Salt Scrubs

Salt scrubs are an easy way to exfoliate your skin. This will remove dead skin cells, detoxify the skin and nourish it. They consist of salt (Dead Sea, Pink Himalayan, and/or Sea) and oil. Adding essential oils can personalize the effects of the scrub for you. The salts nourish the skin while the oils moisturize. They should be used no more than twice a week due to the drying nature of the salt.

From Healthline.com:

“If your skin is looking dry and dull, a mild exfoliation can help,” says Suzanne Friedler, a board-certified dermatologist with Advanced Dermatology PC. However, depending on your skin type, some body scrubs may not work well for you.

Deanne Mraz Robinson, MD, FAAD, is the president and co-founder of Modern Dermatology in Connecticut and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Yale New Haven Hospital. She and Friedler suggest the following process:

• Rinse your skin in warm water.

• Put a small amount of body scrub in your hand.

• Gently rub it on your skin in small circular motions, using your hand or an exfoliating glove.

• Scrub your skin gently for no longer than 30 seconds.

• Rinse your skin liberally with lukewarm water.

• Wash your skin using your regular cleanser. (You can also do this before.)

• Shave, if desired.

• Pat your skin dry.

• Apply a moisturizer."

To make your own salt scrub:

Use 1 cup salt of your choice, 1/3 cup of a carrier oil such as jojoba, grapeseed, sesame, etc. Choose 3-5 essential oils to add to the carrier oil. Skin nourishing oils include lavender, (Lavandula angustifolia), Himalayan cedarwood (Cedrus deodora), geranium (Pelargonium graveolens), to name a few. Contact me for recommendations for essential oils for specific conditions. Mix essential oils into carrier oil, then add to salt and stir well.

Do not use a salt scrub on open wounds, sunburned or damaged skin. It is highly recommended to use a good, natural moisturizer after each salt scrub. Exfoliating is good for the skin, but moisture needs to be replaced. Also, limit using salt scrubs to twice per week. For more mature or sensitive skin, once a month may be enough. Be gentle with the face. Facial skin is more sensitive than other parts of the body. Experiment and find what works for you.