Can You Have Too Much Pumpkin?!

I know summer is not over, but for cold process soapers we have to think ahead just like a fashion designer.  Cold process soap needs to cure over a period of time before it can be used.  So, I'm already thinking about autumn even though it is just the middle of the hot summer!

I recently bought a bottle of unrefined Pumpkin Seed oil out of curiosity.  It is a deep redish mossy green color oil that smells nutty.  Unrefined Pumpkin Seed oil contains Omega-3, Omega-6, Vitamins A and C, Zinc, and other minerals and earned it's nickname "green gold".  It is very easily absorbed into our skin without feeling greasy.

This is my remake of Pumpkin Chai.  It is made with a new recipe that uses 15% unrefined pumpkin seed oil and scented with a majority EO blended fragrance that resembling pumpkin chai latte.  15% pumpkin seed oil usage in a recipe is considered REALLY high.  This is an expensive batch of soap for sure if you know how much it costs to obtain virgin pumpkin seed oil!  If I cannot source this for much cheaper price, I will not make this into my regular line, only limited edition.

The nutty scent from the virgin pumpkin seed oil did survive the saponification.  For sure if you want to use this oil for a high percentage you have to chose your scenting fragrance carefully.  In my case it is a none issue because I'm making Pumpkin Chai, the nutty smell actually complimented the scent mix.

I have to say, the test scrap under the water is totally too much for my skin.  I can feel the virgin pumpkin seed oil working, but too rich for me at 15%!  It's hard to explain.  I bet it's great for extremely dry skin but is it totally necessary?
The next batch I lowered the pumpkin seed oil usage to 10% and in conjunction with fresh banana buttermilk.  I feel this is a better fit for me.  Again, it is totally personal experience, and just because something is good for us doesn't mean the high % the better.  There is to a point, too much is doing the opposite.