In fall, most people go crazy for pumpkin flavored everything — pumpkin spiced lattes, pumpkin pie, pumpkin beer, pumpkin bread — and the list goes on. This fall, why not give yourself the ultimate treat and pamper yourself with a pumpkin based hair and face mask? With the added dry air that comes with fall, it can be damaging to skin and hair. With just a few ingredients, a pumpkin mask will nourish your hair and give you glowing skin by restoring its moisture. Read on to see just how to make your own DIY all-natural pumpkin mask in the comfort of your home.
Pumpkin is packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and has many benefits to the hair and skin. It contains:
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Vitamin A: which moisturizes and soothes hair.
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B vitamins: “Pumpkin is a good source of most of the B vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin, B6 and folate. Niacin helps treat acne and improve circulation. Folate also helps to improve circulation, which increases cell turn over and renewal.”
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Vitamin C: which repairs damaged hair from overexposure to the elements, like the sun or wind. It also benefits the skin by “protecting it from free radical damage, such as wrinkles and even skin cancer. Eating vitamin C rich foods also helps promote collagen production, which over time can improve skin tone and elasticity.”
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Potassium: which helps promote healthy hair and improve regrowth.
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Zinc: which “helps protect cell membranes and maintain collagen, fight acne, and promotes skin renewal” thus playing an important role in promoting healthy hair and skin.
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Folate: an important B vitamin that stimulates hair growth by improving blood circulation.
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Beta-Carotene: gives the pumpkin its bright orange color, and is a powerful antioxidant which can help UV damage and improve skin texture.
Pumpkin is a superfood that will nourish dry hair and skin, making it the perfect base for a mask. Combined with coconut oil, which hydrates, and honey, which acts as a humectant (attracts moisture), and has incredible healing properties, you’ll be left with soft, smooth and ultra moisturized skin and hair.
Ingredients
1 can of pumpkin puree (or 1 ½ cups of pureed, fresh pumpkin, strained)
¼ cup coconut oil
2 tbsp honey
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, coconut oil and honey.
Mix together with a whisk until all the ingredients are well combined.
The mixture should be a thick consistency so it can be easily applied on the hair and face — if it seems too thin, add more pumpkin.
For hair treatment:
Since you’ll need damp hair, we recommend doing the application in the shower to save yourself a mess.
1. Dampen your hair and section it off into 3 or 4 sections.
2. Apply your mask liberally, from ends to root.
3. Pull hair up and cover with a shower cap.
4. Let hair sit for about 20 minutes. You can shower and shave in the meantime!
5. Finally, rinse your hair and shampoo, condition, and style as usual.
For face treatment:
1. Gently rub the mixture into your skin as you apply the mask to your face.
2. Avoid the eyes and mouth, applying an even layer up to the hairline and down to your jaw.
3. Allow to sink into the skin for about 20 minutes.
4. Rinse off the mask with warm water and pat dry.
5. Apply face lotion to lock in moisture.
Yields: About 5 hair or face treatments.
Altogether, pumpkin promotes radiant, healthy hair and skin. This treatment will leave your hair silky soft with more shine, and give you glowing, hydrated skin. Any of the leftover mask can be stored in the refrigerator for a week, or in the freezer for a month. Just be sure to give yourself time for it to thaw before your next treatment. You can repeat this process as needed for dry, damaged hair or skin!
For more DIYs, check out these posts: DIY All Natural Face Scrub and DIY Lip Balm.
Photo credits: Kristen Love
Source: Style Craze
This post is meant for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace medical advice from your physician, doctor or health care professional. Please read our terms of use for more information.
