I love pumpkin pie. I know lots of people mostly love it as a carrier for whipped cream, but me? I’m all about that filling. That creamy, custardy, spicy orange filling. Bring it on. I would spread it on toast if given the opportunity (though a spoon is better). So, this mask is inspired by my favourite fall dessert. Yum.

You’ll want to make this mask around the time you’re making pumpkin pie. For those of us in North America pumpkin pie is pretty ubiquitous once the leaves start to fall, with the major hurrah right around Thanksgiving (Canadian and/or American). If you don’t live in North America, you may want to invent on occasion as both the pie and the mask are fairly fantastic.

Pumpkin is packed with vitamins A and C to help soften skin and boost collagen production. It’s also got AHA’s (alpha hydroxy acids), which encourage skin regeneration. Whatever you do, make sure you’re using plain ol’ pumpkin puree, and not pumpkin pie filling. There’s a big difference between the two. The filling has sugar and spices and other things in it already, whereas the plain puree is basically just autumnal baby food. That’s the one we want.

I’ve blended the pumpkin puree with some gentle white white kaolin clay (USA / Canada) and some dark maple syrup. To that I’ve added some wee, wee bits of the classic spices (hello, cinnamon!) which are gently warming (as opposed to their far more potent essential oils), inexpensive, and lightly exfoliating.

We’re really not using much in the way of spices—just the teensiest amount of each.

The final face mask is a beautiful soft almost-orange. It’s creamy and smooth, with just a wee bit of exfoliation from the spices. It smells like pie, and leaves your skin feeling wonderfully smooth. I highly recommend giving it a try 🙂

Pumpkin Pie Face Mask

1 tsp pure pumpkin puree
½ tsp dark maple syrup (swap for molasses or honey if you don’t have real maple syrup)
1½ tsp water

The teensiest bits of: ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg (we’re talking maybe 1/16 tsp total)

2020 update: Given the irritation potential for the ground spices, don’t use them.

5 tsp white white kaolin clay (USA / Canada)

Whisk the pumpkin, maple syrup, and water together in a small dish until smooth. Add the spices, and whisk to combine.

Add the clay, one teaspoon at a time, whisking between additions until smooth.

To use, spread the mask over your face and let it dry for 15–20 minutes before rinsing it off. Follow up with some argan oil.

This makes enough for two masks, so grab a friend 🙂

Want to make this mask ahead of time for use later? Read this.

Do I smell pie?!