BY PAIGE ATWELL

It’s the most wonderful time of the year... and I’m not talking about Christmas. The weather is cooling, leaves are changing; it’s officially fall! From Halloween and Thanksgiving, to scenic strolls and apple picking, there are just so many things to love about this time of year. But if I’m being honest, one of personal favorites has to be pumpkins. Whether carving them for fun, visiting a pumpkin patch or enjoying it in a slice of pie, pumpkins signify that it really is my favorite time of year. As if they couldn’t be any better, I recently discovered that pumpkin is an amazing ingredient for your skin.

Let’s start with the basics. Pumpkin contains several crucial vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that your skin will love. It’s full of Vitamin A, B, C, and E. Zinc, Omega3, Magnesium, Beta-Carotene as well as Alpha Hydroxy Acids. No matter your skin type, each one of these key ingredients can improve your skin in some way.

The powerhouse of Vitamin A, C and beta- carotene are a healthy, natural way to fight aging skin. These antioxidants not only boost collagen production to make your skin appear brighter and smoother, but they also soften your skin and can fight UV damage and apparent signs of aging such as dark spots, wrinkles and fine lines.

Whether you’ve always struggled with acne or are newly experiencing it through “maskne,” pumpkin can help! Pumpkin is loaded with different types of Vitamin B, such as niacin, B6, riboflavin and folate. B Vitamins, along with Zinc, can improve circulation, oil production, improve topical hormone levels and overall skin tone. Pumpkin also has a small molecular structure, which allows it to penetrate more deeply into your skin than other products.

The antioxidants and vitamins in pumpkin will also help your skin combat what is known as free radicals. Free radicals are everyday molecules in the air that you’re exposed to that can be damaging for your skin. These can come from things such as smoke, cooking oils, air pollution and even light. Free radicals are a common cause of enhanced aging. The Vitamin C and beta- carotene in pumpkin are particularly helpful in fighting these off.

So how do you start using this hidden gem for your benefit? Lucky for you, there are a lot of options. Currently, there are plenty of products available to purchase that have pumpkin oils, seeds and active ingredients that can help your skin. But, if you’d prefer to go the more natural (and cheaper) route, you can make yourself a pumpkin mask at home in no time. Canned pumpkin puree mixed with ingredients such as milk, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and even yogurt are great for creating face masks and body scrubs.

So while you’re enjoying that slice of pumpkin pie or sipping on a pumpkin spice latte, consider trying a few of these pumpkin inspired tricks for your skin. And trust me, it’ll give you results worth falling for.