3 Do-It-Yourself Sea Salt Skin Remedies
By now hopefully you’ve heard about the dramatic differences between refined, processed so-called table salt; and natural, unrefined sea salt. The one is associated with sickness including hypertension and heart disease; the other is actually preventive. Sea salt provides essential trace minerals including silicon, phosphorus and vanadium. When taken in the diet it’s also a natural detoxifier, assisting the body in releasing heavy metals, toxins and even fighting infection.
But it has glowing external uses as well. Some use the salt instead of benzoyl peroxide to cleanse a wound, and you may find it accelerates healing, too. Just don’t think you can sub out table salt or refined sea salt. Best bet is to buy a rock salt whose container has a built-in grinder. And make sure it’s pure and unrefined, meaning ZERO additives.
Salt for Skincare
I love natural home remedies for skincare and sea salt is among the simplest to use. If I don’t really tend to the skin on the backs of my arms and legs I get these little rough patches, it’s so bothersome. Happily it’s pretty easy to bring healing and wholeness using simple kitchen items. Check out these easy to do, natural sea salt skin remedies.
Back Acne Treatment: Sea Mist
While in Hawaii years ago I noticed that the ocean water was dramatically improving the condition of my skin. I knew it was the salt and that led the way for me to experiment with sea salt for the skin treatments you’ll see below.
I haven’t tried this one personally just because I haven’t faced the challenge of body acne, but I sympathize with any who do. We’d love to hear from you if you have or if you begin experimenting with this home remedy. Many people have claimed results clearing up back and body acne making a simple mixture of water and sea salt:
- Buy a spritz bottle or thoroughly wash an empty, used bottle. Plastic is okay especially if you’re keeping it in a cool dry place; but glass is better.
- Try a 3:1 warm water to salt mixture. You can always add more salt if you need more intensity.
- Shake it, shake it, and shake it well before use. You want the salt to dissolve.
- You can use this like a leave-in skin conditioner. After showering spray the mist over the entire affected area and leave it on for the day.
- Use it as often as desired.
- Let us know the results!
Facial Acne Treatment: Ocean Brine
When I’m experiencing a little bit of a breakout, particularly as my hormones go slightly awry once a month, I find myself reaching more often for the baking soda. Baking soda makes for an awesome skin cleanser, oil reducer, zit zapper. But I can’t use it regularly. Another goody that can be used even more frequently than the otherwise drying baking soda is…you guessed it…sea salt. Here’s a super simple recipe:
- Make a 2:1 mixture of water to salt in a glass or glass container.
- Stir it up.
- When you’re ready, dampen your face with warm water.
- Apply the mixture to form a thin mask.
- Make sure you apply softly to gently slough without tearing or scraping.
- Leave the mask on for five minutes or so for a more intensive treatment; or for a light treatment apply and let sit for up to a minute.
- Splash-rinse with lukewarm water.
- Finally, finish your treatment with a cold splash to tighten pores.
- Pat dry gently.
BONUS: To make your own acne-free moisturizer, try either organic grapeseed oil or organic jojoba oil. Another oft recommended moisturizer for all skin types is argan oil. Spot test to discover which one your skin loves the most. Blend the oil with a few drops, to taste, of lavender, rosemary, lemongrass or peppermint essential oil. Be sparing with peppermint oil, it will penetrate with very little. One of my favorite beauty bloggers Crunchy Betty recommends experimenting with a small added dose of Tamanu oil. Should be about 1/3 of the entire mixture. Blend all ingredients well and apply.
Body Scrub: Old Fashioned Sloughing
This body scrub is wonderfully exfoliating, nourishing and softening, not to mention cleansing because of salt’s powerful detoxifying properties.
Use your favorite oil or create an oil blend, and add sea salt. For the therapeutic benefits to your skin, that’s it. If you use coconut oil you add to the equation an anti-microbial, anti-fungal and deep skin conditioning. You might use olive, avocado, almond, jojoba, grapeseed or coconut oil for your base. Then add fragrance and additional healing using pure essential oils if you like. Here’s the breakdown:
- Find a glass jar to avoid chemical leeching from plastics.
- Fill about 1/3 of the jar with sea salt, or more if you like.
- Fill the jar with oil.
- When you’re ready to use your luxurious skin potion, stir up the salt that may have settled at the bottom.
- Scoop some into your hand, rub hands together; that’ll add a little sloughing and softening for your hard working hands.
- Then firmly but gently massage into the skin all over. You might let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing.
A few tips:
- It’s best to apply the scrub after shampooing your hair so the soap doesn’t remove the wonderful layer of moisturizing oil on your skin.
- If you’re making a smaller batch just downsize the proportions.
- This is your creation, find the formula that most pleases your skin. These are a great start but there’s so much you can do to personalize them.
- Whence your shower is complete, gently pat dry but don’t rub.
- This is a good time to spritz a little pure witch hazel with lavender essential oil to lock in moisture.
Enjoy and be blessed!
——————–
Sources
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/05/end-war-on-salt.aspx
http://www.kingofhomeremedies.com/blog/acne/sea-salt-for-acne/
