Beauty with Epsom Salts

Epsom salts were discovered over 400 years ago in nautral springs located in the town of Epsom, Surrey England. Comprised of magnesium and sulfate, Epsom salts have been used by generations of folks around the world. As a soak for sore muscles, tired feet and as a way to ease irritated/itchy skin. Today, we also pair beauty treatments with Epsom salts.

Spa Foot Soak

I love to treat myself to an at-home foot spa. It’s easy to put together and does so much to relieve achy, tired feet. My secret ingredient is magnesium sulfate aka Epsom salts. If your feet are prone to cramping, you may want to give an Epsom soak a try.

I like to have this spa foot soak in between pedicures; during the summer my feet are exposed to the air and this leads to dry, callused skin. Calluses do not make wearing strappy sandals enjoyable. This soak will help get naked (as in unpolished) summer feet pretty again.

Just fill a basin with hotish water, add a tablespoon of baking soda, a half cup of Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Soak for about 10-15 minutes, then massage each foot and rub away dry skin. Pat dry with a clean towel and slather on Chloelina Body Cream. Soft!

After Massage Care

I recall learning about the healing power of Epsom salts as part of after-massage care instructions. The masseuse was a small woman of about mid-sixties who was gentle and deceptively strong. That first massage remains, to this day, the best I have ever had.

No masseuse since has ever come close to the experienced, firm touch of this soft-spoken woman. After my deep-tissue massage, she advised drinking extra water for several days as it helps the body to heal from inflammation generated by the massage. (Not all inflammation is bad). She also cautioned I might feel sore the next day, and this is where the Epsom bath would bring relief.

That advice was spot on. The masseuse was eager to share her knowledge of the incredible benefits of Epsom salts as a muscle soak and why it requires more than a few spoonfuls in your tub to reap true benefits. Surprisingly, it takes at least 2 cups of Epsom salts in the tub filled with very warm/hotish water as a body soak to help ease soreness and stiffness.

Salt Scrubs

Another beauty treatment I imported from the spa: salt scrubs. I will take a whole body salt scrub over a facial, mani or pedi any day. Absolutely. Just do not – please do not- have a salt scrub immediately after shaving, it will be the equivalent to swimming in salt water after shaving. Yes, I have done both these things within the foolishness of youth. Nothing further need be said here…

I never knew exactly what kind of salt the spa salt scrubs contained. Dead sea salts? Mediterranean salt? Himalayan salt? Table salt? Any of those in a medium to fine grain salt is great but does your salt scrub contain Epsom salts? It should because, again, Epsom salts help relieve inflammation in addition to being a gentle exfoliant. And who doesn’t have a few of those annoying little bumps on the back of the upper arms and near the elbows? Picking at them absolutely does not work. Try a salt scrub instead.

Whole body salt scrub

For a whole body Epsom scrub: please be sure to place a dry towel on the bottom of your tub or shower because you will be slippery. Have another fresh towel within arm’s reach so that once you rinse off, you can pat dry before exiting the tub. One cup of Epsom salts, mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil (the lauric acid in olive oil has natural anti-bacterial properties and is a natural anti-inflammatory). Scrub gently, then rinse with warm water only, no soap.

It feels wonderful. The instant beauty result is soft, silky skin. But the added benefit of Epsom salts and olive oil make it good for the body.

Fibromyalgia and Arthritis Rescue

When you feel as though every muscle in your neck and back is forming a multitude of knots at the exact same moment – you aren’t worrying about beauty or looking pretty! I’ll settle for feeling pretty, again. A whole body Epsom soak is in order. Increase the amount of Epsom salts from 2 cups to 3 and soak in very warm water for 10 to 15 minutes.

The same for when your finger or toe joints wake up in the morning stubbornly uncooperative, stiff or sore. Pretty is off the table until a modicum of dexterity returns. Fill a small basin with very warm water, one cup of Epsom salts and submerge the offending appendages for about 10 – 15 minutes.

Now, there are two schools of thought about our skin’s ability to absorb magnesium this way. First, there are no substantive studies which either prove or disprove that our skin can not absorb magnesium this way. If our skin can absorb pain relief through topical gels and creams, can not the same be true through soaking or salt-scrub delivery? Epsom salts have been used for hundreds of years for similar use, with excellent results.