How to Use Pumpkin for Beautiful Hair

All pumpkin’d out and still have a lot on hand?

With the fall soaring high at its peak, its pumpkins everywhere – on the fields, streets, stores, and even your own garden.

If you’re tired of those pumpkin lattes and pies, just make a mask out of it and use it on your hair. Yes, you heard that, right!

Pumpkin is incredibly good for your hair and skin.

Both the flesh and the seeds of this squash vegetable are loaded with a plethora of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – namely alpha and beta-carotene; fiber; vitamins A, C and E; potassium; and magnesium – that provide numerous hair, skin, health-boosting and disease-fighting benefits.

Pumpkin helps condition, rehydrate, and revive your hair. It is exceptionally beneficial for dry, damaged or over-processed hair and helps promote the regrowth of your hair.

Here are two simple homemade recipes by which you can use pumpkin for beautiful hair.

Method 1: Shiny Hair Mask

Things you’ll need:

• Pumpkin puree – 3 tablespoons
• Coconut oil (natural moisturizer) – 2 tablespoons
• Honey (a natural humectant) – 2 tablespoons

Step 1. Add honey and coconut oil to pumpkin puree

• Start with 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree in a bowl. You can use fresh or canned puree, but make sure there are no preservatives or flavors added to the puree.
• Blend in 2 tablespoons each of honey and coconut oil.

Step 2. Mix & apply the mask on your hair for 20 min

• Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
• Gently apply a small amount of the mask throughout your detangled hair.
• Cover with a shower cap and let the mask seep into your hair for 20 minutes before rinsing it out with cold water.

Use the mask treatment once every week for soft and shiny hair.

Method 2: Conditioning Hair Mask

Things you’ll need:

• Pumpkin puree – 1 cup
• Coconut oil (moisturizer) – 1 tablespoon
• Honey (softens hair) – 1 tablespoon
• Yogurt (loaded with lactic acid that is good for repairing dull hair) – 1 tablespoon

Step 1. Take pumpkin puree, coconut oil, honey and yogurt

• Pour 1 cup of fresh or canned pumpkin puree into a bowl.
• Add 1 tablespoon each of honey, coconut oil and yogurt to the pumpkin puree.

Step 2. Mix the mask well and apply it for 30-45 minutes

• Mix up all the ingredients thoroughly to form a smooth paste.
• Shampoo your hair normally, then apply the mask evenly on your hair, covering every part.
• Allow the mask to sit and dry for 30 to 45 minutes before rinsing it out with cold water.

Repeat the treatment once every 7-10 days for softer, smoother, and silkier hair.

Additional Tips

• It is best to prepare a fresh mask every time you want to use it. Prepare only the desired quantity. The leftover mask will only stay good when refrigerated and only for 2-3 days after it is made.
• You can add a few drops of peppermint oil to your mask. It not only imparts a sensational fragrance in your hair but also gives a soothing feel on your scalp.
• It is advisable to do a small patch test before proceeding with any of the masks. This helps determine whether you are allergic to the pumpkin or other ingredients.
• If you are a vegan, you can substitute honey with agave nectar or vegetable glycerin.

Summary of How to Use Pumpkin for Beautiful Hair

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