Heading out to the pumpkin patch? Consider this humble fruit’s natural skincare benefits.
Pumpkin has exfoliation and moisturization properties that help treat drier skin in the fall. Its enzymes help to break down and remove old cells from the surface of the skin and encourage new cell growth.
Pumpkin also contains ample Vitamin A to soften skin, Vitamin C as an anti-oxidant to combat damage caused by free radicals, and Vitamins E and T, which help reduce inflammation and excess oil production – very helpful for those with acne, explains Livestrong.com.
The beta carotene that makes pumpkins orange can also help fade sun spots and treat sun-damaged skin.
The best way to take advantage of these healthy skin benefits is to make your own simple DIY warm pumpkin and honey mask.
Saute 5 tablespoons of finely chopped pumpkin pulp in water over low heat, stirring frequently. Cook until pumpkin is smooth and soft, then add one teaspoon honey. Stir well, mash with a fork and let cool to room temperature. Once cool, apply to clean face and neck. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse with warm water for nourishing, toning, soothing and purifying results. Discard any leftovers. (Recipe courtesy of HelloBeauty.)
Beautiful Skin Blog offers this recipe (and more) for a DIY pumpkin body scrub:
Mash two spoons of pumpkin (fresh pumpkin puree or canned) with a teaspoon of fine milled coffee for a moisturizing scrub. Or, add sea salt to the mashed pumpkin to help slough off dead skin cells.
Eating pumpkin and its seeds has many health benefits, too. Pumpkin seeds are rich in anti-aging Omega-3 fatty acids and zinc, and pumpkin itself contains fiber, disease-fighting carotenoids, magnesium and potassium. You’ll find many pumpkin recipes at EatingWell.com.
Have you used pumpkin on your skin, or do you have a favorite recipe? Please share it with us.
Image: KnaPix / Flickr.com
