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.
If you look for an efficient facial mask, regardless of the skin type, then mix together one cup of pumpkin, two tablespoons of brown sugar, one tablespoon of honey and a half cup of yogurt – the sugar and yogurt are to exfoliate, the honey is a humectant. Spread on to your face and let sit for 10 minutes, rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry.
Now, if you have an oily skin, combine 1/4 cup pumpkin puree with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and a whole egg. Mix the ingredients until smooth and apply to face. Leave on for 20 minutes, rinse, and pat dry. For a dry skin, mix 1/4 cup pumpkin puree with 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon honey and a whole egg. Mix the ingredients until smooth and apply to face. Leave on for 20 minutes again, rinse, and pat dry.
