5 Ways to Use Old Pumpkin in Your Beauty Routine

You’ve spent the day in a frenzy of scooping, carving and painting, leaving you with a spooky cute lineup of jack-o-lanterns and a whole lot of leftover pumpkin guts. What’s a girl to do with all that goo? Why, use it in her beauty routine, of course! Raw pumpkin is super rich in alpha hydroxy acids, which promote cell turnover, in addition to zinc and vitamin E which are both great for those with oily or acne-prone skin.

Need some pumpkin-spiced skinspiration? Look no further. 

1. Body Scrub

For a gentle body scrub that will smell so good you’ll want to eat it, you’ll need: 

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (here’s a recipe for how to make it)
• 1 cup of sugar
• (Optional) 1 tsp each of nutmeg and cinnamon for that iconic pumpkin spice scent

Recipe from OneGreenPlanet.

2. Face Mask 

Need a mid-autumn facial? Pumpkin’s got your back (or face, I should say). Whip up a brightening and nourishing mask with just a few ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.

• 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 whole egg
• Have dry skin? Add a teaspoon of honey. Oily skin got ya down? A little apple cider vinegar will do just the trick. 

Recipe from POPSUGAR Beauty.

3. Hair Mask 

For dry and brittle strands, pumpkin can go a long way in restoring your hair’s natural shine and bounciness. Bustle provides this deep conditioning DIY that will definitely breathe some life back into dull hair. You will need:

• 2 oz raw pumpkin
• 2 oz raw shea butter
• 2 oz raw, liquefied coconut oil  
• 1 oz fixed vegetable oil (like sunflower or olive oil) 
• 1 tsp oatmeal powder 

4. Facial Exfoliator 

Unlike body scrubs, facial exfoliants need to be gentler, because facial skin is thinner and more sensitive. These sugars in this scrumptious face scrub will help buff away dead skin and blackheads, while the pumpkin and vitamin E will keep everything soft and supple. For this skin treat, you’ll need: 

1. 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
2. 1/2 cup each of organic white and brown sugar
3. 1/2 tsp vitamin E oil 
4. (Optional) 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

DIY from Live Simply.

5. Hand Treatment

Hands often get ignored in beauty routines, but they’re so important to take care of! Keep your hands from cracking in chilly weather with this easy to make moisturizer. All you’ll need is:

• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon oil of your choosing
• 1 teaspoon honey

Recipe from TreeHugger.

How will you incorporate pumpkin into your routine this fall? 

• pumpkin
• skincare