Why Do People Put Cucumbers on Their Eyes?

If you’ve ever watched a makeover scene in a movie or participated in a DIY facial, you’ve likely either seen people put cucumbers on their eyes or done so yourself. But do the cucumbers actually do anything, or is it all for show? We know it makes for a cute selfie, but you’re probably wondering if cucumbers on eyes offer real skin benefits.

Well, a skin care guru like yourself knows the importance of showing your eye area some love. After all, the skin under your eyes is your most fragile skin, and it’s prone to showing visible signs of aging. And beyond being diligent with your eye cream, using cucumber on your eyes could be just what you need. Follow along as we explore why placing cucumber on your closed lids is a common skin care and self-care hack.

WHY IS PUTTING CUCUMBER ON EYES A THING?

Let’s get to the bottom of this: Is there a real reason to use cucumbers in your beauty routine? Well, let’s start from the beginning. According to the National Center of Biotechnology Information, cucumbers have been used in traditional Indian medicine since ancient times. Known for offering a soothing effect, their juice has also been used to nourish skin.

As for the eyes, the idea behind slathering skin with a face mask and then popping on cucumber slices is that the chilled cucumbers will work like cold compresses—giving the saying “cool as a cucumber” a whole new meaning. And why do your eyes specifically get this treatment? Per the Mayo Clinic, using a cool compress can help reduce the appearance of under-eye bags and puffiness.

DOES CUCUMBER REMOVE DARK CIRCLES?

Now, what about dark circles? Are cucumber slices supposed to help with those, too? While this hasn’t been researched much, it seems that it may be worth a try! Per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cucumbers contain vitamin K, and vitamin K can help with dark circles under eyes.

Of course, if you’re dealing with dark under-eye circles, we wouldn’t recommend cucumbers as your first line of defense. They’re better for giving your eye area a quick refresh. With dark circles, you need to pay this area more consistent attention, and we’re guessing you won’t be wearing cucumber slices every day. For addressing darkness under your eyes on the daily, read up on Our Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles Under the Eyes.

HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP CUCUMBER ON YOUR EYES?

Wondering how long you should keep cucumbers on your eyes? It’s all up to you! Typically, it’s best to leave chilled cucumber on eyes for around 10-15 minutes to help with de-puffing. Once the cucumber is no longer cold, it’s probably about time to toss the slices.

CAN YOU SLEEP WITH CUCUMBER ON YOUR EYES?

Thinking about kicking your feet up and relaxing with your go-to face mask and cucumber on your eyes? While this is doable, we’d recommend leaving the cucumbers for your waking hours. As we mentioned, they don’t need to be left on for all that long, so you can easily incorporate them into your nighttime skin care routine and remove them before bed.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO AFTER PUTTING CUCUMBER ON YOUR EYES?

As much as cucumber slices on eyes are a great self-care staple, once you take them off, you’ll still want to give your eye area more TLC. In fact, it’s the perfect time to apply an eye cream. Consider one of the following options.

L’Oréal Paris Age Perfect Eye Renewal Eye Cream: Perfect for providing skin with immediate hydration and diminishing the look of dark circles, under-eye bags, and wrinkles with continued use over time, it doesn’t get much better than this. With continued use, your eyes will look visibly refreshed and renewed.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream: What kind of difference can you make in a month? Formulated with Stimuplex and Pro-Retinol, this eye cream reduces wrinkles, firms skin, and reduces puffiness all in four weeks.

L’Oréal Paris Revitalift Miracle Blur Eye Treatment: Get ready to reduce signs of aging with this eye cream. Formulated with Pro-Retinol A, vitamin C, and a peptide specifically-designed for the eye area, it works to improve the look of dark circles with continued use over time.

Next up: Ready to learn about another way to add a dose of self-care to your skin care routine? Read our article, Do Jade Rollers Really Work?