Benefits and Uses of Epsom Salts
By Jessica, October 17, 2010
Epsom salts are a key ingredient to many a beauty product. Strip away all the fancy packaging and unnecessary additives, and many magic lotions and potions come down to this one essential mineral.
They are believed to help with calcium absorption, stress reduction, blood and nerve function, heart rhythm regulation and prevention of migraines and rheumatoid arthritis, to name just a few properties. Chances are you already have a tub of the stuff collecting dust in your bathroom, and if not they are easy to find and cost next to nothing.
Below is a guide to how to get the best from these seemingly innocuous beauty gems that we all have lying around the house.
Aches and Pains
Epsom salts have long been the secret weapon of sporty types in preventing the aches and pains that come the morning after the workout before. They can also be used in footbaths for tired feet, sprained ankles or bruising. All you have to do is add one or two cups of the salt to a full bath or a few spoons to a foot soak.
Face and Body
Epsom salts mixed with a little oil or lotion make for a great exfoliator. Rub all over the body when skin is wet to leave it silky smooth and simply rinse off afterwards. You can also put about half a teaspoon in your facial cleanser for a more polished finish.
Hair
Add a few spoonfuls of the salt to your regular shampoo to make it oily hair-friendly, or into your conditioner for added fullness and body. Work the mixture into your scalp to stimulate glands and clear any obstructions to hair follicles.
Toxins
There are many ways to use Epsom salts to draw toxins from the body. Used in a hot compress, they can cleanse cuts and scrapes and reduce swelling from insect bites. Splinters can also be drawn out by soaking the affected area in a solution of the salts and warm water. A bath of Epsom salts and a few drops of your favourite essential oil is also a good way to detoxify the skin, as well as being deeply relaxing. Dissolve a cup or two of the salts in the water as you fill the bath, then add the oils when it is full.
