Good Gourd You're Beautiful! -Cutiepie Spacepop

Where's my drum roll?

Ok, so you have 2 ideas now for the pumpkin...one for little, pie pumpkins one for the hideously huge, totally inedible pumpkins...this one uses the pumpkin from the latter category.

Halloween gives way to Thanksgiving and you will find the pumpkins start to shrink and the large, carving ones get discounted. You can roast pepitas until you've gained all of your usual holiday weight...or you could dole them out slowly in the form of homemade trail mix and toppings for breads, muffins, breakfast bars...if you want some recipes I use for those, hit me up in the comments and I will accommodate.

Meanwhile, here is something good for you that won't have you gaining an ounce.

Take the huge, totally inedible pumpkin and scoop out all the stringy guts...(save those seeds yo.)

Cut the pumpkin into manageable wedges...depending on the size you might have to chop it a bit or maybe just quarter it.

I like to slow roast it...I find the texture more likable and the long roast heats up my house a bit during the chilly days of November.

You are not at all concerned with appearance or technique as no one is going to be munching on this.

Once the pumpkin is all soft and gooey and browned a bit, take it out of the oven and let it sit for as long as you want...I will do hours and hours...until it is either cool or just a tad bit warm...

Scoop all the flesh into a big bowl and mix it up with whatever you want.

I saw whatever you want because it depends on what you have on hand and what kind of skin you want to treat.

My mother has a natural skin company that is a labor of love...literally because there is ZERO profit in it for her...she is a wonderful resource of inspiration when it comes to using the basic ingredients to make something decadent and wonderful for your body.

Anyway, expect things like that from me because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that...


Basic Pumpkin Mask Base (for all skin, not just the face)

Pumpkin - Roasted
Egg - Raw, for a binder
Honey - good for skin and a natural antiseptic

Basically you want to blend these until they are super smooth...you shouldn't have an issue with moisture as even roasted the pumpkin is full of water. Once you have your basic mask down you can start the experiment.

for Dry Skin
 
Pumpkin Base
Any combination of the following items:

Banana
Oil (think almond, olive, E, or any other rich oil you have on hand...you COULD use canola...but, meh)
Avocado
Butter (Ghee is awesome but plain butter is fine...use sparingly!)
Lemon, Lime, Orange...think citric
Vinegar (drops people...start small!)
***Add sugar for a scrub...good to get any dry skin exfoliated

for Oily Skin
 

Pumpkin Base

Any combination of the following items:

Honey is good here too
Oatmeal - ground
Yogurt
Papaya (not really something I have just hanging around in November)
Tomato - pureed
Aloe Vera
***Also oily skin can benefit from a scrub now and then too...so add that sugar.  Make sure if you have oily skin to be very gentle and easy...otherwise you could strip the face and wind up producing MORE oil on the skin....

There are tons more...just depends on the type of stuff you have in your house.  If you have a ton of herbs and spices check out those...essential oils?...there are many good for the skin.

It is really just a matter of what you have to whip up.  Why waste that pumpkin, or overlook a bargain when you can make a super good mask, FULL of vitamins?