Pumpkin Seed Oil - Packed with Vitamin Power

Pumpkin Seed (INCI: Cucurbita Pepo) Oil has a heck of a lot to offer skin. It has a high content of zinc, potassium, magnesium, omega 9, 6 and 3, and is packed with vitamins such as A, beta-carotene, B2, B3 as well as a high content of essential fatty acids.

Lifting and Firming

Pumpkin seed oil is particularly good for products designed to lift and firm the skin, why it is recommended for body-sculpting mixes targeting the breast and buttocks areas, not to mention facial firming magic.

It is also recommended for healing damaged skin and gently reviving dry and mature skin. It's one of those 'wow' ingredients that just begs to be incorporated into a skin product.

Delightfully Dark

The color of this cold-pressed, organic oil is very deep and very dark – a pumpkin-seed-green/espresso hue that is quite intense. It takes a teensy bit of getting used to. When you pour a few drops into your palm to apply, the depth of the color makes you almost expect it to feel a bit syrupy (which it doesn't) or sticky (nope, not sticky either).

In fact, it is a relatively dry oil that melts in quickly and leaves the skin feeling smooth as silk. The color isn't really the problem.

What's Not to Love?

I have as yet to include this oil in a blend for someone else, because truthfully, I am seriously unhappy with the smell (not scent, not aroma – I meant smell). After working with the oil for a few months, I've had no luck disguising the odor. It's so heavy it overpowers everything else in the mix.

It reminds me of linseed oil, musk, and car grease mixed together, and because of this, I have consistently found myself trying to race through every blend I have made with it. (every new blend needs a proper chance, so I try and make a point of giving it at least a weeks use before passing judgement).

My supplier recommends using max 10% in any mix – solely so there is a fighting chance to mask the smell.

Sigh.

I love what this oil contains and offers for skin care – and would really like to make it work – but no matter what I mix it with, it can't pass the 'nose test'... until...

Steam Cleaned and Still Green – Sounds Keen!

Just recently, I learned of an up and coming version of this oil – now deodorized. Yay!! The scent-removing method is registered with The Soil Association and passes all the required tests for organic production (they steam-clean the oil in a special vacuum).

The process leaves all the goodness in the oil, but removes (most of) the scent. I look forward to being able to order this and give pumpkin seed oil another go, because it does really carry enough skin-loving goodness to make it worth an extra effort.

More About Pumpkin Seed Oil

Function of pumpkin seed oil as wound healer by NCBI

Anti-inflammatory potential of pumpkin seed oil – ResearchGate

Evaluation of Healing Properties of pumpkin and linseed oil - Pharmaceutical Biology