With Halloween right around the corner, you’re likely no stranger to seeing or carving pumpkins by now. As a matter of fact, you may find yourself making all kinds of soups and sweets with this round, orange vegetable. Whether or not you’re a fan of the taste of pumpkin, there are ways to include this cousin of the squash in your health and beauty routine. There are plenty of natural beauty uses for pumpkin that might have you changing your mind about this autumnal crop. Read on to discover the benefits that pumpkin can bring to you, your hair, and even your skin!

Health Benefits of Pumpkin

Granted that while some people can only stomach pumpkin in a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin offers serious health benefits. A single serving of pumpkin includes (in descending order of quantity):

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Vitamin B2
• Vitamin E
• Iron
• Zinc

While the proportion of these vitamins and minerals depends on how much pumpkin you ingest, we can’t argue that there’s a lot of goodness hiding in this autumn vegetable. Pumpkins have a lot of antioxidants, which means that they can help you combat free radicals such as pollution, stress, and ageing. Not only will this keep you looking younger longer, but it can also help you ward off chronic diseases. Furthermore, the combination of vitamins that pumpkin offers can help boost your winter immunity significantly.

All of those fantastic vitamins hiding underneath the skin of a pumpkin can even help improve your eyesight. Additionally, the high levels of fibre in pumpkin are great for digestive health, and coupled with diet and exercise are great for weight loss. Nonetheless, pumpkin doesn’t merely help you on the inside; it helps you on the outside, too! 

Pumpkin Skincare

In autumn and winter, it’s those beta-carotenes in pumpkin that our bodies turn into Vitamin A that will really help. These carotenoids can act as a natural sunblock and protect our skin from the sun’s UV rays. Moreover, the high levels of Vitamin C in this vegetable are essential for healthy collagen production. It’s these two vitamins in particular that are crucial for strong and healthy skin. 

Beyond helping our skin from the inside out, the topical use of pumpkin can noticeably improve our complexions. Some natural beauty uses for pumpkin are to treat oily, blemish-prone, or dry skin, as well as reduce dark spots or pigmentation.

• For oily or blemish-prone skin: Combine one tablespoon of pumpkin puree with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to make a face mask. Apply to damp skin then massage to exfoliate and cleanse. Rinse off with warm water and then with cold water before patting dry and moisturising as usual.
• For dry skin: Combine two teaspoons of pumpkin puree with half a teaspoon of honey to create a mask for your skin. Be sure to avoid the area around the eyes when applying. Leave the mask on for at least ten minutes before rinsing off with warm water and then again with cold water. Pat dry and moisturise with your regular moisturiser.
• To treat dark spots and pigmentation: Combine one tablespoon of pumpkin puree with one teaspoon of honey, one teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice, and one teaspoon of Vitamin E oil. Leave this mask on for half an hour and then rinse off with warm water.

You can even use one or more of these recipes for a pumpkin body mask.

Pumpkin Hair Care

The natural beauty uses for pumpkin don’t stop at your skin. Pumpkin is also excellent for natural hair care. The high levels of potassium help keep your hair healthy and promote hair growth. Also, the presence of zinc in pumpkin boosts collagen while strengthening your hair. Finally, pumpkins also have folate, which helps blood circulation, thus stimulating your follicles and hair growth.

For an excellent pumpkin conditioner to treat dry hair in autumn and winter, try this:

• 2 cups of chopped and cooked pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of yoghurt

Blend the pumpkin and yoghurt until smooth, then add the coconut oil and honey. Once everything is blended, your conditioner is ready. Apply this natural pumpkin conditioner to shampooed hair and leave it in for 10-15 minutes. Rinse your hair thoroughly before styling as usual.

The Takeaway

As you get into the spirit of the spooky season, remember to save a bit of that pumpkin for your beauty routine. All of those wonderful natural beauty uses for pumpkin will help you take advantage of all this seasonal crop has to offer. With all your natural beauty knowledge, you may be thinking of starting your own business soon. Why not learn more about WapoBeauty’s eBook on How to Sell Your Skincare Products Legally in Ireland and the EU? If you’re looking for hands-on instruction on how to formulate and make safe and professional skincare products, sign up for WapoBeauty’s Making Natural Skincare Day Course in November.

ABOUT OUR BLOGGER:

Ashuni Pérez is an American writer based in Valencia, Spain. She has a passion for natural beauty and the environment. Ashuni loves to cycle and drink smoothies in the sun. Follow her on Instagram at @ashuuuuni