Salting up your skin

Our taste buds would be rather dull without this ancient seasoning. In the earliest centuries it was the most sought after item to be trading. Nations waged wars over this precious mineral as it was scarce and desired by the world who quickly found out about all its valuable uses. Let’s look at the benefits of salting up your skin the natural way!

Benefits for skin

Sea salt contains beneficial nutrients, such as calcium / magnesium/potassium & zinc. Not to mention its anti-bacterial & exfoliating properties, its the purest mineral cleanser you can find and helps to keep acne at bay. Soaking in mineral salt water may help relieve some skin conditions, such as eczema & psoriasis. With this winning combination of natural minerals it also helps to reduce inflammation, brighten, and in some instances strengthen the skin. But what exactly does salting up your skin entail?

Read on below to uncover the ways you can use salt in your skin care regime.

Which salt is the best

So its not just about grabbing the salt shaker and heading off to the bathroom. A little more thought goes into which salt you use for your skin to harness its full potential. When it comes to salting up your skin you have two options namely sea salt and Himalaya pink salt.

Sea Salt

This nutrient dense option does wonders for keeping your skin hydrated by binding water and having an effect on skin cell turnover. If you have eczema a nice warm soak in a sea salt bath can help to reduce inflammation. It has a detoxifying effect on the skin because of all the trace minerals found from the sea water it originated from.

Himalayan Salt

A gentler option for more sensitive skins and is unrefined, hand-mined and has close to 84 naturally-occurring minerals and elements including chromium, zinc, iodine and sulfur. Don’t worry too much about the rosy pink shades, as all that indicates is the quantity of minerals found in the salt.

Explore in “the lab”

DIY always excites me so I will jump right in with these must try recipes:)

But before you spring into action its worth mentioning that if you have super dry skin it is an absolute must to apply moisturizer after salting up your skin.

I know you will be expecting a scrub recipe here so let’s kick it off with this winner:

CITRUS SALT BODY SCRUB

• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 1/2 cup almond / jojoba, or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon orange or grapefruit zest

Mix it all together and make sure salt is oil saturated and then scrub over entire body, rinse off with warm water and dry. Follow with tissue oil or moisturizer to seal it all in and soaking up the fragrance of the citrus 🙂

This is so invigorating and rejuvenating you will not look back. The salt works well to remove overall roughness & heals while the citrus brightens and boosts your immune system!

Read further down for a soothing Himalayan salt face scrub, a more gentle approach.

Time to Tone

I cannot tell you enough how important it is to tone your skin. Whether you spritz it on your face or apply with a cotton pad make sure your skin is saturated in the mineral goodness!

You can prepare your own salt water-based facial toner at home:

1. Mix one tablespoon of sea salt in one cup of warm water.
2. Add a pinch of Epsom salt and dissolve both the salts.
3. Pour this solution into a bottle with a nozzle spray.

This toner will remove excess oil, unclog the pores and keep it looking tight 🙂

Himalayan salt face scrub

Mix a quarter cup of Himalaya salt and some water.

1. Add half a cup of olive or coconut oil to the salt water. You can also add a few drops of your favorite essential oils.( I love rose/lavender and bergamot)
2. Apply this solution to your skin and scrub gently in a circular motion.
3. Wash your face with cool or lukewarm water.

This facial scrub will brighten and hydrate your skin instantly!

The end grain

If you are going to be salting up your skin then have a look at these useful tips:

• Start with doing any salt treatment once a week to witness your skin’s reaction then you can carry on for 3 times a week max.
• Like I mentioned use either sea salt or Himalayan salt and stick to fine granules as it can be harsh.
• You don’t want to tear your skin barrier so always rub lightly when exfoliating.
• Try not to exfoliate too much and stick to twice a week.
• Keep your skin moisturized after using any salt treatment as it can dry it out.
• If you have sunburn or broken skin wait for it to heal before exfoliating. Try treating with aloe vera first 🙂
• Lastly, it is OK to only choose one option eg. salt water as toner on its own or a facial mask once a week. You don’t need to go overboard and do everything suggested out of the lab” 🙂

Salting up your skin is a natural and easy way to keep your skin healthy. Use it to cleanse, treat acne, tone, exfoliate & help with skin conditions such as eczema. Packed with so many important minerals it fights inflammation and brightens up your skin. These days so many natural products are available on the market that contain sea salt which makes it an easy addition to your skin care or you can simply salt it up yourself at home in “the lab”

If you enjoyed this article and wish to leave any comments or questions I would love to hear from you.

Love your skin naturally!

Janine

Real Skin Angel