Pumpkin pampering

As Halloween approaches the pumpkin carving begins, but there’s more to these orange gourds than carved out ghoul faces. With nutritional as well as beauty benefits to make you glow, in honour of the season we turn our thoughts to Halloween’s most iconic vegetable. Something you may wish to put to good use once those ghosts and goblins have been duly frightened off…

Pumpkin health benefits

Low in calories (if you count that kind of thing), high in iron, zinc and fibre, pumpkins are also high in vitamin C, potassium and beta carotene. It doesn’t stop there though, they are also high in vitamin E and some B vitamins. All of those contribute to general health and in particular, healthy skin.

The upshot is a super healthy ingredient for any meal, one that’s both filling and goes a long way. So it’s great value for money. Also worth noting is that the whole of the pumpkin is edible: skin, pulp and seeds, which means you can roast, toast, boil and bubble your way into healthy meals from breakfast (seeds in your cereal) through to dinner (pumpkin soup) and the snacky bits in between.

Pumpkin beauty benefits

New York dermatologist Patricia Wexler was quoted by Women’s Health saying:

“Pumpkin contains enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids that increase cell turnover, brighten and smooth skin, and are great exfoliators.”

Vitamins A and C help prevent free-radical damage and boost collagen production to help prevent wrinkles. Meanwhile, the zinc in pumpkin seeds is good for acne to help decrease oil production, and essential fatty acids (Omega 3.help the skin with increased hydration. Pumpkin also contains selenium, which helps fight damage caused by oxidative stress, and it helps to increase the moisture of hair and maintain a healthy scalp.

As a result, it is used topically in a number of ways, including make-up and beauty products, as well as spa treatments… keep reading.

Pumpkin spa treatments

With fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids that increase cell turnover to brighten and smooth the skin. As well as all the other benefits we’ve mentioned, the pumpkin beauty effect can be significant when applied topically. Now you can go down the homemade route, which can get a little messy but can also be very satisfying. Alternatively, you can turn to the spa world, where they have extracted the good stuff and added a little bit of luxury into the equation. For example, there’s the ESPA Advanced Enzyme Facial at spas like Whittlebury Hall and Gleneagles.

The powerful and highly effective facial boosts cell regeneration, and gives an instantly smooth, radiant complexion - particularly effective if you have parties and events coming up. The treatment is 90 minutes long and includes a deep brush cleanse followed by an intense enzyme peel containing botanical extracts and pumpkin enzymes to deeply exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. After a soothing massage using rose quartz crystals to help cool and calm, a lifting and smoothing mask is applied, containing concentrated seaweed extracts, argan oil and menthol, to give your skin a more plumped and firmed appearance.