12 best salt scrub recipes for body and face

Updated: 05.11.2021 13:21:08

Expert: Arefieva Elizaveta Aleksandrovna

Salt is used in cooking, household and folk medicine. It has many useful properties that ensure its demand. It is also used in home cosmetology. It makes excellent masks, bath solutions, and also highly effective scrubs. And you can easily make them yourself by adding useful active substances.

The benefits of salt scrubs

Salt scrubs made by yourself have a great advantage over store-bought ones: you determine their composition yourself and can be completely confident in its naturalness and safety. The use of this type of home cosmetics provides:

1. gentle exfoliation of dead particles of the epidermis;
2. elimination of oily or dry skin (depending on additional ingredients);
3. fight against pigmentation on the face and body;
4. moisturizing and nourishing the epidermis;
5. stimulation of blood circulation;
6. lymphatic drainage and massage effect;
7. cellulite breakdown;
8. giving freshness, smoothness and radiance to the skin;
9. reduction or complete removal of stretch marks;
10. elimination of edema;
11. fight against blackheads and rashes.

Salt scrubs are no less beneficial for hair than for skin. The use of this cosmetic product allows you to strengthen the strands, make them soft and shiny, stimulate their growth, and stop hair loss and splitting. Such effects are achieved due to the fact that the scrubbing properties of the product massage the epidermis of the head, stimulating blood circulation and saturating it with nutrients.

Indications for the use of salt scrubs

The use of a cosmetic product is necessary, first of all, to cleanse the skin. But the components that are present in such a product are also suitable for eliminating many defects:

1. acne and blackheads;
2. striae;
3. orange peel (a defect that is one of the signs of cellulite);
4. sagging and sagging skin;
5. pigmentation;
6. swelling;
7. scars and scars;
8. enlarged pores;
9. dryness of the epidermis;
10. excessive oily skin;
11. photoaging;
12. dehydration of the skin.

Salt scrubs help fight various hair problems. A properly selected composition will help eliminate oiliness, dryness, fragility, hair loss and dullness of strands. And for this purpose it is very good to use homemade cosmetics that combine the functions of a scrub and a mask.

How is salt scrubbing performed in a beauty salon?

Salt peeling is one of the most popular salon procedures for cleansing the skin of the body.

The cosmetic procedure is carried out as follows:

• peeling is performed in a room with high temperature and humidity. This is necessary so that the skin warms up and the pores open;
• The specialist applies a mixture of sea salt, base and essential oils to the body with massage movements. The base can be almond, peach, apricot or coconut oil;
• after completion of the session, the composition is washed off with running water without using detergents;
• A softening lotion or body oil is applied to the skin.

Contraindications

Even a homemade salt-based scrub has contraindications for use. Among them:

1. naturally hypersensitive skin;
2. inflammatory processes in the treatment area;
3. previous surgical operations;
4. previously performed injection procedures;
5. infectious dermatological pathologies;
6. individual intolerance to any scrub components.

If there is at least one of the above contraindications, you should not use the cosmetic product to avoid the development of side effects.

What should be included: useful ingredients for a homemade scrub

A homemade body scrub can contain more than just salt. It is, in fact, an abrasive responsible for exfoliating epidermal cells and cleansing it. But the main ingredients are necessary to achieve the expected result from scrubbing. Active and excipients can be:

1. Oils.

   Basic or essential, or a combination of these two varieties in one cosmetic product. Of the esters, the best oils are lavender, orange, lemon, grapefruit, myrrh, rose, and tangerine. Some of them can be combined with each other in one composition, or used alternately. The main thing is to choose the right component that will help eliminate a specific skin problem. Of the base oils, all products without exception are suitable.

2. Coffee.

   It will be an additional abrasive, which, however, has a wide spectrum of action. Helps tone the skin, fight cellulite and stretch marks.

3. Zest

   citrus fruits, ground oatmeal, almonds, crushed fruit and berry seeds.

This is a standard set of components that is also used in professional cosmetics. But, if it is possible to use them as part of homemade cosmetics, then why not try?

How to cook

There are several ways to make a sea salt scrub at home. It already contains many minerals and trace elements: zinc, magnesium, calcium, sodium, sulfur, chlorine, etc. But for a better result, it is necessary to prepare additional useful components. Moreover, unlike masks, the scrub can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.

Additional Ingredients

You can enhance the beneficial effects of salt by using additional ingredients, which are perfect:

• Natural vegetable oils: olive, coconut, peach, flaxseed and even regular sunflower. Salt does not dissolve in them and retains its abrasive properties. At the same time, oils significantly soften its aggressive effect on the skin and nourish it with vitamins, and also protect it from severe drying.
• Essential oils. They have pronounced antibacterial and antifungal properties, which allows you to very quickly improve the condition of problem skin. Cosmetologists consider the most suitable scrubs to be: pine, eucalyptus, tea tree, geranium, juniper, lavender, mint. It is enough to add only 3-5 drops to the scrub.
• Honey. This unique product contains more than 200 chemical elements and their compounds. It has powerful anti-aging properties and is very beneficial for mature skin. But honey is a fairly strong allergen and before using it for the first time you must do a test.
• Lemon juice. Adding lemon juice gives it peeling properties. The acid perfectly dissolves fat and loosens dead dead cells, which greatly simplifies their removal and enhances the cleansing properties of the scrub. You can use high-quality apple cider vinegar for the same purposes.
• Soda. The combination of salt and soda is quite aggressive and can only be used on completely healthy and very oily skin. But it allows you to deeply cleanse the pores and almost completely remove sebum from them. After this procedure, blackheads completely disappear, and the skin becomes very smooth and pleasantly pink.
• Cosmetic clay. Perfectly relieves inflammation and irritation caused by sea salt. Provides deep but very gentle cleansing of pores. Dries out pimples and prevents recurrence of breakouts.
• Oat flour. The addition of this ingredient allows you to well moisturize the epidermis during cleansing. A scrub with this composition is suitable even for thin and sensitive skin. In addition, oatmeal is rich in vitamins and helps smooth out fine wrinkles.

If desired, other components can be added to the home scrub. But in order for them to enhance each other’s effects and not compete with each other, there should not be more than 3-4 of them in total.

Tools and accessories

Contact with metal can destroy vitamins and other useful chemical compounds. Therefore, it is better to mix all the scrub ingredients in a glass or plastic bowl. It is more convenient to do this with a wooden or plastic spatula, and to apply the mask with a wide brush with artificial dense bristles.

If you plan to store the composition, then you need to prepare a glass container with a tight-fitting lid. It is advisable to pre-sterilize it, especially if the scrub is oil-based. Salt itself, lemon juice and essential oils are pretty good preservatives. But still, after a couple of weeks, the composition begins to quickly lose its beneficial properties.

Best Recipes

The easiest option for home scrubbing is to use clean and dry sea salt. A small amount is taken onto wet palms, distributed along the massage lines and gently massaged onto the face for 3-5 minutes, and then washed with cool water.

But to enhance the effect, you can use more complex recipes:

1. Honey. Add a teaspoon of sea salt and 2-3 drops of geranium oil to a tablespoon of liquid high-quality honey. This scrub can be left on the face for up to 10 minutes, then it will serve as an excellent anti-aging mask.
2. With liquid soap . Add sea salt to a small amount of liquid soap and gently massage your face with this mixture for 2-3 minutes.
3. Oil. A scrub made from fine sea salt and olive or other vegetable oil is not very suitable for oily skin. But it perfectly cleanses thin, dry and fading skin. In addition, it can be prepared for future use and consumed gradually. But before each use, the composition must be mixed well. The proportion of salt and oil is approximately 1:3; if desired, add a few drops of essential oil to the composition.
4. Soda. A good scrub is made by mixing a small amount of salt and baking soda with a quality moisturizer. This composition is able to deeply cleanse the pores, but at the same time not dry it out or cause severe irritation. For oily and problem skin, you can use cream soap.
5. With protein and lemon. This scrub also has the properties of a mask. It perfectly cleanses the skin, slightly tightens pores, and helps smooth out fine wrinkles. Beat the egg white with a teaspoon of lemon juice until it forms a homogeneous white foam. Half a teaspoon of sea salt is introduced into it and the finished composition is distributed over the face. Massage for 2-3 minutes and leave for another 5-7. Wash off with summer water without soap.

Which recipe is best suited for your skin will most likely have to be determined experimentally. The advantage of homemade scrubs is that you can slightly change the proportions of the ingredients, focusing on your own feelings.

Which salt to choose for scrub?

To make a homemade scrub, you need to choose the right abrasive component, that is, salt. Types of product used:

1. Salt.

   The very last option you can pay attention to. Kitchen salt does not contain the beneficial substances that the skin needs. Although it has antiseptic, antimicrobial and cleansing properties. It scrubs well, removing dead skin cells, but this is where the list of its benefits in home cosmetology ends.

2. Sea salt.

   One of the best abrasive options for the face and body. It is obtained by evaporating sea water, after which it goes through the stages of purification and grinding. It contains a set of valuable minerals, including iodine, manganese, selenium, potassium, cobalt, copper and others. It is this type of salt that is most often used in the manufacture of store-bought scrubs.

3. Magnesia.

   A type of salt that contains a high concentration of magnesium. The product is able to remove toxins and impurities, saturating the skin with beneficial components.

You can try all the salt options to find the best option. The main thing is to take precautions and grind the product well before use. Otherwise, large salt crystals can damage and injure the epidermis.

Briefly about the procedure

Salt peeling for the face is a simple cosmetic procedure, but at the same time very effective. To cleanse the epidermis, use a special scrub with grains of sea or table salt. It is applied to moistened skin and massaged for several minutes. After this, rinse with water and apply a nourishing mask or cream.

It is recommended to use a marine ingredient to prepare scrubs. Sea salt is a treasure trove of minerals for the face. Sodium, potassium, zinc, selenium, magnesium and a number of other microelements enter the cells, enrich them and accelerate the rate of metabolic processes. The secret of peeling effectiveness is also hidden in abrasive particles (grains of salt). They carefully remove dead cells, and a light massage enhances blood circulation and tissue regeneration.

Table salt can also be used for facial peeling. It has excellent antiseptic properties, but does not contain as many minerals.

The effectiveness of salt facial peeling is noticeable immediately after the procedure. The skin becomes soft, smooth and looks fresher.

Salt peeling is an excellent facial treatment. It has a lot of beneficial properties for skin:

• cleanses thoroughly – salt peeling easily removes impurities, dead cells and comedones;
• tightens pores;
• stimulates tissue renewal processes;
• increases blood flow, fills cells with oxygen and nutrients;
• stabilizes the functioning of the sebaceous glands, dries out the oily epidermis, eliminates unsightly oily sheen;
• softens and nourishes the skin with beneficial minerals.

The advantages of cleansing your face with salt include:

• cleaning efficiency;
• budget-friendly salt procedure;
• ease of scrub preparation and peeling;
• quick effect – the face immediately after peeling looks refreshed, clean and healthy;
• naturalness of ingredients;
• safety – salt peeling does not cause burns, irritation or allergic reactions.
• painlessness and speed of peeling.

Salt peeling is a real godsend for the modern pace of life, when there is not enough time to go to the beauty salon. In addition to cleansing, you get a light massage and a lifting effect. After one procedure, your skin will glow with health and youth.

Pros and cons of homemade salt scrubs

Any cosmetic product, including homemade ones, has its advantages and disadvantages. A salt-based scrub also has them, and this must be taken into account. Pros of this product:

1. availability of the main component: if it is not possible to use sea salt, then the product can be found in any home;
2. effectiveness as an abrasive substance with exfoliating properties;
3. can be used for any purpose - to combat cellulite, stretch marks and other defects;
4. a large selection of home recipes;
5. naturalness of ingredients;
6. ease of preparation of a cosmetic product;
7. hypoallergenic salt.

The disadvantages of salt scrubs include:

1. risk of skin injury from salt particles;
2. the likelihood of an intense inflammatory process when using a scrub for damaged skin;
3. it is impossible to use the product before going outside in the hot season, since salt can destroy the skin’s natural protection against exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
4. Excessively frequent scrubbing leads to damage to the upper layer of the epidermis, which can cause serious consequences.

In general, the cosmetic products in question are safe and beneficial for the skin. It is prepared quickly and applied without difficulty.

Main secret

A distinctive feature of the scrub is the presence of abrasive elements in it.
It is in this capacity that sea salt acts in this case. Many people are afraid of this ingredient, believing that it can scratch the skin or cause severe irritation. There is some truth in this. But it all depends on how properly the scrub is prepared and how it is used. In fact, the rather aggressive effect of salt on the skin can be easily compensated for by a competent choice of additional ingredients. Which of them are most useful and why - I will tell you a little later. In addition, the salt must be finely ground and thoroughly cleaned of foreign impurities. A cheap one may contain grains of sand and small fragments of shells. They are often the cause of microtraumas.

Salt facial scrubs: 3 best recipes

Salt can be used for scrubs used not only for the body, but also for the face. But it should be remembered that the abrasive must be fine, so the salt must first be ground in a coffee grinder or blender. It should not be allowed to scratch the epidermis or cause pain during the scrubbing process. Otherwise, skin injuries cannot be avoided, and this is fraught with undesirable consequences. The same condition must be observed when making a hair scrub.

The best recipes for facial cosmetics:

1. Scrub with salt and sour cream

   . For weakened, dry, irritated and damaged facial skin, a scrub based on a salt abrasive mixed with rich sour cream is suitable. It is allowed to use any other fermented milk product, and even mayonnaise. The components are taken in equal proportions; no other ingredients need to be added.

2. Sugar and salt scrub.

   It can be used rarely, and only for express facial cleansing. It acts quite aggressively, but is highly effective, so it helps remove even the most severe dirt and clogged pores. To prepare it in equal proportions, you need to take finely ground sugar and salt, mix with a small amount of any base oil and apply to your face. Massage the skin for no more than 2 minutes, after which rinse off the remaining mixture with plenty of water.

3. Kefir-salt scrub.

   For oily and problem skin, you can prepare this product. Mix 1 tsp. salt with 0.5 tsp. soda and add 5 ml of kefir. Stir and immediately apply the composition to the face with massaging movements. After 3 minutes, rinse with cool water.

It is worth noting that salt scrubs for the face cannot be called a delicate method of cleansing the skin. They are quite aggressive, although they are highly effective in combating many defects. Therefore, they must be used with precautions, and only if there are no alternative options at the time of facial cleansing.

Option number 3: cleansing and whitening

By themselves, face scrubs made from salt or soda do not have whitening properties, although they can slightly improve complexion by eliminating blackheads and keratinization. Therefore, supplementing the salt scrub with kefir, cream or sour cream is a good idea. Please note: soda combines much worse with such ingredients, since it destroys milk protein and fat in sour cream, and kefir completely turns into whey.

Basic recipe

Ingredients

• Table salt, table salt, extra - teaspoon.
• Fat (15% and above) sour cream - a teaspoon.

Preparation

1. Add sour cream and salt together and mix vigorously.
2. Apply the scrub to your face with your fingertips, gently massaging as you apply.
3. Leave the scrub on your face for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water without using detergents.
4. Use your regular face cream.

It must be remembered that too frequent skin rejuvenation using any scrubs, on the contrary, can lead to accelerated aging. And a facial scrub with baking soda and salt is no exception. In any case, the skin will react to the irritant by thickening its outer layer. And therefore, the abuse of scrubs is fraught with its gradual coarsening, a rapid decrease in elasticity due to the destruction of its deep layers under the influence of external factors, from which the thinned epidermis no longer protects them.

Recipes for the 3 best scalp scrubs

Daily use of hair cosmetics gradually depletes the structure of the strands and follicles. Restoring it sometimes turns out to be difficult, but nothing is impossible. If you are patient and use homemade scalp scrubs, you can significantly improve the situation. You can prepare the cosmetic product according to the following recipes:

1. Scrub to stimulate hair growth

   . To prepare it, sea salt must be mixed with olive oil. The proportions should be such that a homogeneous mass is obtained that does not crumble or spread. The product must be used immediately after preparation. Massage the resulting mixture onto the scalp from the back of the head to the forehead for 3 minutes, then rinse off the remaining mixture with shampoo and apply a strengthening balm.

2. Scrub for sensitive scalp prone to flaking

   . Sea salt in the amount of 3 tbsp. l. Mix without a slide with blue or white clay (2 tbsp.) and 30 ml of linden or chamomile decoction. Use according to the standard scheme.

3. Scrub to combat dandruff. You can get it by mixing 1 spoon of blue clay, fine sea salt with 0.5 spoon of chamomile infusion, 1 chicken yolk, 5 ml of honey and a few drops of rosemary essential oil. Place the scrub in a jar with a lid and use it for its intended purpose no more than 2 times a week.

Even expensive scrubs can be made affordable if you are not lazy and make the product yourself. And there are plenty of recipes, so you won’t have any difficulties choosing.

Scrub made from salt and honey. Honey scrub with sea salt

In a body scrub, the combination of these two ingredients is most successful and gives the best results. Salt in this tandem acts as an excellent abrasive material that effectively opens pores, removing dead skin cells.

In addition, sea salt is an excellent antibacterial agent. It increases sweating, and along with sweat, harmful toxins leave the body. Physiological processes, thanks to the beneficial properties of sea salt, are normalized, dead skin particles are perfectly exfoliated, it is cleansed, whitened, renewed and rejuvenated.

To prepare a scrub with honey and salt, you need to take approximately 50-100 grams (2-3 tablespoons) of sea salt and 15-30 grams (1-2 tablespoons) of honey. This amount of mixture is enough for one visit to the bathhouse.

How to prepare a scrub: honey is placed in a preheated jar or ceramic bowl and placed near the stove in the steam room. When the honey becomes liquid, you need to add salt to it, and, to give the mixture a special aroma and a better cosmetic effect, a couple of drops of essential oil. To stir thoroughly.

Important: the composition should not overheat so that the beneficial properties of honey are not lost.

The prepared scrub should be applied to a well-steamed body with light circular movements, gently rubbing into the skin. After peeling with grains of salt and honey, the skin will be saturated with oxygen and stimulated to regenerate.

The mixture is absorbed into the skin especially well if you sit in the dressing room for some time after the steam room. And then you can wash off the scrub with a warm shower, relax, moisturize your skin with a nourishing cream and drink aromatic herbal tea.

Rules for using salt scrubs

The effectiveness and safety of salt scrubs depends on compliance with certain rules regarding their use. Basic recommendations:

1. scrubs must be applied to pre-steamed skin;
2. During scrubbing, massage movements should be performed;
3. The duration of the procedure is from 3 to 5 minutes;
4. The procedure can be performed no more than 1-2 times a week.

If there is a little composition left after scrubbing, you don’t have to throw it away. You need to put it in a jar and put it in the refrigerator. The product is suitable for use within a week, but if it has not been used up within this period, it is better not to risk it and prepare a new scrub for the next procedure.

Scrub made from salt and soda. Who is suitable for products with soda?

Such cosmetics are suitable for women with any skin type - dry, oily, normal and combination.

The main thing is to remember which products can be combined with bicarbonate in each specific case. So, if your skin is prone to acne, then recipes for blackheads and oily shine will suit you. Take as a basis recipes where soda is combined with salt, tar soap, and flour.

A soda scrub that will “like” dry skin should include various softening and moisturizing components:

• honey;
• dairy products;
• essential oils.

A soda scrub for combination skin will help restore and maintain optimal pH. Combine soda with fruit juices, oatmeal, and baby soap.

Cosmetologists recommend using a soda scrub for the face no more than once a week for dry skin and no more than 2-3 times for oily skin.

You don't have to limit yourself to just your facial skin. Also prepare a body scrub from salt and soda, and a remedy for the scalp. Carrying out regular cleansing sessions gives an excellent cosmetic effect: turgor improves, skin color is evened out, small wrinkles are smoothed out.

The soda in the scrub can be supplemented with other beneficial ingredients

What are the benefits of a scrub?

Scrub with baking soda with regular use

• gets rid of acne without the need to purchase expensive pharmaceutical drugs;
• restores skin tone with age-related changes;
• removes foci of microinflammation.

The beneficial effect is due to the presence of carbon in the composition of soda. Penetrating deep into the dermis, it absorbs excess sebum. This is an adsorbent that takes on the function of collecting and removing excess product from the sebaceous glands. Oily skin cannot cope with excess secretion secreted by the sebaceous glands, so it needs to be cleansed often.

Carbon has not only cleansing, but also regenerating properties. It promotes the healing of minor injuries. Baking soda contains sodium and oxygen. The first element improves intercellular and intracellular metabolism. The second helps cells renew themselves faster, which means it rejuvenates the epidermis.