Can You Use Salt to Exfoliate Your Face?

By: Melissa King

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Salt is one of the cheapest items at the grocery store, but don't let its low cost fool you. With a few pinches of the stuff, you can make a wonderfully gritty facial scrub like the ones you find at the priciest spas. Salt alone won't stick to your skin well, so you need to mix it with a drizzle of oil. Many oils, such as olive and avocado, also offer nourishing benefits that liven up dull, lifeless skin.

Step 1

Pour 1/8 cup of sea salt into a small bowl, then add 1 to 2 teaspoons of finely chopped mint leaves. Mix in a drizzle of apple-cider vinegar, then stir until the ingredients form a paste. Rub the salt mixture into your skin, then rinse off with warm water. Refrigerate leftovers for up to three days.

Step 2

Combine 2 cups of sea salt, 1/2 cup grapeseed oil, 1/2 cup olive oil and five to 10 drops of patchouli oil in a bowl. Mix in 1/2 cup of uncooked oatmeal. Apply the mixture to your face, then rinse. This scrub keeps for six months if refrigerated.

Step 3

Mix together 1/2 cup of sea salt and 1/4 cup of lemon juice in a bowl. Stir well until a thick paste forms. Massage the scrub into your face, then rinse with cool water. Repeat up to twice a week. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for three days.

Step 4

Combine 1 cup of sea salt with 1/2 cup almond, avocado, grapeseed or rosehip oil. Add five to 10 drops of essential oil for fragrance -- try lavender, orange, geranium or peppermint oil. Blend ingredients to make a paste. Rub the mixture on your skin, then rinse. Keep the remainder of the scrub in the refrigerator for up to six months.