When it comes to salt, most of us have somewhat negative associations – from dehydration and bloating to the dangers of a sodium-heavy diet.
Sea salt, however, is different.
Since ancient times, sea salt has been renowned for its therapeutic and healing properties. In fact, bathing in the salty, foamy waters of the sea was considered a natural remedy to cure a wide range of ailments and skin infections. This is because sea salt contains a boatload of natural minerals that are essential to your overall health and well-being. Also, since sea salt has a distinct bitter taste, one can’t easily eat it to absorb these minerals. What you can do, however, is apply it directly onto your skin, which soaks up these minerals greedily.
Using sea salt for just a few weeks will give you results you’ll be delighted with. Here are some ways in which sea salt can benefit your skin.
1. Skin Rejuvenator
Sea salt can cure chronic dry skin by improving your skin’s lipid barrier. This helps your skin replenish and lock in its natural moisture. Being rich in sulfur, magnesium, calcium, and potassium, sea salt helps bring down inflammation.1 Therefore, it is very beneficial for treating troubled skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, and sunburns. Also, by warding off free radicals that are responsible for making your skin age, sea salt has the ability to bring about a huge reduction in the depth of skin wrinkling. So sea salt can also have some anti-aging benefits on your skin!2
Hydrating Sea Salt Mask Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of finely ground sea salt
- 4 teaspoons of any organic honey
Directions
- Mix the sea salt and honey together to form a thick paste.
- Apply this paste evenly onto clean, dry skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Now soak a washcloth in some warm water. Squeeze out the excess water.
- Spread this cloth out properly over the mask on your skin for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the washcloth. Start rubbing the mask on your skin using gentle, circular motions of your fingers.
- Rinse the mixture off using warm water and pat your skin dry.
2. Powerful Mineralizer
Our body needs trace elements in order to carry out its functions efficiently. However, due to the lack of nutrient-rich soil, it’s become harder and harder to obtain these trace elements from our diet. Luckily, trace elements are still found in abundance in the seas and oceans, from which we can get a variety of sea salts – from Himalayan to Italian, from Celtic to Hawaiian.
Using sea salt on our skin not only quenches its thirst for these essential minerals but also helps exfoliate the skin. The slightly abrasive texture of sea salt helps to slough off dry or dead skin flakes and cells off the upper layer of our skin, thus revealing softer, fresher looking skin. For this reason, sea salt is very helpful in smoothing and softening dry areas of our bodies like the elbows, knees, and heels.
Sea Salt Body Exfoliator Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup sea salt
- ½ cup olive oil or coconut oil
- 10 drops of your favorite essential oil
Directions
- Mix the ingredients together till everything comes together to form a clumpy paste. Store this in a bottle or a jar.
- The next time you step into the shower, apply a little of this scrub onto your wet skin. Scrub gently with your hand or with a loofah.
- Rinse yourself with warm water and pat yourself dry.
3. Skin Detoxifier
Sea salt has a drawing quality along with powerful detoxifying and disinfectant properties. This makes sea salt very effective in purifying the pores of the skin by driving out all kinds of gunk like pollution, stale sebum, dead cells, and germs that collect on the surface to form blackheads, whiteheads, and acne. For this reason, people in ancient times loved soaking themselves in seas and oceans. Since it is not possible to visit the marine waters every other day, a relaxing bath containing sea salt is next best thing you can do.
How To Set Up A Lavender Salt Bath
Ingredients
- 1 or 2 cups sea salt
- 4 or 5 drops of lavender essential oil
- a bathtub
Directions
- Fill the bathtub with warm water.
- Add the sea salt and the lavender essential oil to the bathtub. Swish the water around with your hand for a few minutes; this will help dissolve the salt.
- Soak yourself in the tub for 15 to 30 minutes.
Beware Of Too Much Sea Salt!
While it is true that sea salt has immense health and beauty benefits, you’re better off not overdoing it.
According to research, the lowest risk of death for sodium excretion is between 4,000 and 5,990 milligrams per day. A sodium deficiency of less than 3,000 milligrams per day and excess sodium excretion of more than 7,000 milligrams per day are both likely to increase your risks of stroke, heart attack, and death.3 Additionally, your body can have trouble balancing essential electrolytes if your diet is too high in sodium. This can lead to bloating, dehydration, lethargy, weakness, muscle twitching, and irritability.
How much salt you should take depends on your age, gender, and other health conditions. However, a daily optimal intake of 1.5 to 3.5 teaspoons usually holds good for most people. Keep in mind that if you’re someone who leads a very active lifestyle, your body will excrete more of this essential mineral through your sweat. To replenish this lost amount, you may need to consume a little more salt.
If you’re adding sea salt to your diet, it is best to consult your doctor first and seek his advice on what dosage amount is ideal for your body.
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