By Kara Brook, Martha Stewart
If the spring allergy season has you struggling with puffy,
dry, and/or red eyes, or if your eyes could just use a little TLC, this
cucumber eye treatment is for you. It's super easy to make (it takes
less than 1 minute) and all of the necessary ingredients can be found at
your local health-food store.
The main ingredients in this eye treatment are aloe vera gel, cucumber, chamomile and
lavender tea, Eastern Shore honey, and Helichrysum essential oil. They
all share similar soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, and
together they can calm eyes that are burning from allergy season
or computer strain, as well as relieve tension and soothe skin in the
surrounding eye area. Aloe vera relieves itching and provides hydration
for the skin, while the cucumber
acts as an anti-inflammatory to reduce puffiness. Chamomile is also
known to reduce inflammation and soothe tired eyes, while lavender calms
swelling and redness. Honey, clearly a favorite ingredient of mine, is a
powerful moisturizer, which does wonders for the surrounding eye area.
To round out the treatment I decided to include Helichrysum essential
oil, which is a powerful antioxidant. Some studies suggest that it has
the ability to protect against infections and act as an anti-allergenic.
Make sure to do a patch test before putting this treatment directly onto your eyes. To do a patch test, apply the prepared eye treatment to the inside of your wrists and wait at least 24 hours (be sure not to wash it off) to make sure no allergic reaction develops.
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Make sure to do a patch test before putting this treatment directly onto your eyes. To do a patch test, apply the prepared eye treatment to the inside of your wrists and wait at least 24 hours (be sure not to wash it off) to make sure no allergic reaction develops.
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Ingredients
- 1 tbsp aloe vera gel- 2 tsp diced organic cucumber, peeled with seeds removed
- 1/2 tsp chamomile and lavender tea
- 1/2 tsp Eastern Shore honey
- 3 drops of Helichrysum oil (or add a drop to each treatment)
Directions
Blend all ingredients except for the Helichrysum oil in a high-speed blender. You can mix the Helichrysum oil with the other ingredients if you like, but I prefer to blend the oil into the mixture right before I use it. I find that it is more evenly distributed this way.
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To use -- drop one drop of Helichrysum oil into the palm of your hand, then mix in a dime-size amount of the eye treament blend. Gently apply (don't rub!) to the area surrounding your eyes, being careful not to get any in your actual eye. Leave it on for at least 10 to 15 minutes -- I like to apply the treatment to my eyes, then climb into a relaxing bath, and gently wash off the treatment before I get out -- my eyes always feel fresh and new!
Store your lovely mixture in an airtight container in the fridge -- it will keep well for about a week. I also love using this eye mask right out of the fridge, the coolness helps soothe the eyes and feels so refreshing! Use this treatment as needed throughout the week and discard any remaining mix at the end of the week.
