Natural Remedies for the Skin- Series I - Part One

Cucumbers

General Stomach Health

We should all know by now that Cucumber is great for your digestion and stomach health by reinforcing the intestinal mucosa. It is also rich in cellulose, protects the stomach and cleans the bowel system by regulating the intestinal flora. Some people with delicate stomach do have to be careful about eating cucumbers though.

What does it do for Skin?

Because of their wealth of water, Vitamin E and natural fats, cucumbers are one of the best remedies for the external care of your skin. The fats and water soften and hydrate your skin. This returns the freshness and texture it has been loosing as a consequence of the environmental pollutants and free radicals floating all around us.

Cucumbers are extremely antioxidant and very helpful for skins that have suffered from prolonged exposure to the sun or to Chemotherapy. Cucumbers are great for a number of skin problems including:

* skin spots
* face blemishes
* oily skin
* dermatitis
* rosacea
* seborrheic dermititis
* sunburns
* fire burns

Besides the emollient properties for your skin, it also has cosmetic properties. Plain ole Cucumber (pureed in your blender or Cuisineart) can reduce wrinkles better than most of the most expensive creams on the market.

Historically, Cleopatra used cucumbers, honey, olive oil and mud mixed together as one of her beauty secrets. Without the use of a Cuisinart - I'm sure some poor slave had to mash up the cucumbers to a pulp and mix in all other other ingredients by hand. It would be interesting to see the hands of that slave- and see if she had gorgeous young hands by which to apply those great beauty treatments to the skin of her queen.

Here's a great mask you can try at home. I've tried it and always look forward to mixing up a new batch and applying it when I wanna freshen up my skin and keep it from looking so haggard.

Cucumber Mask

* 2 cucumbers, sliced thin and with the skins
* 1/2 Glass of milk cream (I use fresh raw Goat's Milk)
* 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
* 1 Tablespoon of local raw honey
* 1 Tablespoon of clean mud (I actually use Rose Kaolin clay or clay powder)

~Mix the ingredients with a blender or Cuisinart. I puree the cucumbers to a slush consistency, then add the milk, oil, honey and mud or powdered clay. I've noticed that if the cucumbers are "wetter", I don't need as much of the milk and the clay or mud works a bit better if it isn't so "wet".
~Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
~Clean face with a fresh cut lemon, then apply the mask to face and neck (making sure to avoid getting too close to your eyes) and leave on for 1 1/2 hours. I know this seems like a long time - but natural beauty take time. This is a great time to lay down and rest, soak in the tub with some nice candles glowing, watch a movie that only you thoroughly enjoy or read a great book. Whatever way you can RELAX and take some time for yourself.
~Gently rinse off the mask and apply a natural Goat's Milk cream or your favorite facial cream or lotion. I use one that I make with Goat's Milk and more Cucumber & Cantaloupe juice.

I can't say enough about Cucumbers. Love them, grow them and enjoy them thoroughly inside and out. I even figured out how to puree them fine enough to add them into the cold process Goat's Milk soaps that I create. So...the next time you are at the Grocery and see a cucumber just sitting there looking nonchalant, grab it and use it on your face. You'll be glad you did!

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Take care naturally!
Dana
Magic Moon SoapWorks