HEALTH & BEAUTY

‘The juice of cucumbers, the face being washed therewith, cleanseth the skin … take the cucumbers, bruise them well, and distil the water from them; the face being washed with the same water cureth the reddest face that is. It is also excellent for sun-burning, freckles, and the morphew.’

James McPhail, Gardener to the Right Hon. Lord Hawkesbury
A treatise on the culture of the cucumber , 1795

FACIAL TREATMENTS

Pamper your skin with these two facial treatments. While you relax place two slices of cucumber on your eyes to revive the eye area and reduce under-eye circles.

ANTI- BLEMISH MASK

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5cm chunk of cucumber

• 1 drop rosemary essential oil

• 1 egg white

Cucumber is calming while rosemary is a super-effective antiseptic. You’ll find the egg white will tauten on your face.

Whizz the cucumber in a blender until it becomes completely liquid, then add the drop of rosemary essential oil. Whisk the egg white until stiff, fold in the cucumber mixture and smooth over the face avoiding the eyes and mouth area. Rinse off after 15 minutes using a clean, damp washcloth.

YOGHURT MASK

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cucumber

• 100g natural yoghurt

• a handful of oats

Cucumber, in combination with natural yoghurt, creates a gentle exfoliating treatment. The lactic acid in the yoghurt is a natural exfoliate and the cooling combination with cucumber also helps treat sunburn and reduce redness.

Blitz half a peeled cucumber in a blender. Mix the cucumber paste with the yoghurt and add the oats.

Apply the mask to your face as above.

TONER

Cucumber has been a classic ingredient in toner for decades. With its great cooling properties, and natural oils to moisturise, it’s easy to see why cucumber is such a firm beauty favourite.

METHOD

Take half a cucumber, peel and chop into small chunks (around ½cm each, or smaller if possible).

Place in a small saucepan and add 200ml water to cover the cucumber.

Bring to very gentle boil and simmer for around seven minutes – be very careful here to keep the heat low so you don’t kill the nutrients. Leave to cool for around ten minutes before blending in a mixer until smooth.

Put the mixture through a sieve to strain out the pulp (discard the pulp but retain the water).

Pour the water into a clean, sterilised bottle and store in the fridge to be used as a refreshing toner once or twice a day after cleansing.

You can also pour a small amount into a travel-size spray bottle, for a refreshing spritz on the go.

TOP TIP

Soak two cotton wool pads with the cucumber toner and place over your eyes to reduce puffiness.

THE VITAMIN C IN CUCUMBERS PROTECTS SKIN AGAINST UV RAYS THUS PREVENTING WRINKLES AND OTHER SIGNS OF AGEING.