How We Tested Pumpkin Spice Moisturizers

Yes, there are two kinds of folks in this world:

Those that love pumpkin spice.

And those that love pumpkin spice . . . but just don’t know it yet.

A certain coffee chain based in Seattle kicked off the modern era of pumpkin spice goodness back in 2003. That pumpkin-flavored beverage has seen its share of spin-offs, including pumpkin spice snacks, candy and even beauty products (including the lotions reviewed below).

However, pumpkin spice itself has been part of baking for at least 200 years. Writes Food & Wine magazine:

Before the pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice referred to a blend of spices that was used to flavor pumpkin pie, often combining cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. The spice blend has long been a part of the American baking tradition. In fact, there are two recipes for spice-filled “pompkin” pie in Amelia Simmons’ 1798 reprint of her cookbook American Cookery; one made with nutmeg and ginger, the other with allspice and ginger.

The first bottled version of pumpkin spice made its debut in 1933. 

“Pumpkin spice has become a cultural icon, a representation of autumn as emblematic as changing leaves,” wrote Food & Wine.

To find the best pumpkin spice moisturizers, we removed the packaging before giving samples to our testers. That keeps the test fair, as fancy packages or containers can influence folks’ opinions, we believe.

After trying out several brands, here are the ones we think are best.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!