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Photo By John Blom Photography |
he only thing that completes the gravy-bathed turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing of a traditional eat-‘til-you-explode Thanksgiving dinner is the pie – pumpkin pie, to be exact. Pumpkins have expanded from their usual festivals and dinner tables into beauty counters and spa stores. And it isn’t just about marketing strategy either, because pumpkins can actually benefit the skin, especially as an exfoliator. “[A pumpkin peel is] really good to do at the end of the winter, because it will slough off all the dead skin and get your skin ready for the spring,” says Liz Vicharelli, lead esthetician at The Spa at Island Hotel in Newport Beach. Other benefits include softening, tightening, hydrating, and cleansing the skin, Vicharelli says. But before you run out to your nearest grocery store to buy a pumpkin for your beauty cabinet, be forewarned that raw pumpkin is very acidic on the skin, so avoid direct use. Instead, try cutting it up and mixing it into an existing mask or your favorite skin cream. Avoid pumpkin treatments altogether if you have severe acne. If you have very sensitive skin, you may want to dilute pumpkin products with water to reduce acidity levels and avoid stinging. If you’re ready to lather some pumpkin onto your skin in some form, here’s a quick list of products available in Orange County:
Pumpkin Spice Polish Made up of small grains and botanic ingredients, this Lamas Beauty 3-in-1 skin treatment cleanses, exfoliates and polishes for a glowing face and body. Ingredients include pumpkin enzymes and oil, aloe vera and vitamin E. $24 at Whole Foods Market, 2847 Park Ave., Tustin, (714) 566-7650; lamasbeauty.com
Pumpkin Enzyme Peel Peter Thomas Roth’s pumpkin-scented peel gently dissolves dry, flaky skin and impurities, leaving skin soft and hydrated. Ingredients include pumpkin enzyme and vitamin A. $44 at Sephora, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Suite 1001, Costa Mesa, (714) 429-9130
Pumpkin Spice Muffin This pumpkin-scented Philosophy foaming shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath cleanses and hydrates hair and skin, head to toe. Ingredients include pumpkin fragrance and cinnamal. $16 at Sephora, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Suite 1001, Costa Mesa, (714) 429-9130
Pumpkin and Orange Mask This ilike organic skin care mask nourishes, hydrates, rejuvenates, and firms skin. The mask is especially beneficial for skin that’s dry, pale, loose, wrinkled, or is oil-, vitamin- or water-deficient. Ingredients include pumpkin, orange, honey, orange oil, and orange peel. $47.50 at The Spa at Island Hotel Newport Beach, 690 Newport Center Dr., Newport Beach, (866) 554-4618
Skinbalance Toning Lotion Molton Brown’s toning lotion exfoliates and brightens the complexion, strengthens and smoothes the skin. The lotion is safe for use around the eyes. Ingredients include pumpkin enzyme, pink grapefruit and lime extract. $32 at Molton Brown, South Coast Plaza (3333 Bristol St., Suite 2860, Costa Mesa, 714-549-5951)
Flash Foam Cleanser This Bioelements foaming daily cleanser provides mild, regular exfoliation, dissolving both makeup and dead skin cells. Ingredients include pumpkin, papaya and pineapple enzymes, green tea extract and vitamin B5. $32 at Skin Technology (1158 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa; call first, 714-356-1310)
Pumpkin Pie Scrub If you want to treat yourself at the spa, consider this full-body organic pumpkin body scrub, including shea butter, cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, vitamin E, and aloe. After you are rinsed free of the scrub, you will receive a full body massage. $125 for 90 minutes; $90 for 70 minutes at StressBusters Day Spa (26548 Moulton Parkway, Suite D, Laguna Hills, 949-831-1988)
