Clap Your Hands

If your hands have been feeling a bit chapped and dry, then it must be time to head to Acqua Beauty Bar for their extra-special Pumpkin Manicure! An immediate release from the hustle and bustle of busy Union Square, you're greeted by friendly receptionists and led to the rotating wheels of polish. So many choices abound, you might begin to feel a bit stressed-but never fear, because why else would you be getting a manicure? After selecting your color of choice (we went with a deep crimson by Essie to really welcome in fall with a bang), you'll be seated in the manicure station and treated to, well, a treat for your digits. While the typical buffing, trimming and polishing all take place, you'll be wowed by the extras that make this manicure so delicious. A scrub mixed of organic Turbinado sugar, fresh pumpkin puree, sesame oil, vanilla extract and cinnamon essential oils is massaged all over your hands and arms with the greatest of ease, exfoliating your skin while letting off such a yummy aroma, you'll be tempted to lick it all off! Then a mask of pumpkin puree, green tea powder, ginger, sea clay extract and aloe vera gel will be massaged onto your hands and arms, which helps to seal in moisture and soothe dry, cracked skin. You'll be left feeling so happy and relaxed, you'll just never want to leave!

Face Off

Now, we'll admit it-we were a bit hesitant to travel all the way down to Tribeca to test out the Fresh Air Facial with Phyto Pumpkin Enzyme Peel at Euphoria Spa. After all, we are tried and true Upper East Siders! But all our reservations and hesitancies melted away the instant we stepped inside the adorable space. After changing into our cozy robe and slippers, we were led to a nice-sized treatment room that was almost pitch-black, save the requisite candles and of course the relaxing spa music. (Note to self: we must remember to ask the owner for a copy of the CD!) Before our aesthetician even started the facial, she gave us an absolutely incredible foot and leg rub using a tart lemon foot scrub. Now, the Fresh Air Facial comprises a whopping ten steps-everything from two facial and décolleté cleansings to tons of masks and peels, and of course not forgetting those painful but necessary extractions. But this time we opted for the absolutely delectable-smelling pumpkin peel add-on, which is packed with tons of vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants to really nourish, protect and stimulate dry skin. And trust us, it works! After gently brushing a buffer and vitamin gloss on our lips to ward off horrible chapping, our aesthetician left us to admire her handiwork. No dryness and no clogged pores? We're hooked.

Hot and Spicy

There are few things we'll trek to the West Side for. H&H Bagels, Lincoln Center, and Restore Spa top the list. Owner Janis Chakler has converted an old apartment into the most adorable spa, complete with what we think is the most comfortable pedicure room we've yet visited. And when we heard she was offering a Spiced Pumpkin Pedicure through December, we had to make another trip! After choosing our color (the spa is stocked with what seems like Essie's whole line), we settled into a huge armchair surrounded by tons of pillows and sunk our feet into an oversized basin overflowing with herbs, spices and hot stones. Our pedicurist removed our old pesky polish, massaged our tired leg muscles and pumiced our skin to perfection before rubbing in the spiced pumpkin and shea butter scrub and then wrapping our legs and feet in a mask of spiced pumpkin, honey and Kaolin clay-which, yes, was as absolutely deliciously scented as it sounds! She removed this with hot fluffy towels and then massaged in a cream infused with pumpkin and honey before applying our sparkling burgundy polish. 75 minutes later, we reluctantly dragged ourselves home-but vowed to visit the West Side again as soon as humanly possible.

Baked to Perfection So what to do if you (reluctantly) don't live in New York and can't experience these treatments first-hand? Why, give yourself the treat of pumpkin at home, of course! And what better way to do that than with Philosophy's holiday-perfect 3-in-1, Pumpkin Pie! That's right-it's a shampoo, bubble bath and shower gel all in one. Now, we're absolutely in love with all of Philosophy's 3-in-1's, but this one just has to take the cake-or pie, as it will, since it has a recipe for pumpkin pie right on the bottle! So why not take a long, long, looooong shower or bath and lather up with this sweet-smelling confection. Hey, it beats actually having to bake the pumpkin pie to smell its enticing aroma!

- Jamie Sanders, Associate Editor