Cucumber is one fruit best known to be eaten with salad. It has a light or dark green colour, moist flesh and edible seeds. Its high-water content is good for keeping you hydrated all the time. The fruit also has low calories which makes it very effective for weight loss. But this fruit doesn’t have to be eaten alone before you can enjoy its benefits in your body. By using it as a face mask, for instance, you can as well relish the beauty benefits of cucumber.
Besides offering maximum benefit to your health, cucumber also benefits your skin and hair too. It improves the tone, texture and overall appearance of your skin and nourishes your hair if applied there too. Let’s see how.
Beauty Benefits of Cucumber
1. Reduces Breakouts on the Skin
Cucumber revitalises oily skin and dead skin cells. The juice absorbs heat and cools off open pores. It also cleanses the skin and tighten pores thereby reducing breakouts such as acne and other blemishes.
2. Treats Sunburn
Regular application of cucumber on the face reverses tanning as a result of sunburn. It is a mild bleaching agent that evens out skin tone and helps your skin glow further.
3. Reduces Puffiness and Swelling
If you have dark, puffy circles under your eyes, cucumber can help you restore it to normal. The caffeic acid and ascorbic acid present in cucumber reduces the water retention rate which in turn results in a reduction of the swelling and puffiness around the eyes. Simply placing a slice of chilled cucumber on your closed eyelids, helps to reduce swelling and puffiness. It also helps in relaxing your nerves and keeping your eyes hydrated.
4. Prevents Premature Aging
Cucumber has antioxidant properties that prevent wrinkling and aging. It also contains Vitamin C and folic acid which helps to spur new cell growth and fight off premature aging-causing toxins respectively. With these properties, cucumber gives you a healthier skin.
5. Makes Your Hair Shiny
Cucumber juice helps to add sheen to your hair. It contains silica that serves as a hair conditioner which makes your hair beautiful and shiny if used as a rinse.
6. Reduces Hair Breakage and Strengthens Hair Growth
If your hair keeps falling whenever you comb it, cucumber can help reduce the breakage. It contains silicon, sulfur, sodium, phosphorus, and calcium which are the necessary nutrients for hair growth. Regular application of cucumber juice on your hair and scalp for an hour before shampooing will strengthen your hair growth.
7. Improves Dental Care
Regular consumption of cucumber helps to improve your dental hygiene. If you’ve got bad breath, cucumber can help correct it. The phytochemicals present in cucumber kills halitosis-causing bacteria. Furthermore, the seeds renders acids in the mouth ineffective and fosters the production of saliva. To wade off bad breath, press a slice of cucumber to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds.
Now you know the beauty benefits of cucumber. Make it a habit to eat cucumber regularly and apply its juice on any affected part of your body. When buying cucumber, go for the ones that are light or dark green in colour. Don’t buy cucumbers that are yellow in colour. Avoid the ones that have cuts or spots too. Most importantly, wash the cucumbers thoroughly before eating for hygienic purposes.
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