Pumpkin: Effective Treatment or Trendy Thirst Trap?

Amigas, it is Fall!!! Adios Summer, you were fun. However, I am ready to bring out the Fall fashions and sip on a Pumpkin Spice Latte! Fall is the most fun when it comes to Skin treatments; because Spas love to get seasonal! With the warm and fuzzies mood that this season evokes, a trip to the spa seems like a no brainer!

But instead of jumping on the trendy wagon, steer clear of buzz words and get informed. Know the WHY behind the gloriousness of Calabaza (Pumpkin for my non-Spanish speakers). To understand all the perks that Pumpkin offers your lovely visage, one must first get acquainted with the word: Enzymes. I'm sure you've heard your Esthetician use this term when discussing beneficial ingredients, but do you know what enzymes do? The way I like to describe it when in the treatment room, is with this analogy: 

"Imagine little energetic Pac-mans chopping away at your dead sorry-looking skin cells!"

 Yes, it sounds somewhat morbid. However, the result is revealing a glow as vibrant as an IG filter. Enzymes are the BFFs you never knew you needed! But before you pull out the friendship bracelets, let's make the proper introduction to your enzymatic posse. Most notable is the famous tag team of Papain (derived from Papaya) and Bromelain (from Pineapple). These are power proteolytic enzymes that not only do your body good internally but work wonders on the skin!

Nevertheless, we are talking about Pumpkin, the reason for the season, not Papaya or Pineapple. And as I began to write up my Fall promotions for my facial clients, I realized that the Pumpkin enzyme is quite the silent horse. It's like the cousin at the party that no one notices (poor primo). I researched to see what benefits I could dig up about the elusive calabaza (Pumpkin for my non-Spanish speakers) enzyme. The truth is, I couldn't find much until I came across a gem of knowledge. Pumpkin enzymes act like alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA) on the superficial layers of the skin. In other words, it will be an effective exfoliation, but unlike active AHAs like Glycolic, Latic, and Madelic acids, it won't penetrate as deep or exfoliate as vigorously. For Pumpkin enzymes, slow and steady wins the race. Aside from that, Pumpkin is rich with Vitamins A and C, not to mention also Beta-carotene; this means that while gently resurfacing your face, it's also restoring it with calming, brightening, and anti-inflammatory nutrients. It is leaving the Pumpkin enzyme as an excellent alternative for sensitive skin types and conditions — a gentle lover for your face. 

What is also notable is that although Pumpkin enzyme can do well all by itself, it's also a great collaborator! Pumpkin enzyme is often coupled with AHAs such as Glycolic acid, kinda like a "good cop, bad cop duo." Pumpkin comes in gentle, and Glycolic forcefully seals the deal. Then Pumpkin has a guilty conscious and pumps nutrients back into your skin. Either way, you can't lose. Who knew that gimmicky seasonal treatment had chops to back it up?! -I do, and now you do too. So don't be a Debby downer and get a pumpkin facial! It's Fall for goodness sakes!