As unbelievable as it seems, it's that time of year again! The holidays are here. In just 3 days, millions of people will be entertaining family and friends with a table full of delicious autumnal foods. Top items include turkey, sweet potatoes, stuffing (or is it dressing?!?), and don't forget the pumpkin pie! But as I was browsing through what seemed like hundreds of pumpkin pie recipes, I noticed something odd. More than half the recipes I found call for less than one can of pumpkin purée. So the question is, what to do with all the left over pumpkin??
Here are a few at home, DYI beauty recipes that are sure to get your skin glowing just in time for turkey day!
Why is pumpkin a great additive to many popular skin care products? Pumpkin is filled with Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A, to name a few. Pumpkin renews the skin, removes the outer layer exposing the new skin, creating a beautiful glow.
DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Honey Mask
What You'll Need:
4 tablespoons of plain pumpkin purée
2 tablespoons of honey
2 teaspoons of aloe vera gel
2 teaspoons of mashed pineapple
1 teaspoon of green tea
½ teaspoon of sunflower oil.
Preparation:
Prepare green tea and let it rest a bit. While that is cooling down, combine pineapple, honey, pumpkin, and aloe gel. Add to that sunflower oil and then green tea. Mix well.
Apply the mix on the face and neck and leave on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pad dry. This amount is enough for 4 applications. Keep it in a glass jar, tightly closed and refrigerated. It is not to be used after 2 weeks.
DIY Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Pedicure
Since pumpkin is chock full of good-for-you nutrients, it only makes sense that it would pack the same benefits for your skin. With the weather getting colder, it's a great ingredient to add to your beauty treatments since it nourishes tired and dry skin instantly, plus gives it a gorgeous healthy glow.
What You'll Need:
½ cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
Optional ingredients: splash of milk, 1 tsp honey
Preparation:
Mix ingredients together and apply the pumpkin masque to feet and calves. Wrap in plastic bags. Sit back and relax for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with warm water. Dry off and apply a few pumps of your favorite moisturizer or lotion (try a Vanilla scent) to keep feet and calves silky-smooth and hydrated. Cut and file nails as desired.
And while your at it...here's a great recipe using any leftover butternut squash you may have!
DIY Recipe: Brightening Butternut Squash Enzyme Mask
This great mask works like a scrub to exfoliate without being abrasive to your skin. Butternut squash is high in vitamins A and C and zinc, and can brighten, heal, and protect your skin from free radicals, all while gently dissolving dead skin cells.
What You'll Need:
1 raw egg and 1 cup cooked butternut squash. (Optional Ingredients include papaya, honey, apple cider or cranberry juice.)
Method and Application:
Adding an egg to the mask helps bind the ingredients together, as well as nourishing and lifting the skin. Whisk together about 1/2 cup of the squash and the egg (feel free to use pumpkin, either fresh or canned, for this recipe!). How to customize your mask: For more exfoliation: Add 2/3 cup fresh mashed papaya. The additional enzymes will dissolve dead skin on the spot, leaving you fresh and glowing. For dry skin: Add a tablespoon of honey, which acts as a humectant, drawing moisture into the skin. For oily skin: Mix in a tablespoon of apple cider or cranberry juice for a toning astringent effect. Slather the mixture on your face in a fairly thick layer. Avoid the eye area. You'll feel some light tingling as the enzymes gently exfoliate the top layer of skin. Leave the mask on for 10-20 minutes and rinse off with warm water and a washcloth.
So to all of you, have a happy, safe, and beautiful Thanksgiving!
Gobble Gobble,
Mindy
Sources:
Eric Sakas, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Vapour Cosmetics.
Skin Care Recipes and Remedies: Pumpkin Skin Care
Real Beauty: 7 DIY Thanksgiving-Inspired Spa Treatments
No comments:
Post a Comment