Pumpkin Seed Oil Benefits

There is nothing quite like the mighty pumpkin to represent the change of seasons here in the North. With its arrival, so come the cooler autumn breezes that beckon the leaves above to come down and play. As if overnight, mornings turn brisk. Crunchy leaves are underfoot, and the sound of honking geese are overhead. 'Tis the season of comfort: of chunky handknitted sweaters, scarves, and gloves, and on the best of days, 'tis also the season of steaming hot drinks. Did I just hear someone say Pumpkin Spiced Latte? 

Saying goodbye to Summer on the Autumn Equinox is always bittersweet for me. As they aptly warned in Game of Thrones, "Winter is coming," and girlfriend, don't we know it! But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Instead, let's do as the Yogis would have us do: take a deep breath, relax, and be p-r-e-s-e-n-t knowing that we are living in a moment right now of perfect balance: the hectic days of Summer have passed, and the long, dark winter months are not yet upon us. Let us revel in perfect autumn days. 

If I could give you one more reason to admire the lovely pumpkin, let me attempt in this blog post. You are already apt to know of its most famous uses for carving jack-o-lanterns at Halloween and indulging in pumpkin pie, but did you know that the pressed seed is used in the beauty industry to create a highly prized, skin-nourishing oil? 

Yes, that's right: the slippery seeds commonly discarded alongside the ooey-gooey "guts" of your pumpkin, or sometimes roasted with salt and spices to make a delicious snack, can also be pressed to make a gorgeous oil! Let's discuss why on earth you may want to slather a squash-like smelling oil on your pretty face, shall we?

To answer this question, we need to have a look at the oil's chemical composition. What do we know about the magical, hidden treasures found inside pumpkin seeds? For starters, we know pumpkin seeds comprise of:

• Minerals (Zinc, Magnesium, Potassium)
• Vitamins (A, B, D, & E)
• Proteins
• 60% Unsaturated Fatty Acids
• Omega 3 (linolenic acid) & Omega 6 (linoleic acid)
• Antioxidants (Carotenoids)
• Sterols

Sounds impressive, right? But do we even understand what this means? Let's take it further and break that sciencey-sounding list into something more tangible, so that we know what benefits await your skin. If you were to begin using an oil with this unique chemical composition, you could experience:

FIRMING & TIGHTNESS: the abundance of vitamins and minerals helps to firm the skin, making pumpkin seed oil a trendy ingredient in anti-aging skincare products.

BALANCING: acne-prone and oily skin types rejoice! Oils high in linoleic acid balance and control oil production, while soothing existing acne and decreasing future breakouts. 

ANTIOXIDANT RICH: Vitamin E and Carotenoids repair damaged tissue and scavenge the body for damaging free radicals. When they kick butt, expect to see slowed signs of visible aging.

DEEPLY HYDRATING: essential fatty acids nourish and protect skin cells from environmental stresses and deeply hydrate the skin to promote a youthful and glowing complexion. Sensitive skin types are soothed.

I could keep going, but suffice to say pumpkin seed oil should be on your radar! It seems that no matter your skin type, whether it be dry, mature, damaged, oily, or acne-prone, pumpkin seed oil could be just what your skin needs to create balanced, deeply nourished, and youthful skin.

DID YOU KNOW?

We feature organic, cold-pressed pumpkin seed oil in no less than six products from The Green Goddess! You will find it in our famous collection of Body Butters (all scents, including our Limited Edition Spiced Chai Body Butter), our ever-popular Baby Butter, Cocoa Butter Bars, Sugar Body Polishes, and our collection of rejuvenating Face Elixirs. In fact, here at The Green Goddess, we have committed to purchasing almost all of our oils exclusively from organic farming practices and with cold-pressed extraction methods in mind. But that's for another blog post!

Now tell me - have you ever tried pumpkin seed oil? I would love to hear if you have! Comment below or message me with your personal experience!

With gratitude for reading,

Sarah xo