Cucumber Extract
Even our grandmothers and mothers used to put cucumber slices on their eyes to relieve or eliminate unsightly puffiness after a sleepless night. It is even said that once upon a time even Cleopatra used fresh cucumber to care for her flawless complexion. Today it has been proven that the cucumber, which after all consists of 95 percent water. Actually cucumber extract has a great many positive properties that can be optimally used especially in cosmetics. This is not the only reason why the Association for the Preservation of Crop Diversity has chosen it as the Vegetable of the Year for 2019 and 2020.
Occurrence and components of the cucumber
The cucumber is actually a climbing plant, but it also grows in a prostrate position and is cultivated in Europe as well as in America, Africa and Asia. It bears the botanical name Cucumis sativus. Cucumber plants belong to the cucurbit family, and their fruits can be divided into two groups of varieties: the salad cucumbers or snake cucumbers, and the spicy or pickling cucumbers. Botanically, they belong to the armored berries, as they have a hard and leathery outer skin. In 2017 alone, more than 83 million tons of cucumbers were harvested worldwide, with China, Iran, Russia and Turkey among the largest producers. Cucumber is decidedly low in calories, with 100 grams having only 15 calories.
Cucumber extract is obtained by cold pressing of crushed cucumbers. As already mentioned, cucumbers consist of 95 percent water, however, the remaining five percent contain all the elements that our body needs. The ingredients include magnesium, iron and phosphorus, but also valuable amino acids, potassium, copper, zinc and calcium. In addition, cucumber extract is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, C and E. All these valuable substances contribute to soothing the skin and providing it with moisture. The contained vitamin B also boosts the production of collagen and thus provides smoother and plumper skin.
Cucumber extract in cosmetics
Cucumber extracts or cucumber juice are used in many cosmetic products such as moisturizers, toners, eye pads and masks. They help soothe, hydrate and refresh the skin, and can also help reduce the appearance of puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.
A study from the University of Athens in Greece shows that the components of cucumber pulp contain a high concentration of L-lactic acid. L-lactic acid is not only a member of α-hydroxy acids (AHAs), but also as an important component of NMF. It is widely used in cosmetic preparations for dry skin, ichthyosis. Cucurbitacin D and 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D are also found in cucumber extracts, which are responsible for inhibiting tyrosinase and melanin synthesis, thus providing skin lightening effect and even skin tone.
Cucumber extract counteracts inflammation and has the ability to refresh the skin. This is especially beneficial on hot days, because then care products with cucumber extract provide a great freshness kick. Often, painful redness after sunburn recedes through the application. Pure cucumber extract also exudes a pleasantly cool scent and thus also has an invigorating effect.
Basically, care products with cucumber extract are just as suitable for young and sensitive skin as for mature and demanding skin. The mild fruit acids of cucumber often show amazing results against acne, for blemished skin and for the care of combination skin. Cucumber extract is therefore also particularly popular in facial toners for blemished skin. The enzymatic processes also help to soften stressed skin.
Disturbing itching, which is often quite typical for sensitive skin, can be noticeably alleviated by the cooling and refreshing effect.
Since mature skin also benefits from cucumber extract, it is a proven ingredient for anti-aging skin care products. It provides pure moisture to the skin and thus serves as a real thirst quencher. Mature skin often appears firmer overall with regular use, and smaller wrinkles are less visible.
Cosmetic preparations with cucumber are also suitable for eye pads and eye masks, as they can alleviate small wrinkles in the eye area, puffiness or dark circles. Other possible uses include shower gels with a vitalizing effect, mascara for a fresh, alert and expressive look, and body lotions with a cooling effect. Cucumber extract is also suitable for light foundations, as it gives a long-lasting feeling of freshness and prevents an unpleasant mask effect.
In men’s cosmetics, cucumber extract is recommended for after-shave balms, among other things.
Cucumber extract is often combined with d-panthenol in cosmetic formulations, as this achieves a particularly moisturizing and at the same time soothing effect. The application concentration of cucumber extract is usually between 0.5 and 10.0 percent.
Profile
Cucumber extract
INCI: Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract
CAS number: 89998-01-6
Main ingredients: beta-carotene, vitamins A and C
Effect: anti-inflammatory, soothing, invigorating.
Use in: Body care and cosmetic products such as eye creams, soothing lotions and cleansing gels for blemished skin.
Cucumber Seed Oil
INCI: Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Seed Oil
CAS number: 70955-25-8
Description: cold pressed oil from cucumber seeds
Main ingredients: linoleic acid, oleic acid and phytosterols
Action: for treating skin diseases and bacterial infections, can repair the lipid barrier of the skin, cooling relief for sunburned skin, to support acne treatment, has refreshing, healing and astringent properties
Uses: for rejuvenating facial serums and lotions, moisturizing and nourishing creams, skin brightening lotions and after-sun formulations
Cucumber Juice
INCI: Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Juice
CAS number: 89998-01-6 / 8024-36-0
Description: juice from the pulp of the cucumber
Effect: skin tightening, skin clarifying, refreshing, keeps the skin supple
We like to work with these active ingredients containing cucumber:
| Trade Name | Company | INCI | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cucumber Seed Oil - BCE1038 | Biocosmethic | Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil | |
| CrownHealth KYURI | Naturalea SA | Cucumis Sativus Extract | |
| CrownHealth GHERKIN | Naturalea SA | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Cucumber Herbasol Extract PG, unpreserved, system 3 | Lipoid Kosmetik AG | Propylene Glycol, Water, Sorbitol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Cucumber fruit Herbasol Extract Glycerine unpreserved | Lipoid Kosmetik AG | Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Water | |
| Cucumber Extract H.GL.-M.S. | Provital | Glycerin, Aqua, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Cucumber Extract GL | Crodarom | Aqua, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Cucumber Seed Powder | Botanic Innovations | Cucumis Sativus Seed | |
| Cucumber Extract – Phytobasic | Bio-Botanica, Inc. | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| CUCUMBER Organic | ICHIMARU PHARCOS CO., LTD. | Water, Butylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| PHYTELENE EG 108 BG Cucumber | Greentech | Butylene Glycol, Aqua, Cucumis Sativus Extract | |
| CUCUMBER ECO | Provital | Glycerin, Water, Alcohol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Actiphyte cucumber | Lipotec S.A.U. | Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Water | |
| ecofarm CUCUMBER-G | ICHIMARU PHARCOS CO., LTD. | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Ecocellular Cucumber Water | Daebong LS Co., Ltd. | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol | |
| CUCUMBER HYDROGLYCOLIC EXTRACT (HG) | AQiA Química Inovativa | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Cucumber Seed Oil | Botanic Innovations | Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil | |
| AECOPUREE CUCUMBER with Enzyme | AE Chemie | Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Organic Refined Cold Pressed Cucumber Oil | Sophim | Cucumis Sativus Seed Oil | |
| CLERILYS W | Greentech | Aqua, Cucumis Sativus Seed Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract | |
| Uninontan U-34 | Givaudan Active Beauty | Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract | |
| Pharcolex BX51 | ICHIMARU PHARCOS CO., LTD. | Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Parietaria Officinalis Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf/Stem Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract | |
| PHYTELENE COMPLEX EGX 251 BG Dry Skin | Greentech | Butylene Glycol, Aqua, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Parietaria Officinalis Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sambucus Nigra Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract | |
| Protective Moisturizing Complex | Greentech | Aqua, Propylene Glycol, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract, Parietaria Officinalis Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract |
High quality cosmetics with cucumber extract
Cucumber is a completely natural and well-tolerated ingredient for sophisticated cosmetic formulations. The extract of cucumber is recommended for puffy eyes as well as for dry, mature, impure and sensitive skin. Its effects are manifold: on the one hand, cucumber extract has an anti-inflammatory and anti-itching effect, and on the other hand, it is also moisturizing, decongestant, cooling and refreshing. Cosmacon develops for you, if necessary, high-quality and well effective formulations with the valuable extract of cucumber.
If you would like to have your own cosmetics produced with cucumber extract, you have come to the right place.
Sources:
Chemical analysis, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of three Greek cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cultivars.; Georgios Sotiroudis, Eleni Melliou, Theodore G. Sotiroudis and Loanna Chinou.Journal of Food Biochemistry, 34 (2010) 61–78.
Phytochemical and therapeutic potential of cucumber.; Pulok K. Mukherjee, Neelesh K. Nema, Niladri Maity, Birendra K. Sarkar. Fitoterapia, 84 (2013) 227-236.
Exploring cucumber extract for skin rejuvenation,; Naveed Akhtar, Arshad Mehmood, Barkat Ali Khan, Tariq Mahmood, Haji Muhammad Shoaib Khan and Tariq Saeed, African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 10(7) 2011 pp. 1206-1216.