Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is cultivated worldwide as a seasonal vegetable crop. It is high in water content and low in calories. It is mostly eaten raw, widely consumed fresh in salads or pickled in vinegar with brine and sugar. Cucumber is one of the most common vegetables that is preserved and fermented as pickle. In Korea, cucumber ‘kimchi’, which is a fermented vegetable dish using cucumber instead of Chinese cabbage, is also very popular. Due to its high water content, it has long been used for skin care. It soothes and calms skin irritation, reduces swelling, and alleviates sunburned skin.

Cucumber contains several active compounds including cucurbitacins, cucumegatigmanes, cucumerin A and B, vitexin, and orientin. Cucurbitacin D and 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin D show the inhibition effect on tyrosinase and melanin synthesis. Scientific research has shown the biological activities of cucumber including anti-oxidant, anti-wrinkle, moisturizing, and skin brightening activities.