One of the major differences between sea salt and ordinary salt is the mineral content: Sea salt is laden with minerals, including magnesium, calcium, sodium, and potassium, all of which play a key role in our skin's health, function, and cellular communication. When your skin's mineral balance is off-kilter, symptoms such as dryness, dullness, irritation, and blotchiness ensue, especially as the colder, dryer weather sets in. Bringing sea salt from the kitchen into your beauty routine can help balance and improve hydration, strengthen the protective barrier of our skin, and kick-start the cell-to-cell communication signals that slow down with age.
1. Balancing Mask
Both salt and honey have anti-inflammatory properties to soothe skin and calm breakouts and irritation. They also help to balance oil production and retain hydration in the layers of skin where it's needed most.
Try it: Mix two teaspoons sea salt (preferably finely ground) with four teaspoons raw honey to create a spreadable paste. Apply evenly to clean, dry skin, avoiding eye area. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Before rinsing, soak a washcloth in very warm water, and gently wring out. Lay the warm washcloth on your face for 30 seconds. Use your fingers to gently exfoliate in a circular motion while rinsing your skin thoroughly with tepid water. Follow with your usual skin-care routine.
2. Oil-Sapping Facial Toner
Salt helps to cleanse pores deeply, balance oil production and thwart bacteria that can instigate breakouts and acne.
Try it:Mix one teaspoon sea salt with four ounces of warm water in small spray bottle until salt is dissolved. Mist on clean, dry skin, avoiding eyes. Use daily or twice daily.
3. Softening Body Scrub
Salt is a gentle natural exfoliate that sloughs off dead skin. It also has minerals to soften skin and restore hydration.
Try it:Mix a quarter-cup salt and a half-cup olive oil or softened coconut oilinto a thick paste. If desired, add 10 drops of your favorite essential oil. Apply in the shower with a washcloth, loofah, or the palms of your hands, gently scrubbing your skin in a circular motion.
4. Rejuvenating Scrub
Salt is a skin-softening exfoliant that restores skin. Aloe vera hydrates, heals, and aids skin cell turnover, while lavender is a natural antiseptic that increases circulation.
Try it:Mix together a half-cup salt, a quarter-cup pure aloe vera juice or gel, a quarter-cup oil (your choice!), one tablespoon dried lavender flowers, and 10 drops essential oil of lavender. The resulting mixture should form a thick paste; if it's too dry, add a few extra drops of oil. Apply in the shower with a washcloth, loofah, or the palms of your hands, gently scrubbing your skin in a circular motion.
5. Relaxing Salt Bath
Salt absorbs dirt, grime, and toxins and cleanses your skin's pores deeply. Salt's mineral content helps restore the protective barrier in skin and helps it hold hydration. You may notice that your skin won't wrinkle or prune after a good, long soak in salted water, which is evidence that a salt bath helps your skin retain its moisture. The magnesium in sea salt may also help reduce water retention (i.e., bloating) in the body.
Try it:Add one-third cup salt to a tub filled with warm water, and swish to dissolve the salt. Soak for 15 to 30 minutes.
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