Naturally exfoliate and nourish your skin with this pumpkin spice latte face mask.

I told you guys it was pumpkin spice latte week! And this isn't even my last PSL post for the season, so be sure to come back for more next week.

Not only is pumpkin great for pies, desserts, and drinks, but it's also wonderful for your skin and hair. I mainly use clay or charcoal masks on my oily skin, but for a mask made with fresh fruit, pumpkin is my favorite.

This natural face mask recipe is inspired by the Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte, so for best results, sip a skinny PSL while you're waiting for this to work. Okay, drinking it won't help the mask work, but it is yummy!

This mask is great for oily skin or those with large pores, but it can be used by those with normal or oily skin. Skip the cinnamon if you have dry skin or sensitive skin.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE NATURAL FACE MASK RECIPE

BROWN SUGAR

I used brown sugar because it's much gentler on your sensitive facial skin. I don't ever recommend using white sugar on your face, although some people do mix the two sugars.

Brown sugar has smaller molecules than white sugar. It's an effective natural exfoliant, yet it won't damage your skin.

Brown sugar also has glycolic acid, an alpha-hydroxyl acid. It can help break down the glue that holds cell walls together to boost cellular turnover for smoother skin.

Brown sugar is a humectant. It pulls moisture from the air to your skin, so it moisturizes without using extra oil.

READ Salt scrub vs sugar scrub: which is better?

RAW HONEY

I use locally made raw honey for my DIY beauty recipes. Raw honey hasn't been filtered or heated. It's said that it retains some of the bee pollen, which can help your hair.

Whatever type you buy, make sure that you are buying real honey. Cheap honey from the grocery store probably isn't real honey.

Honey is also a humectant, so it moisturizes your skin. It has enzymes in it that penetrate into your skin, so your skin will be softer long after you rinse off this mask.

Honey is also antibacterial and high in antioxidants. It's great natural beauty ingredient for large pores or acne prone skin.

ORGANIC PUMPKIN PUREE

As I said. pumpkin is my favorite food ingredient for my skin. It has enzymes and AHAs that help break down the glue that holds cells together. This helps get the top layer of dead skin cells off for brighter skin.

Pumpkin is high in vitamins A and C. Most anti-aging products contain one of these vitamins because they help prevent the signs of aging.

Pumpkin has small molecules, so they penetrate into your skin when you use this pumpkin spice latte face mask recipe.

CINNAMON

Cinnamon works by drying out your skin, which is good if you have oily skin. It brings blood and oxygen to the surface of the skin. It's great for oily prone skin or acne prone skin.

If you have dry skin, I would skip the cinnamon.

Cinnamon can be too harsh for some people's skin. If you have sensitive skin or are prone to redness, skip the cinnamon.

READ Honey Benefits for Hair and Skin

COFFEE GROUNDS

Coffee isn't just a great way to wake up each day, it's also a great way to treat your skin naturally. It's high in antioxidants, which help reduce free radicals and signs of aging.

The caffeine helps reduce puffiness and inflammation, so be sure to full strength grounds. No decaf for face scrubs!

Coffee grounds are also a natural exfoliator. They are gentler than other exfoliants, making this an excellent scrub for the face.

Coffee boosts blood flow to the skin temporarily. This helps your face look brighter and more radiant.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoon ground coffee
1 tablespoon organic pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional, see above)

DIRECTIONS

STEP #1

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. It will be hard to mix because it's very thick, but it will all mix without adding any oil or water.

STEP #2

Apply to your face with your fingers or the back of a spoon. This is messy, so definitely wear an old shirt or drape a towel over yourself to protect your clothes.

STEP #3

Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

Splash with water.

As it softens, use your fingers to gently scrub your face.

Rinse well.

Follow with a sunscreen and your favorite moisturizer. The vitamins in the pumpkin can make you more sensitive to the sun, so always use a sunscreen after using a pumpkin mask.

Discard any leftovers because they can grow mold. You should only use this mask once a week, so leftovers won't last until the next treatment.

Looking for more pumpkin masks? Try one of these: