Cucumbers and Your Skin

At Renu we use fresh sliced cucumbers at the end of each facial treatment. Clients ask: “What does it do for my face?” there is no democracy in the body if it comes to the nutrients distribution. First they go to the vital organs of the body, like brain, heart, kidneys, etc. Skin, nails, and hair are the last one to receive nutrients. Therefore, in order to keep skin healthy we need to deliver nutrients directly to the skin through its pores. There are approximately 1 million pores per square inch of skin. That’s roughly 2,016,000,000 for an average size person!

This is what we deliver to the skin when we put cucumber on:

Although native to India, cucumber has been a popular ingredient throughout the world, having been widely cultivated for more than 3,000 years. Consisting mostly of water – more than 90% - cucumber has a unique moist taste. A great source of vitamins C and K, as well as potassium, the cucumber also is high in dietary fiber and low in calories – about four per ounce. The flesh contains ascorbic acid and caffeic acid – both of which help to ease skin irritations and reduce swelling, while the hard skin is rich in fiber and minerals, such as silica and magnesium.

Quick Facts

• Cucumbers are available year-round, but are at their peak from May through July.
• This fruit belongs to the same family as pumpkin, zucchini, watermelon and other types of squash, and commonly is mistakenly referred to as a vegetable.
• When selecting cucumbers, check that they are firm and rounded at the edges, and have bright-medium to dask-medium to dark-green skin color. Choose ones that are displayed in refrigerated cases, as they are sensitive to heat.
• Varieties grown to be eaten fresh are called slicers, while thiose intended for pickling are called picklers.
• The edible fleshy seeds have been known to cause some people to burp.
• The light green food makes a colorful decorative garnish that adds interesting texture to accompany main dishes.