Both sugar and salt scrubs are designed to exfoliate the skin. Massaging them into damp skin removes layers of dirt and dead skin cells and encourages skin to shed at a more rapid rate, typically every 30 days. Exfoliation also leaves behind healthy, glowing, softer skin.
While sugar scrubs are made up of small granules and are better suited to exfoliate sensitive areas like the face, or for gently exfoliating skin with eczema or acne, salt scrubs are more abrasive with larger granules suitable for harsher scrubbing of callused skin like that of the feet, or as an overall body scrub to encourage skin shedding. What’s more, salt contains minerals like magnesium, potassium and calcium, great for skin cell restoration and reducing the signs of aging.
You can buy salt scrubs at varying price points from inexpensive to pricey, or you can experiment with making homemade variations with simple kitchen ingredients. Stored in pretty glass jars, salt scrubs make great gifts, last six months, and can vary in scents and healing properties.
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Here are a few homemade salt scrubs to try:
Relaxing Lavender Salt Scrub
Ingredients:
- Pink Himalayan sea salt, or other sea salt varietal (1 cup)
- Nutritive oil like almond, grapeseed, avocado or rosehip oil (½ cup)
- Lavender essential oil (relaxing) or peppermint (energizing), or orange (stimulating), or geranium (mood lifting) 5-10 drops
- Optional: Toss in crushed flower petals or leaves of lavender, peppermint, citrus or geranium for color
Mix all ingredients in clean dry bowl and store in glass jar. Rub into damp skin or spread on loofah and use as all over body scrub weekly.
Oatmeal & Patchouli Sea Salt Scrub
Ingredients:
- Sea salt (2 cups)
- Oatmeal, ground and uncooked (1/2 cup)
- Grapeseed oil (1/2 cup)
- Olive oil (1/2 cup)
- Patchouli essential oil (5-10 drops)
Put salt in a clean, dry bowl, add oils and mix with a spoon. Add drops of patchouli and mix well. Store in glass jar and use as a soothing, relaxing all-over body exfoliant.
Peppermint Foot Scrub
Ingredients:
- Epsom salt (1 cup)
- Sea salt (1 cup)
- Baking Soda (1 cup)
- Peppermint oil (15-20 drops)
- Tea tree oil (1 teaspoon) optional for antibacterial purposes
Pour all ingredients into glass jar and shake to mix. Use weekly to scrub feet and soothe rough heels.
