyes, they function as a vasoconstrictor. This means that it can slow down the blood flow so the skin under your eyes becomes smoother and tighter. For best results, use cucumber that comes directly from your freezer or refrigerator.
#7. Help with Sunburn
There are times when you might forget to apply sunscreen on your face, specifically on the skin around your eyes. If, by the end of the day, your eyes feel hot and the skin around them is tender to the touch, you might have sunburn around your eyes.
The good news is that cucumbers have powerful cleansing properties that can help you flush the toxins out and fight the damaging free radicals that come from your environment, including the sun.
#8. Brighten Your Eye Area
If you want naturally glowing skin around your eye area for the ultimate “I woke up like this” look, make it a point to regularly apply cucumbers to your eyes. This fruit can impede tyrosinase, the enzyme that is part of melanin production.
#9. Minimize Signs of Aging
Chilled cucumber slices on top of your eyes can delay and minimize the signs of aging primarily because of their high water content, folic acid, potassium, and antioxidant properties. So, if you’re concerned about those fine lines and wrinkles around your eye area, stock up on cucumbers.
#10. Tighten the Pores Around Your Eyes
Another component that can be found in cucumbers, specifically in its peel, is silica. This is a trace mineral that can strengthen your body’s connective tissues. It’s considered stronger than your hair and nails. You can also opt to apply cucumber peels on your eyes or use a cucumber-based toner or moisturizer to maximize its ability to tighten sagging and loose skin.
#11. Sustain Good Eyesight
Everybody knows that cucumbers are healthy because of their nutritional content. Sure, they may be predominantly water, but they also contain riboflavin, vitamin B6, thiamine, magnesium, and calcium which can all help sustain your eyesight. Even if you don’t put them directly on your eyes, they will nourish your eyes once topically applied.
Without these nutrients or if your body is lacking in them, you may have a higher chance of developing eye conditions like blurred vision and eye twitching.
#12. Fight off Allergies and Eye Irritants
People with allergies frequently have to deal with swelling and irritation around their eyes. Cucumbers are the solution to this problem, especially if the irritation is due to external allergens. The vitamin C in cucumbers functions as an antioxidant that can keep allergens at bay and stop your eyes from experiencing further irritation.
#13. Improve Skin’s Elasticity
Thanks to this fruit’s viscoelasticity and hydrating capabilities, it can help the corners of your eyes become more stretchable and snap back into shape without causing the skin to get saggy and crinkled. Cucumbers can help minimize the effects of elastosis.
FAQ
1. How Long Does Cucumber Take to Remove Dark Circles?
Cucumbers are effective lightening agents that can remove those dark circles under your eyes, but it is not an overnight process. It might take weeks of continuous cucumber application before you can see any noticeable difference in the color and texture of the skin around your eyes.
Don’t worry, though, because if you’re trying to get rid of puffiness, placing chilled cucumbers on your eyes for 10 to 15 minutes a day should be enough. Still, if you’re after a permanent solution for dark circles, patience, consistency, and a lot of cucumbers are the keys to more even and lighter-colored skin around the eyes.
2. Should I Wash My Face After Applying Cucumber to My Eyes?
It’s highly recommended that after placing cucumber on your eyes, you gently wash your entire face with warm water. You can also opt to wipe your eye area with a clean towel.
As long as the cucumbers are fresh and not contaminated with anything, they are considered natural and safe for your eyes and should leave no residue that you need to remove. However, as a best practice, cleaning the skin around your eyes can make sure that it doesn’t interfere with your makeup and/or skincare products.
3. What’s the Best Way to Apply Cucumber to My Eyes?
For best results, use chilled cucumber on your eyes. Before all else, it’s recommended that you wash and dry your face first to get rid of all the dust, oil, dirt, and makeup residue.
Wash your cucumber and cut two slices, each measuring about one centimeter thick. While others prefer peeling the skin off the cucumber to reduce their exposure to agricultural chemicals like pesticides, washing it thoroughly should resolve this concern.
Once you have your cool cucumber slices, lie down somewhere comfortable. To maximize your relaxation time, you can play some music in the background or even listen to a podcast. Close your eyes and put one cucumber slice on each eye. You can also apply your facemask before adding cucumber to your face.
If you feel like the cucumber is getting warm, turn it over and the other side should still be cool. After 15 minutes, dispose of the cucumbers, and you’ll feel its cooling effect on your eyes and its soothing impact on your skin.
4. What Are Some Products That Contain Cucumbers?
Cucumbers are also commercially formulated as part of various skincare products. Cucumbers are often a key ingredient in face masks, facial washes, soothing gels, body lotions, facial moisturizers, and serums.
Using products with cucumber is a great alternative to keeping a bunch of fresh cucumbers in your refrigerator.
