Whooooaaaaaoooooaaaaoooo!!!! It’s that time of year again, and isn’t it wonderful? For 364 days of the year society deems it unacceptable to take sweets from strangers or terrify the neighbours, yet on Halloween it’s actively encouraged. However, all of the face-paint, sugar-laden goodies and repetitive grimacing can easily leave your skin looking a little worse for wear the next day. Fortunately there’s a simple DIY solution to bring life back to your zombified flesh, combining three of our favourite things; upcycling, coffee and the humble pumpkin. 

The DIY spiced pumpkin latte face mask

Here at UpCircle we believe that the best skincare is natural, organic and sustainable; that’s why we’ve gone back to basics on this one. This is a recipe that anyone can get their hands into, all you’ll need are these four ingredients:

The UpCircle Spiced Pumpkin Latte face mask

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Puree - 3 heaped teaspoons
Ground Coffee - 1 heaped tablespoon
Cinnamon Powder - 1 teaspoon
Coconut oil - 2 tablespoons

Step one

Once you’ve finished carving out your stunning pumpkin for this year, take the leftover flesh and place it into an electric food processor, blend it for 20 seconds to create a smooth puree. Don’t worry too much about removing the seeds, they are full of magnesium, antioxidants and active enzymes which help release even more nutrients from the flesh.

Step two

Find yourself a hob, microwave or somebody with really warm hands and melt the coconut oil. Slowly mix this into the pumpkin puree. While you do this, get somebody to brew you a fresh coffee.

When you heat your coconut oil, be extremely careful as it will heat up a lot faster than most other foods, 20 seconds in the microwave is more than enough time.

Step three

Drink your fresh coffee, take the leftover grounds, then add them to the pumpkin and coconut oil. Add the cinnamon powder and mix all of the ingredients together until you achieve a smooth consistency.

Step four

Rinse your face then towel it dry. Apply the latte face mask and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes. When you feel like you’ve had enough (or someone reminds you that the dog needs walking) gently wash off the mask with warm water.

Step five

Admire your newly rejuvenated face and pop any leftovers you might have into a compost bin or food waste container.

The benefits of using pumpkin

Not only is a face mask a great way to use pumpkin leftovers, it’s also brilliant for your skin. Pumpkin gets its famous sunset hue from a pigment called beta-carotene (also found in carrots), which is absorbed through the skin and turned into vitamin A by the body. This helps in aiding vision (yes, there is some truth to that saying), boosting the immune system and forming collagen - a major component in healthy skin.

Antioxidants in the pumpkin and coconut oil help to combat the causes of skin aging, while the latter also contains vitamin E, an ingredient used to promote healthy skin and hair growth. Vitamin E is also a wonderful antibacterial, working with the cinnamon powder to banish the nasty bacteria that clog up pores and lead to acne. Oh, and it also smells really good.

What if it’s not Halloween?

Unfortunately it can’t be Halloween every day, and pumpkins tend not to readily available unless you live on a pumpkin farm. Fortunately you can still gain the exfoliating, antioxidant packed, benefits of this recipe throughout the year. With our vibrant range of hemp face masks and body scrubs - made from repurposed local coffee grounds - you’ll glow brighter than even Casper the friendly ghost. Happy Halloween!