Every year when Halloween rolls around, I pop my pumpkin on the porch and for a brief moment; contemplate using its fleshy insides to make a pie or soup. This never happens for two reasons; a. I can’t cook and b. I don’t actually like the taste of pumpkin.

Invariably all the juicy goodness of my jack-o’-lantern goes straight into the bin and despite feeling guilty for about a fraction of a second, I don’t really give it a second thought.

That was however, until I discovered another use for my little orange friend; a DIY face mask.

Pumpkins, which for the record are a fruit and not a vegetable, happen to be one of Mother Nature’s finest products and contain a plethora of vitamins and minerals that work wonders on your skin.

They are rich in Vitamin A (skin healer), Vitamin C (anti-oxidant) and Zinc; which when used in a face mask; heal your skin and give it a healthy glow that’s stylish in any season.  

Known to both brighten and nourish the skin, pumpkin-inspired treatments are all the rage in salons at this time of year. But with pumpkins a – plenty and the right know-how, you can achieve the same results for a fraction of the cost, and in the comfort of your very own home.

To make your own DIY Pumpkin mask you’ll need: 

• 2 cups of pureed, cooked fresh pumpkin 
• Natural yoghurt       
• Honey           
• Ground almond 
• Olive Oil

Directions: 

1. Mix two cups of pureed, cooked fresh pumpkin. You can use canned pumpkin if you haven’t been carving pumpkin this Halloween!
2. Add 4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt, 4 tablespoons honey, 1/3 cup ground almonds, and ¼ teaspoon olive oil
3. Mix and apply to clean, moist skin.
4. The enzymes are more active when moist, so sit in a warm tub or shower for 5-10 minutes to let the pumpkin work its magic!
5. Remove with a clean washcloth
6. Apply moisturiser and enjoy your brighter, nourished, clean, soft skin!

TIP: You can cover the rest of your Pumpkin face mask mixture and use it again within one week

It's as simple as that - enjoy bright, nourished, and beautiful skin all thanks to the jack-o'-lantern!