How To Make Cucumber Face Masks

According to folk wisdom and anecdotal reports, cucumber, properly known as cucumis sativa, softens, cools and heals rough or irritated skin. Although there are no scientific studies to back cucumber’s use as a cosmetic, it remains a popular treatment in expensive spas. Making your own cucumber-based facial masks lets you give yourself a refreshing spa treatment at home, for a fraction of what the store- or spa-bought treatments cost.

Step 1

Peel the cucumber, slice it into chunks, and puree it in a food processor or blender.

Step 2

Pour the pureed cucumber into a bowl. Add other ingredients as desired; see Tips. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Step 3

Drape a towel over your shoulders to catch any drips. Use your fingers or a clean cotton ball to pat the mask onto your face from hairline to chin, avoiding your eyes.

Step 4

Leave the mask in place for 15 minutes. Rinse away with warm water, then pat your face dry.

Step 5

Refrigerate any unused portions of the mask and use within the next day or two. Half of a small to medium cucumber should provide enough material for one facial mask, so if you don’t expect to use the rest of the mask up quickly, use just half the cucumber for the mask and save the rest for a salad.

Tips and Warnings

You can use the cucumber by itself as an astringent toning mask, or add additional ingredients like moisturizing yogurt, moisturizing and antimicrobial honey, exfoliating oatmeal, deep-cleansing brewer’s yeast, and astringent lemon juice or lime juice. If you do add other ingredients, do so 1 tsp. at a time until the mask reaches the desired consistency. Most cucumber-based masks will have a relatively smooth texture, but if you add oatmeal the mask will thicken toward a pasty texture. Anything that’s flexible enough to smooth onto your face will work as a mask.