3 Easy Ways to Use Epsom Salt in Your Beauty Routine Tonight

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

If you pulled a muscle working out, your grandmother probably told you to take a bath in Epsom salts. First, you may be wondering, what exactly are Epson salts? It is not the same particle as the stuff you sprinkle on food or Dead Sea salt. In fact, it is not actually a salt at all, but rather a pure mineral compound of magnesium and sulfate sourced from spring in a town called Epsom located in Surrey, England.

Now back to your grandmother's advice. Epsom salts are considered to be an old-school treatment for anything from joint pain to swollen feet, healing a sunburn, and even relieving an ingrown toenail. But the drugstore product has some chic uses as well! You can mix it with regular bath products, such as body wash or conditioner to create detoxifying concoctions. Keep reading to learn specific DIYs featuring Epsom salts and why they're so beneficial.

Make a Scrub
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Make a Scrub

The use: Use Epsom salts to make a DIY body scrub.

DIY it: Mix some Epsom salts with either oil (any kind of body oil or even olive oil), lotion, body wash, or a mix of the three. Try half a cup of Epsom salts to half a cup wet ingredients and adjust more salt or more wet according to your personal preference. Bring the bowl or jar of your mixture into the shower or bath and scrub away! Be careful when using oil because it makes the floor of your tub or shower very slippery. A safer option is mixing with a body wash.

The salt works as a physical exfoliator (as opposed to an acid or enzyme or something like that) and effectively removes rough/dry skin on the body — especially on elbows and knees. When you mix anything coarse (like salt or sugar) with some form of a base, it just physically scrubs the dead skin off your body. The salt in this case has the added benefit of being . . . salt. And we know that salt has healing and anti-inflammatory benefits, as well. — Hanna Naranjo esthetician at Haven Spa

Give Your Hair Life
POPSUGAR Photography | Maria del Rio

Give Your Hair Life

The use: Epsom salts can be used to add volume to hair.

DIY it: Epsom salts are known for their soothing properties for skin but are also invaluable for hair care. They can be used to add volume and life to hair by removing excess buildup. Just mix 1-2 tablespoons Epsom salts to 1-2 tablespoons conditioner and massage into hair and scalp. Leave on 5-20 minutes and rinse. — Jana Blankenship, founder of Captain Blankenship

Chill Out in the Tub
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Chill Out in the Tub

The use: Make a DIY salt-and-tea mix to relax in the bathtub.

DIY it: My favorite use for Epsom salts is in the bath. Epsom salts are high in magnesium, which helps the body produce serotonin — an important way of creating relaxation and calmness. The magnesium in Epsom salts is also important because it minimizes the affects of adrenaline on the body. When we are under stress, our bodies get flooded with adrenaline, which can wreak havoc on our bodies over time, so it is important to lessen the damage whenever possible. I love making DIY bath salts with Epsom salts, some tea leaves, and 5-10 drops of lavender or rosemary essential oils added to the bath water to make the bath even more calming." — Clara Williams, aesthetician and founder of Cultivar