Pumpkin pedicure - not scarey at all!

The Pumpkin pedicure has gained popularity within the last few years. Usually associated with ghosts, goblins and haunted mansions, pumpkins do have a brighter side to them. For centuries they have been used to treat health issues. Now, spas and salons have begun using them to address skin issues as well.

The reason for this being that they are full of so many vitamins! Most notably for skin care, they have high concentrations of Vitamin E and beta-carotene, two well known anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are believed to promote health and reduce the effects of aging.

They also possess natural enzymes that rejuvenate and exfoliate the skin without the need for rough abrasives. These enzymes help remove dead skin cells, exposing the newer, healthier looking skin below. This provides for a gentler exfoliation experience. It also gives the skin a nice glow.

The usual preparation of pulp to be used on the feet or skin involves pureeing the pulp in a blender or mashing by hand with an instrument. The pulp is then often mixed with other ingredients that are also good for the skin such as emollients, moisturizers and possibly medicines. When applied, it is normally left on the skin for intervals of around 10 minutes or more to let the enzymes in the pulp do their exfoliating work.

It is even possible to use canned puree for foot peels. Some even use extract. However, the extract will probably not have enough enzymes to be as effective as the pulp itself.

If performing a pedicure using our Definitive How to do a pedicure guide, a pumpkin foot peel can be done before all steps or it can be used instead of the exfoliation step. It can also be used in foot scrubs with natural abrasive particles (Epsom salt, salt, sugar)added. Be sure to wash the foot peel or foot scrub mixture off thoroughly.

Cooked pulp works just like the fresh, raw pulp but cooking of course breaks down some of the enzymes making them less effective. Be careful with this mixture as pumpkin does spoil, so it is not recommended to use even a refrigerated supply of mixture containing pulp after two weeks.

Many salons offer pumpkin pedicures and skin treatments as seasonal options most notably during the month of October when pumpkins are gutted in large numbers for use during Halloween.  So you can make good use of the left over pulp by using them in a pedicure!

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