Looking to Mother Earth Is Sea Salt Good For You?

Salt. It’s a staple at every kitchen, at every restaurant, and in every recipe you can find. That’s not all, though. Turns out that salt can be a staple in your skincare, too. Now, I bet you’re wondering:  Is sea salt good for you? The short answer is: yes! We’ll tell you everything you need to know about sea salt, its benefits, and the ways you can add it to your beauty ritual. 

Is Sea Salt Good for You?

Sea salt and other natural salts are incredible ingredients to sprinkle into your beauty routine for significant skin, hair, and nail benefits. This is due to the fact that natural salts are packed with minerals that can help reduce inflammation, brighten the skin, and strengthen the skin (1).

Today, sea salt is often included in skincare products for its antimicrobial properties. So, whether you’re taking a dip in the ocean at the beach or creating your own DIY scrub at home, sea salt and saltwater can prove to be a great remedy for various skin conditions. If you’re curious to know about other natural salts and their benefits, check out these two ingredients: 

Himalayan Pink salt

It’s likely you’ve seen a Himalayan pink salt lamp if you’ve ever seen a home décor photo on Pinterest before. All jokes aside, this type of natural salt comes from the Salt Range, an area of the Himalayan foothills in Pakistan. Oceans from years and years ago deposited the salt beds that rock salt is now mined from (2). It’s said to be the purest salt on the planet and is often called “pink gold” because of its amazing benefits. It’s often used for exfoliation, plumping sea salt facials, sea salt cleansers, purification, and salt soaks that can treat sunburns and irritation.

Celtic Sea Salt

Celtic Sea Salt is similar to Himalayan pink salt because of its health benefits, as it’s been said that it can help:

• Build immunity
• Increase energy
• Promote sleep
• Prevent muscle cramps
• Balance our electrolytes
• Improve brain function
• Eliminate mucus buildup
• Balance blood sugar

Salt Products and Their Benefits

When it comes to shopping for a new skincare product, many skin-thusiasts look for salt on the ingredients list because of its natural benefits. Sea salts are less processed and refined than traditional table salt, so while consuming too much salt through our food is often not recommended because it can cause bloating and contribute to high blood pressure, salt on our skin can actually do wonders (3).

1. Sea Salt Masks: If you’re looking for something with anti-inflammatory properties to soothe the skin and calm breakouts, try a sea salt and honey mask! It’s an awesome DIY way to fight irritation, balance oil production, and retain hydration.
2. Toners: Facial toners that use sea salt in their formulation can help deeply cleanse our pores, manage our sebum production, and fight bacteria that can cause breakouts.
3. Body Scrubs: Scrubs using finely ground salt can be used as gentle, natural exfoliators to remove dead skin, soften skin, and restore hydration. The sea salt can be mixed with non-comedogenic oils or aloe vera to further hydrate and heal the skin.
4. Salt Baths: Salt has the ability to absorb dirt, grime, and toxins from our skin, which is why they’re great to use for a relaxing bath. Salt’s mineral content can help protect our skin barrier and retain its moisture over time (4). Plus, it has antiseptic properties!
5. Anti-Dandruff Treatment: Looking for a scalp-friendly product to help treat your dandruff? You can massage sea salt into your hair to help loosen and get rid of dandruff while absorbing excess oil. The stimulating circulation is also great for a healthy scalp.
6. Eczema Treatments: Those of us with eczema can benefit from using sea salt in our skincare rituals since magnesium is an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial mineral that alleviates itching and reduces moisture from bacteria and fungi that causes eczema (3).
7. Treating Acne Scars: Sources like AZCentral have stated that saltwater can help treat acne and fade acne scars (5).

Sea Salt > Table Salt

In the health and wellness space, salt often gets a bad name. This typically leaves people asking, “Is sea salt good for you?” We’re here to bust the rumors. Just because they share a similar name doesn’t mean that sea salt and table salt are created equally. One of the biggest differences between sea salt and table salt is the mineral content. Our bodies contain the same concentration of minerals and nutrients as seawater, so sea salt is often used to balance, protect, and restore the skin (4).

Sea salt is full of healthy minerals that all play a key role in our skin’s health, such as:

• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Sodium
• Potassium

When your skin's mineral balance is off, you can typically experience dryness, dullness, irritation, and blotchiness, especially in winter. Adding sea salt to your skincare ritual can help balance and improve hydration, strengthen the protective barrier of your skin, and prevent premature aging. The minerals in sea salt can also combat acne, skin infections, and speed up the healing process.

Sodium and the Body

While sea salt has many great benefits, it’s also important to talk about best practices in terms of adding sea salt to your skincare ritual. So, is sea salt good for you? Too much of anything is not a good thing – and too much exposure to sea salt can be dehydrating. For example, have you ever felt itchy after swimming at the beach for a while? Dehydration can be one of the root causes of this feeling. Dehydration can also lead to your skin producing too much sebum to compensate for the dryness, which could result in breakouts. To avoid this, make sure you’re properly hydrating your skin every day.

Is too much sodium good for your body? No. But, with the right amount, is sea salt good for you? In terms of our skin, yes! It seems like a lot of people have a love-hate relationship with salt, but if you try natural salts and sea salt in your skincare – you’re bound to want to be on salt’s good side. Just remember that moderation is key.

Written by Selena Ponton

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SOURCES:

1. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/a19953014/salt-beauty-uses/
2. https://www.aveeno.com/skin-mind-balance/himalayan-salt-benefits-truth-about-popular-ingredient
3. https://www.mydcsi.com/2020/02/25/benefits-salt-water-for-skin/

4. https://www.today.com/health/9-surprising-ways-salt-can-restore-your-skin-body-1D80257289

5. https://www.americanmadebeauty.com/effect-salt-skin/