Homemade Beauty Treatments With Pumpkin

Halloween is well behind us now and you don’t know what to do with all those carved pumpkins scattered across the house. If they are still usable and not rotten altogether, then rely on them to make yourselves some beauty treatments, all based on the pumpkin puree as the central ingredient. Here are some recipes for homemade beauty treatments with pumpkin, via Treehugger.com, with a final mention fresh pumpkins should be used for better results.

As we said, puree is the central ingredient in all these recipes so let’s first how to prepare it. Halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1½ to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Finally, strain the puree to drain the extra moisture. The pumpkin pulp is packed with skin-loving nutrients like antioxidants, zinc, vitamins A and C, fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids.

For the first recipe, which is a body sugar scrub, you need pumpkin puree and olive oil mixed in equal parts. Add sugar until the mixture become a thick slurry. In the shower gently rub all over the body with a washcloth or a loofah, then rinse and dry, leaving you with a softer skin.

For the same result, mix equal parts pumpkin puree and coconut oil and bring this homemade body butter in the shower with you. Slather all over and go about your shower business, then rinse off before you get out. Dry yourself gently, enjoy your soft skin.