How to Use Sea Salt for Skin Care

We use various expensive skin care products to improve the health of our skins. But not many of us are aware that the inexpensive table salt.

* Use sea salts to help draw toxins out of your skin, leaving you feeling clean and refreshed and your skin feeling soft and supple. Make a paste by combining water and fine grain sea salt and them massage the paste onto your skin before showering. Leave for 1 to 5 minutes and then bathe as usual, rinsing away toxins. This sea salt rub is also fantastic for those with eczema, psoriasis, chicken pox or other skin irritations.

* A natural exfoliant, salt can smooth away dry skin and leave you feeling silky and smooth. Make a salt scrub by mixing 1/4 cup of coarse salt to ½ to ¾ cup oil such as almond, sesame or jojoba. Add 20 drops of your favorite essential oils to scent. The mixture should be on the oily side. Scoop out generous handfuls and rub on the bottom of your feet. It's especially nice on the legs just before you shave (rinse it off before you shave though).

* Especially helpful for oily or acne prone skin, a simple salt mask can reduce inflammation, balance oil and speed healing from breakouts. Dissolve 1 part salt to 3 parts warm water. Mix with 3 tablespoons of pure raw honey. Gently apply to the face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

* Soften tough skin with a moisturizing sea salt scrub. Combine 2 cups of large grain sea salts, 3/4 cups of water and 4 tbsp. of sweet almond oil, storing your scrub in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Wet the skin and massage the scrub over your entire body, or on problem dry areas. Rinse the skin with warm water and repeat daily.

* Salt crystal deodorants are commercially available in most natural food stores. Salt kills bacteria—bacteria cause odor. It makes sense. If you're a homemade deodorant kind of gal or guy (which is typically baking soda based), add a teaspoon of salt to the mix to help reduce the odor. Warning, ladies: it will sting a little on just shaved pits.

* Moisturize, fight wrinkles, combat acne and exfoliate the face with a gentle sea salt facial scrub. Simply combine 1 tbsp. of fine grain sea salts and two or three drops of lavender essential oil and massage gently into your face and neck. Rinse with warm water and then apply a light, oil-free moisturizer.