Exfoliating with a high-quality scrub is one of the best ways to pamper your skin. The skin naturally sheds dead skin cells to make room for new cells every 30 days or so, but dead skin cells don’t always shed properly. If that happens, you may notice dry, flaky patches or clogged pores. Exfoliating can prevent that by sloughing away dead skin cells and grime, allowing new skin cells to rise to the surface.
The American Academy of Dermatology states that exfoliating helps brighten your skin, and improve the effectiveness of topical skin care products. When you regularly exfoliate, you may experience fewer breakouts because your pores don’t clog. Additionally, long-term exfoliation may enhance collagen production. And if you want glowing, vibrant skin, collagen is the answer. This protein also promotes skin elasticity, which may minimize the appearance of fine lines.
Why Should You Exfoliate With Salt?
Over the years, we’ve posted a lot of DIY scrubs that use sugar as the exfoliant. Sugar tends to be great for most skin types because the granules are fine, so they don’t irritate the skin. However, a classic salt scrub is also a safe form of exfoliation. Salt scrubs can help remove dry, flaky skin and leave your skin feeling silky-smooth. By massaging a salt scrub into your skin, you encourage blood flow and circulation, giving your skin a youthful glow. The minerals in salt also help relieve muscle soreness. There are a few things to keep in mind when using a salt scrub, though.
Use It A Couple Times Per Week
Anyone who uses a great scrub may want to exfoliate every single day. We do not encourage daily salt scrub exfoliation because too much exfoliation can dry out your skin. Even though the scrub in this article contains moisturizing ingredients, too much exfoliation can cause your skin to feel tight, which indicates dehydration from over-exfoliation. The more you dry out your skin, the more oil it will produce, which can increase the frequency of breakouts. If you exfoliate too often, you may accelerate the development of fine lines and wrinkles. As a general rule of thumb, exfoliate with a salt scrub once or twice a week.
Don’t Be Too Rough
Don’t be too rough on your skin because it deserves a gentle touch, especially when using a salt scrub. If you massage the scrub in a rough way, especially if your skin is delicate, you may experience tearing or irritation because of tugging and roughness. Although salt particles are very fine, they can still do damage if you exfoliate too aggressively. Micro-tears in the skin can damage the skin barrier, making your skin more susceptible to damage. That can accelerate the aging process and cause age spots and wrinkles.
Use It From Head To Toe
A salt scrub isn’t solely reserved for facial exfoliation. Dead skin can turn up all over your body, so don’t neglect those areas of the skin. Dermatologists recommend that you exfoliate where the skin folds, e.g. behind the knees and elbows. Exfoliating your neck, legs, and feet, especially the soles of the feet, can be very enjoyable.
DIY Ginger Lime Salt Scrub
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce refined & deodorized cocoa butter
- 2.3 ounces refined coconut oil
- 3 ounces grapeseed oil
- 0.1 ounce ginger lime fragrance oil
- 11 ounces fine sea salt
- Pinch of bath-safe green pigment powder (optional for color)
Instructions:
- Place the cocoa butter and coconut oil in a glass measuring cup and warm in the microwave until fully melted.
- In a separate glass measuring cup, add the grapeseed oil and ginger lime fragrance oil. Place in the microwave and warm until fully melted.
- Add both of the melted mixtures to a large bowl and mix gently to combine.
- Slowly pour the salt into the melted oils, stirring as you pour. You want everything to incorporate evenly. At this time, you can also whisk in the green pigment powder if you so desire.
- Transfer the salt scrub into an eight-ounce container of your choice and allow it to cool completely before putting the lid on. Once you put the lid on, store it in a cool, dry place.
- To use the salt scrub, lather your desired amount onto the areas of skin that require exfoliation. Massage it gently before rinsing with warm water. Upon exiting the shower, pat your skin dry with a towel.
