Halloween can be a wasteful holiday.
There’s the outfits (which are unlikely to be used more than once and contain an absurd amount of plastic), the excessive amount of sweets and the decorations, like the traditional pumpkin.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to deny yourself the joys of carving out a ghoulish face in a vegetable.
There are plenty ways to make use of the pumpkin pulp that usually ends up in the bin, including in soups and pies, but if you don’t fancy the flavour, why not make a homemade face mask?
As it turns out, pumpkin pulp could be the trick to reviving your skin in the harsh autumn weather.
‘There are numerous pumpkin-based beauty products on the shelves all promising to work wonders and the key ingredients derived from pumpkins are the seeds as they contain fatty acids, vitamin E, zinc, Omega 3 and antioxidants which will help fight sun damage and wrinkles whilst retaining moisture,’ said dermatologist, Dr Ross Perry, founder of Cosmedics.
‘The high amounts of zinc and vitamin E can will improve skin tone and help wounds heal more rapidly. Other benefits include helping to fight acne and help with skin renewal.’
How to make a homemade face mask from your leftover pumpkin pulp
Skin products can be expensive, especially if you’re investing in new items whenever the season – and your skin – changes.
Thankfully, homemade face masks can be really useful and are also very cost-effective.
Here’s everything you need to make a pumpkin face mask:
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¼ cup organic pumpkin puree
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One egg
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Two teaspoons of raw honey (for dry-normal skin)
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One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (good for oily skin)
Note: you need to use fresh pumpkin – so put the pulp in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out and don’t use the pumpkin if you’ve lit candles inside of it.
Start by putting the pumpkin into a food processor (seeds and all) until it’s nice and smooth, then add an egg and the apple cider vinegar.
If you have dry or normal skin, pop in some honey.
Dr Perry said: ‘The honey added will help to lock in the moisture and the apple cider vinegar assists in detoxing the skin and reducing any inflammation.’
Finally, mix everything together and apply to a clean face.
Leave on for 20 minutes and then rinse off for a nice glow.
The mask won’t just moisturise your skin, but has an exfoliating effect.
‘Pumpkin can be used as a skin exfoliator, helping to remove dead skin from the surface and helping to brighten the complexion,’ said Dr Catherine Borysiewicz, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic.
‘The proteins in pumpkin can help unclog pores, remove toxins and impurities, which can be beneficial in treating acne flare-ups.
‘Abundant with antioxidants and vitamin C, pumpkin can help deliver skin radiance and help improve elasticity and improve skin tone. The zinc, enzymes and alpha hydroxyl acids in pumpkin help increase the skin cell turnover, soften the skin and restore the pH balance.
‘The beta-carotene contents of pumpkin, which is converted to vitamin A, have anti-ageing benefits, which can help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles as well as reverse UV damage.’
There you have it: pumpkins aren’t just for scaring people.
Then again, if you don’t want to spend money on a costume this year, you could just slather the mask on your face on 31 October and pretend your skin is melting?
The kids will love it. Probably.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2019/10/18/make-homemade-face-mask-leftover-pumpkin-pulp-10941057/
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