The Benefits of Pumpkin in Skin and Hair Care

Unless it’s fall, pumpkins are often an overlooked fruit (yeah, I thought they were a veggie too). We like to carve them, bake them into pies, and visit them in patches—but these orange squash are best served as ingredients in skincare.

There are 3 main things you should remember about these future jack-o-lanterns. First, pumpkins are loaded with alpha hydroxy acids and other enzymes that pack major exfoliating power to speed up cell regeneration for smoother, more youthful skin. Second, those tasty pumpkin seeds are an important source of fatty acids that aid in growing longer locks and moisturizing skin. Lastly, pumpkin seed oil delivers a multitude of benefits from increasing skin firmness to treating acne.

Here are the pumpkin-infused products you’ll need to keep on hand long after the fall season ends.

Moon Juice SuperHair, $60

Many don’t know that pumpkin seeds are key for growing long, strong locks. In fact, this source of fatty acids helps inhibit the conversion of testosterone into DHT, a hormone known to cause hair loss. Moon Juice SuperHair combines the hair-saving power of pumpkin seeds with additional vitamins, minerals, and plant-extracts to replenish nutritional deficiencies, provide follicle protection, and build a foundation for healthier hair.

Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, $60

Incorporate a pumpkin enzyme-infused mask into your skincare lineup, and thank me later. This one from Peter Thomas Roth works in two ways: exfoliating with pumpkin enzyme for super smooth results and then polishing with aluminum oxide. Use one or two times per week for younger-looking, revitalized skin.

IGK Sponsored Hair Density Scalp Treatment, $45

IGK Sponsored Hair Density Scalp Treatment combines pumpkin seed oil with biotin and hair-boosting peptides to nourish the scalp and help hair look fuller, thicker, and denser in as little as four weeks. And because scalp treatments can be a whole production, the cooling serum-in-mist formula keeps things refreshingly easy and mess-free.

Omorovicza Elixir, $225

For skin that seems to have a little bit of everything going on, Omorovicza Elixir takes a multitasking approach. The potent serum pairs pumpkin seed extract with 4x the brand’s Healing Concentrate™ to help hydrate, calm redness, soften the look of fine lines, even out tone, and strengthen the skin barrier. Ten skin benefits in one bottle? We’ll take the shortcut.

Susanne Kaufmann AHA Enzyme Body Lotion, $80

Your face shouldn’t get all the good exfoliants. Susanne Kaufmann AHA Enzyme Body Lotion combines pumpkin enzymes with a 10% blend of AHAs and BHA to tackle rough texture, dullness, and the look of “strawberry” skin below the neck. Soothing mushroom extract helps keep skin feeling comfortable, while a fresh lemon, verbena, and mint scent makes smoothing things over feel a little less like work.

Nurain Alicharan contributed to this article. This article was originally published October 28, 2021, and last updated on September 24, 2026.