10 Cucumber Face Mask Recipes To Soothe Your Skin

While we love mixing up cocktails with cucumber, it’s good to keep in mind that this member of the gourd family is also one of nature’s best-known anti-inflammatory botanicals for topical use. Cucumbers contain amino acids and minerals, which help to firm and regenerate your cells. Plus, they are naturally cooling, antibacterial [source], relieve swelling [source], and have a soothing effect on the skin.

Harness the healing power of this fruit—yes, it is classified as a fruit—in your beauty routine with these homemade cucumber face mask recipes. From acne to sunburn, you can use cucumbers for just about every skin type or ailment.

1. Soothe a sunburn with this cucumber yogurt mask.

Your skin will drink up this cooling mask, thanks to water-rich, anti-inflammatory cucumbers [source], which contain high levels of caffeic acid to reduce swelling and irritation.

1/2 cucumber, pureed
2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Slather on the mixture and relax for 15 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

2. De-puff with a cucumber ice mask.

A cucumber ice massage is the perfect way to reduce puffy skin. The ice constricts blood vessels, the cucumber reduces swelling, and the massage pushes fluids out of the tissues.

1 cucumber
Ice cube tray

Puree 1 cucumber and pour into an ice cube tray. Freeze. When needed, rub the cube on your skin in circular motions, starting at the forehead and moving down to the neck.

3. Erase crow’s feet with a cucumber eye mask.

This hydrating eye mask quickly plumps fine lines to minimize the appearance of crow’s feet. The honey pulls moisture from the cucumbers into cells below the skin’s surface, while the banana is rich in potassium, which helps cells retain moisture.

1/4 ripe banana
1/4 cucumber, peeled
1 tablespoon honey

Puree the ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Chill for 30 minutes. Apply under the eyes, and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. Refrigerate any extras for 1 week.

4. Calm irritated skin with a cucumber cream mask.

Pair cooling cucumber and anti-inflammatory, healing oats [source] to soothe and moisturize inflamed skin.

1 small cucumber, peeled and pureed
1/2 cup oats
1 tablespoon plain yogurt

Combine the ingredients in a small bowl to form a paste. Smooth the paste on irritated skin, and relax for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water.

5. Get radiant skin with a tomato-cucumber mask.

Take advantage of summer produce for this skin-brightening mask, which helps with acne as well as blotchy or uneven complexions.

1/2 tomato
1/4 unpeeled cucumber
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Puree all of the ingredients together until you get a smooth consistency. Apply the mixture to your face and neck and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water, and follow with moisturizer. Keep any leftovers in the fridge and use within 7 days.

6. Smooth fine lines with cucumber juice pads.

Drying UV rays sap moisture from our skin, making wrinkles even more prominent. The ultra-high water content of cucumbers rehydrates and smoothes skin. Cucumber’s silica content improves elasticity [source] to keep skin looking young and supple.

1/2 cucumber, unpeeled
2 tablespoons distilled water or rose water
Cotton pads

7. Zap zits with an aloe cucumber mask.

Tea tree oil is an amazing (and highly potent) skincare ingredient that does more than just banish acne. It’s antibacterial—zapping zits by killing the acne-promoting bacteria [source].

Tea tree is also an anti-inflammatory, calming down skin that’s red and inflamed from breakouts [source]. Combined with cucumber, another soothing and hydrating ingredient, this mask is made extra potent to calm down angry skin in a jiffy.

The aloe and cucumber will soothe inflamed skin, while the cucumber seeds are rich in potassium and vitamin E.

4 tablespoons aloe vera gel
2 drops tea tree oil (more may be irritating, so don’t overdo it)
1/2 peeled cucumber

Blend all of the ingredients well and apply to the face with your fingertips or a facial brush. Leave on for 10–15 minutes.

8. Moisturize dry skin with a cucumber egg mask.

Cucumber’s soothing coolness refreshes as it cleans, making this mild cleansing mask gentle enough for sensitive skin. Honey and egg yolk, two emollients that provide a hydrating boost to the skin’s protective barrier.

1/3 cucumber
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons ground almonds
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rolled oats, ground

Slice cucumber lengthwise and puree in a blender. Add the additional ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. Spread onto dry skin and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

9. Hydrate with cucumber eye gel.

This hydrating gel soothes and calms tired eyes. Cucumber juice and aloe vera act like an instant drink of water for your skin, hydrating thirsty cells.

1 tablespoon aloe vera gel
1 teaspoon cucumber juice
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon witch hazel

Combine aloe, cucumber, and cornstarch and mix. Warm gently over a double boiler, but make sure not to overheat or bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and mix in the witch hazel.

Cool completely, then transfer to a sterile container. Apply under the eyes in an upward dotting motion, but be careful not to pull on the skin. Store leftovers in the fridge for 1 week.

10. Support the skin naturally with a probiotic acne mask.

The natural anti-inflammatory effects of cucumber give this mask a calming effect on skin. It also provides probiotics to nourish your skin’s microbiome.

1/2 cucumber, pureed
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 probiotic capsule

Combine the above ingredients, and slather a thick layer on your face. Rest 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water and pat dry.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician who has been practicing for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.