So we’re fully in the throes of autumn so what better way to celebrate than with the good old pumpkin? This vegetable sums up autumn for so many of us, but did you know that there is more to it than soup or pie? Here are three surprising little uses for pumpkin..
Use it on your skin
Never smothered your skin in pumpkin before? Well now is as good a time as any to start! Because pumpkin is full of Vitamins A, C, and E, it is able to slough off dead skin cells, rejuvenate dull and uneven skin and protect from both the sun and environmental pollutions. So it’s pretty awesome, don’t you think?
When you mix pumpkin with ingredients such as cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg, all of a sudden you have a mixture that will change the way you treat your skin forever! The spices have great circulation stimulating and anti-inflammatory properties which really help to get the blood moving; add in some coconut oil to moisturise and sugar to gently exfoliate and you are onto a winner!
To make this beautiful pumpkin scrub, all you need is
- 250g granulated sugar
- 85g pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- pinch ground allspice
To make it, just melt the coconut oil and mix in the other ingredients. Allow to cool and harden, store in an airtight container.
Use it on your hair
What goes on the skin, goes on the hair, right? That’s usually the case when it comes to natural home remedies, and pumpkin is no different. Now that we know what goodness is inside, why wouldn’t we want a little of that on our hair too? To make a wonderful pumpkin hair mask, all you need is
- 340g pumpkin puree
- 85g coconut oil
That’s it! Simply blend the two ingredients together and apply to damp hair. Leave for 20 minutes, then rinse and wash as normal.
Use it to freshen your home
Regular readers will know that we’re huge fans of natural air fresheners (read this post) so we love the idea of using a pumpkin to keep the home smelling sweet this autumn! All you need is
- a pumpkin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- a tealight candle
You can use all or just one or two spices- make it smell just how you like it! To make your air freshener, simply cut the top off your pumpkin and remove the insides. Clean well, and cut ventilation holes in the sides of the pumpkin. Clean the pumpkin top, and rub your spices all over the inside of it. Pop your taillight candle inside, and voila! The smell of autumn in your home. Perfect!
