It’s Fall, y’all! That means it’s time for pumpkins to be taking over the shelves at every store. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin scented candles, pumpkin carving kits, and so much more. But have you ever looked into pumpkin skin benefits? It turns out that pumpkins actually have incredible skin benefits that have made the ingredient highly sought after in the beauty world. Let’s take a look into what makes pumpkin so great (besides just being delicious).
Contents
1. Why is pumpkin so powerful?
2. What benefits does pumpkin reap for the skin?
3. Pumpkin products to purchase this Fall
Key Points
- Pumpkins are loaded with essential nutrients, enzymes, and vitamins that are great for our skin, such as vitamins A and E, beta-carotene, magnesium, salicylic acid, fatty acids, and zinc.
- Pumpkin skin benefits include exfoliation, boosted collagen production, reduction of acne scars, intense hydration, and reduction of free radical damage.
- To get the benefits of pumpkin, the ingredient can be included in your daily diet, used raw in homemade DIY treatments, and can be found in topical products in stores.
Why is pumpkin so powerful?
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When it comes to pumpkin skin benefits, pumpkins are loaded with essential nutrients, enzymes, and vitamins. From the pumpkin seeds to the flesh of a pumpkin, you can find incredible ingredients that make pumpkins so beneficial. The ingredients found in pumpkins can penetrate deep into our skin, leading to pumpkin skin benefits such as intense hydration and skin damage repair from the inside out. Some of the ingredients found in pumpkins include:
- Alpha hydroxy acids
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Beta-carotene
- Magnesium
- Salicylic acid
- Zinc
- Vitamin E
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids (1)
What benefits does pumpkin reap for the skin?
Now that you know the ingredients that make pumpkin so powerful, it’s time to discuss the exact pumpkin skin benefits that you can benefit from this Fall and every day after.
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- Exfoliation: Pumpkins contain enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids that break down dead skin cells. By doing so, normal cell regeneration speeds up, resulting in an exfoliation effect. This helps smooth out the skin texture and leaves the skin bright and glowy.
- Reducing wrinkles: Pumpkin enzymes are full of vitamins A and C, which help refine and soothe the skin alongside reducing fine lines and wrinkles. In fact, pumpkin actually has the highest content of naturally occurring vitamin A, salicylic acid, and beta-carotene (2). Another vital ingredient, beta-carotene, helps boost collagen production to help reduce the appearance of sagging skin.
- Improve uneven skin tone: Other than boosting collagen, beta-carotene can help reverse U.V. damage due to its antioxidants, which help even skin pigmentation or get rid of unwanted hyperpigmentation.
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Reducing free radical damage: With antioxidant-rich ingredients, it makes sense why one of the most beneficial pumpkin skin benefits is the reduction of free radical damage. When our skin is threatened by outside pollutants like pesticides, dust, or U.V. rays, it can oxidize and lead to premature aging. Pumpkin will help prevent this damage, which ultimately helps protect our skin’s sensitive barrier.
- Reduced acne and acne scars: A study conducted in 2018 showed that pumpkin seed oil for facial acne treatment results in an 82-94% reduction rate in acne scarring and an 84% reduction in acne. Furthermore, participants also saw a 57% decrease in active acne (3). This is due to the powerful ingredients found in pumpkins, such as potassium, magnesium, salicylic acid, zinc, fatty acids, vitamin E and A. These ingredients help regulate sebum (oil) production, fight acne breakouts, minimize acne scarring, and improve skin tone,
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Hydrated skin: One of the most popular pumpkin skin benefits is the ability of pumpkins to act as a natural emollient, or moisturizer. In 2019, researchers found that pumpkin facial masks were helpful in increasing skin moisture (4). Ingredients found in pumpkins, such as magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants help promote moisture retention. The ingredients in pumpkin can deeply penetrate the skin to provide hydration and moisture. This helps fight dry skin in the long term, leading to soft skin texture and helping with soothing dry, cracked skin.
- Skin healing abilities: Since pumpkins are packed with zinc, products containing pumpkin (or pumpkin itself) are helpful in healing the skin, which explains why pumpkins are beneficial for treating and preventing acne scarring. Pumpkin has even been dubbed “nature’s best healing agent” by dermatologists.
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Pumpkin products to purchase this Fall
If you’re looking to get in on the benefits of pumpkins this Fall, there are plenty of ways to get your fix. Of course, you can consume pumpkin and work inside out, as there are so many delicious ways to incorporate pumpkin into your daily diet (pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin seeds, and more). Plus, you can also make your own at-home remedies or face masks using pumpkin flesh – which is a great way to use all of those pumpkin guts that you take out when you’re carving pumpkins this month.
But, if you’re looking for something quick and easy, there are some amazing pumpkin-filled products out on the market today you can look into. Here are some of the most popular:
Written by Selena Ponton
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SOURCES:
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https://njvvc.com/benefits-of-pumpkin-for-your-skin/#:~:text=Pumpkins%20contain%20enzymes%20and%20alpha,effect%2C%20resulting%20in%20glowing%20skin.
- https://www.gameelaskin.com/skincare-blog/the-benefits-of-pumpkin-for-your-skin
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325575102_Facial_Acne_Therapy_by_Using_Pumpkin_Seed_Oil_with_Its_Physicochemical_Properties
- https://knepublishing.com/index.php/KnE-Social/article/view/4083/8404
- Photo by Marius Ciocirlan on Unsplash
