Besides making great soup and fabulous Halloween decor, the humble pumpkin has some surprisingly powerful beautifying properties…
When most of us think of pumpkin, we tend to think of hot soup or Halloween.
What we neglect to think of, is its potent beauty powers. Prepare to rethink everything you thought you knew about this unsuspecting vegetable, here’s five beauty benefits of pumpkin…
1. AHAs
It’s a little known fact that pumpkin is packed with alpha hydroxy acids, or AHAs, which help to promote cell turnover in the skin, encouraging a brighter, tighter, more youthful complexion.
2. Vitamin A
Pumpkin delivers a great dose of vitamin A, which helps to slow the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin and is an effective nutrient in the treatment of rosacea.
3. Vitamin C
Most of us turn to oranges for vitamin C, but few people realise there’s actually a hefty dose of it in pumpkin, too. Known for brightening and strengthening the skin, vitamin C is an essential factor in most anti-ageing treatments.
4. Zinc
The seeds found inside pumpkins are rich in zinc, a fantastic vitamin for acne sufferers. Zinc helps control oil production and normalise hormone levels, helping rebalance stressed-out skin.
5. Fatty acids
Something else pumpkin seeds are full of: essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are critical for maintaing healthy barrier function in the skin, while also helping regulate oil production to prevent breakouts.
Have your say: Do you incorporate pumpkin into any of your clients’ treatments?