Pumpkins = Autumn Skin Support

Stepping outside this morning, I felt a distinct change in the air. More than just a little chilly, there was a sharpness signaling that fall is here. Riding down to my local farm stand to pick up some fresh eggs, I noticed flowers going to seed, and pumpkins. Pumpkins everywhere in the fields, bright orange globes under the huge green leaves. They’re piled up outside stores and the ubiquitous pumpkin latte is back in most coffee shops and stands.

What’s the obsession with pumpkin-everything this time of year?  

Growing up in the Arizona desert, pumpkins weren’t a “thing” in the fall. It’s still blisteringly hot there, but up in Central Oregon, everything is ready to harvest at once and the energy is frantic as gardeners and farmers hustle to bring everything in and preserve food for the long cold winter. The energy of fall is in the cities too as school resumes. Cold and flu viruses spread and everyone seems stressed. Add to all this the diminishing daylight.

Our immune systems are overloaded this time of year and, thinking about that, I suddenly get the pumpkin thing. Mother Nature is genius with her timing. Pumpkins are packed with vitamins like A, C and E that support our immune systems.

Eat it and Wear It

I love that we can receive the benefits of foods like pumpkins through our skin as well as by eating them. Take raw pumpkin, for example. Puree the raw pumpkin flesh and smear it on your skin it does all sorts of amazing things – alpha hydroxy acids melt away dead skin cells, vitamin A encourages cellular turnover, antioxidants reverse a summer’s worth of sun damage and vitamins nourish our skin cells, keeping them healthy and vibrant. Natural sugars restore that plumpness we’re always chasing as we age. That's a lot of benefit from one plant!

Benefits of Raw Pumpkin Puree:

• Brighten & renew: AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) gently exfoliate, melting away dull surface cells to reveal fresh, radiant skin.
• Protect & repair: Antioxidants like vitamin C neutralize free radicals, while vitamin A (natural retinol) encourages skin cell turnover.
• Hydrate & soothe: Its natural sugars and water content restore moisture, leaving skin soft and plump.

Think of pumpkin puree as a regenerative that restores vitality to tired, stressed, or sun-worn skin.

Green Gold: Raw Pumpkin Seed Oil

What if you could press the oil from raw pumpkin seeds and massage it into your skin at home? The deep green oil is full of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that lock in hydration, zinc and vitamin E calm irritation and keep our skin supple as we move into the colder months. 

Benefits of Pumpkin Seed Oil:

• Strengthens the barrier: Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids lock in hydration and keep irritants out.
• Calms & balances: With zinc and vitamin E, it’s especially soothing for blemish-prone or inflamed skin.
• Supports elasticity: Antioxidants fight oxidative stress, while nutrients encourage firmness and resilience.

Light yet deeply nourishing, pumpkin seed oil is one of our favorite ways to bring skin into harmony, especially during seasonal transitions when it can feel unsettled.

Balancing Pumpkin with Illite Clay

A lot of folks love using clay to deep clean their pores. But what about those of us who have sensitive and dry, aging skin? Most clays feel too harsh, leaving our skin parched and unhappy. One natural clay that’s purifying but gentle is illite clay. Beyond its ability to cleanse our pores, illite clay is rich in minerals that support more delicate skin. It works like a mineral-rich sponge, drawing impurities and excess oil from the skin while simultaneously infusing trace minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

Benefits of Illite Clay:

• Detoxifies & clarifies: Helps clear congestion and balance oil production.
• Softens & refines: Leaves skin feeling smoother and pores less visible.
• Mineral support: Nourishes the skin barrier and supports its natural functions.

Unlike some clays that can leave the skin stripped, Illite has a gentler touch—making it a wonderful match for both oily and combination skin types.

Are you going to mash raw pumpkin and find some pumpkin seed oil to mix with illite clay and smear it all over your face this fall? That sounds like a lot of work, a messy process and a total pain. Who has time for all that? But this is where we come in. Our delightful job is to take these messy, nutrient packed ingredients, blend them in the perfect ratios and create something that’s both convenient and an absolute pleasure for us all to use.

Stay tuned- we’ve hard at work in the lab, creating something to make your skin absolutely glow through the fall and winter months!