Make Your Own 20-Minute Pumpkin Face Mask

Even when Halloween season wraps up, pumpkins still pop up everywhere during fall: in lattes, baked goods, and on the front stoops of the houses in your neighborhood. But you may not have used this ubiquitous squash in your beauty regimen yet. As it turns out, pumpkins are great for your skin—they’re loaded with vitamins A, C, and E (all known to fight wrinkles) plus heaps of beta-carotene, zinc, potassium, and antioxidants, which can help eliminate redness.** **

This face mask recipe takes full advantage of the king of autumn produce. It’s refreshing and tingles juuust the tiniest bit when you first apply it, and leaves your complexion fresh and glowing. The concoction smells pretty darn good, too, and it’s entirely edible, so you know it’s good for your skin (not that I sampled a fingerful or anything). As an added bonus, the mask is incredibly easy to make, and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen right now!** **

You Will Need

(Yields one facial mask)
2 Tbsp organic canned pumpkin puree or 1 small pumpkin
1/2 tsp organic honey
1/2 tsp milk (I used skim, but you can substitute soy or almond)

Directions

1: Start with clean skin. Remove all makeup and wash your face with your regular cleanser.

2: Combine pumpkin puree, honey, and milk in a small bowl and mix well. If using a fresh pumpkin (or leftovers from a carved jack-o-lantern), scrape the insides and remove the seeds. Beat the gooey insides to a creamy pulp and mix with honey and milk.

3: Apply the mask using your fingers or a medium-sized makeup brush; avoid getting the mixture too close to the eyes. You can also apply to the neck and decolletage, but you’ll probably need to double the ingredients.

4: Allow the mask to set for about 20 minutes.

5: Gently wash off the mask with a warm, damp washcloth and follow with a moisturizer.

Photo: laflor / Vetta