Salt scrubs slough off dead skin, moisturize dry skin, and can be less irritating and abrasive than store-bought exfoliating scrubs. Here's a simple salt scrub recipe that's effective, non-greasy, and quick to put together.
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Homemade salt scrub ingredients
A basic DIY salt scrub has just two or three ingredients: an oil, a salt, and essential oils. If you're looking to whip one up with what you have on hand, you could make a great salt scrub just from coarse Kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil. That said, there's a wide world of options when it comes to what types of salts and oils you choose.
We'll break down those options in a minute. For now, let's talk about ratios.
When you make a salt scrub, the coarseness of the salt is the most important factor to consider. It'll affect how you can use the scrub and how much oil you need to add; the coarser the salt, the less oil your scrub will need. In general, here are the ingredients you'll need:
- 1 cup of salt (Kosher, Celtic sea salt, Himalayan salt, or epsom salt)
- ¼ cup of oil (coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, almond oil, or jojoba oil)
- 2 tablespoons of shea butter (or cocoa butter)
- 10-15 drops essential oil (eucalyptus, peppermint, cedarwood, and lavender are popular options)
Which salt is best for body scrubs?
The only salt to categorically avoid using in a salt scrub: table salt. Kosher salt, Himalayan salt, and sea salts all contain more trace minerals than table salt, thanks to less processing. While table salt may seem more appealing or less abrasive, other mined and sea salts are more likely to give the benefits that you'd get from spending a day at the beach: softer, smoother, surprisingly happy skin.
With table salt out, you have four remaining options: Kosher salt, Himalayan salt, sea salt, and epsom salts. The first three offer different amounts of those trace minerals-- calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and iron-- while epsom salts contain just magnesium and sulfur, but offer other muscle-soothing benefits.
In practice, you probably won't notice a difference in how your skin reacts to those options. The more important factor: coarseness. Luckily, you can find all kinds of mined salts, sea salts, and epsom salts ground to varying levels of coarseness.
In these photos, I've used Celtic sea salt, epsom salts, and Himalayan pink salt. Of them, the Celtic sea salt is the most coarse-- too coarse for anything, really, but elbows and feet. The epsom salts are surprisingly soft, even though they're large crystals. And the Himalayan salt is finely ground, making it just a step up in coarseness from a brown sugar scrub.
So, which is the best salt to use for a salt scrub? If you're new to body scrubs, I would recommend a finely ground salt like this Himalayan pink salt. If you want something coarse for callused areas, try epsom salts or a coarse sea salt. If you want something more soothing, epsom salts are the way to go. And finally, Kosher salt is a great budget option that offers all the same trace minerals as pricier Himalayan and sea salts.
What is the best oil for a salt scrub?
There are a few popular oils for DIY body scrubs that give great results: coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, and jojoba oil. I've used all but jojoba oil and I've found that the type of oil used is not nearly as important as the type of salt used. Conveniently, all of these options offer similar benefits (to varying degrees):
- Antioxidants (which help to reduce damage from free radicals)
- Anti-microbrial properties
- Anti-bacterial properties (which can help combat acne)
- Anti-inflammatory activity (also great for relieving acne)
- Wound healing (ideal for dry, cracked skin)
- Anti-carcinogenic properties
Which oil you choose may come down to price and availability, but there are other factors you may be interested in considering. Here's how these oils stack up:
- Coconut oil: Easy to find and relatively affordable, unrefined coconut oil is fantastic for salt scrubs, sugar scrubs, and lip balms. Being high in fatty acids and antioxidants means that coconut oil can help relieve inflammation and symptoms of eczema, and even combat acne. Considering that it also solidifies at room temperature, coconut oil is a convenient choice for salt scrubs. The only downside: it can feel a bit greasier than other oils. Combining it with shea butter or cocoa butter helps.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil has a few things going for it: it's easy to find, it's cheaper than many alternatives, it's super moisturizing, and it's full of antioxidants-- as long as you buy extra virgin. It can help combat inflammation and acne and even promote collagen production. Added bonus: extra virgin olive oil contains vitamin E, a natural component of the skin's moisture barrier that can become depleted in dry weather. There is one caveat: though it's great for dry skin generally, olive oil has actually been found to exacerbate the symptoms of eczema and psoriasis.
- Sweet almond oil: Sweet almond oil is noncomedogenic, meaning it doesn't build up on skin and clog pores. Like olive oil, it's also naturally high in antioxidants and vitamin E. Studies have also shown that almond oil applied topically can help to prevent the formation of stretch marks and even protect against "photoaging" (sun damage.) This makes it ideal for all kinds of massage oils, scrubs, and even facial oils. If you're allergic to nuts, however, this is probably not the oil for you.
- Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil is also noncomedogenic, and offers the benefits of being high in antioxidants like vitamin E. Like sweet almond oil, jojoba oil has been found to help reduce acne and aid in wound healing. It's also a humectant, which is part of why it's useful in keeping skin hydrated-- not just moisturized.
When it comes to essential oils, remember to opt for one that is skin friendly-- clove, citrus, and rosemary can all be irritating if used in high concentrations. Alternatively, some homemade infused oils like calendula oil or yarrow oil would be perfect for a body scrub-- and they're some of the best oils to use in skincare, as well.
How to make a salt scrub
Making a salt scrub takes about ten minutes and basically three steps: melt the oil and shea butter, mix them with the salt, and add essential oils. That said, there are a few minor details to look out for. Here's a step by step:
- Melt the oil and shea butter in a double boiler. You don't have to use an actual double boiler for this-- I use a metal mixing bowl over a small pot. Add the oil and shea butter and heat over low or medium heat. Let them sit until they're completely melted, and stir to make sure they're combined. You don't want to rush this step-- heating the oils can start to break them down, affecting shelf life down the line.
- In a medium mixing bowl, slowly add the oils to the salt. Different salts require a different amount of oil, so you probably won't need exactly ¼ cup of oil per cup of salt. For example, the pink salt pictured below was ground very fine and combined well with ¼ cup of oil. The epsom salts pictured, though, are extremely coarse and needed only 2 tablespoons of oil (plus 2 tablespoons of shea butter). To avoid making a greasy scrub, start with just 2 tablespoons of melted oil/shea butter. Mix to combine and add the oil mixture, 2 tablespoons at a time, until you've reached the consistency you like.
- Test the scrub on the back of your hand. Rub a dime-sized amount of the scrub into the top of your hand to see how you like the consistency. If it's too greasy, add more salt; too dry, add more oil. (If you're using epsom salts, keep in mind that they may soften up after sitting in the oils for a few days.)
- Add 10-15 drops of essential oils. Be sure to use skin-friendly essential oils! If you want to use citrus, clove, or rosemary essential oils, you may want to use fewer drops. Otherwise, I recommend going for relaxing scents like lavender, cedarwood, geranium, eucalyptus, and ylang-ylang.
- Transfer to a clean, dry container with an airtight lid and store somewhere cool and dark. Salt being a preservative, your salt scrub can keep for many months if stored properly. To extend its shelf life, try to avoid getting water in it. It's also best stored away from heat and sunlight-- both can cause the oil to start to degrade, which won't necessarily spoil the scrub, but will rob it of some of its beneficial properties.
- Use within six months. Now that you've made your salt scrub, don't be precious with it! It'll be best when used within a few months.
📖 Recipe
Salt Scrub Recipe
An easy to make, super exfoliating an moisturizing salt scrub that can keep for months
Ingredients
- 1 c salt (Kosher, Himalayan, sea salt, or epsom salt)
- ¼ c oil (coconut, sweet almond, extra virgin olive, or jojoba)
- 2 Tbsp. shea butter (or cocoa butter)
- 10-15 drops essential oil (optional)
Instructions
- In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the shea butter and oil. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, shea butter, and salt. Add the oils slowly, starting with two tablespoons for very coarse salt scrubs, and mix by hand. Continue adding the oil mix in two tablespoon increments until you've reached the desired consistency.
- Test the scrub by rubbing a small amount on the top of your hand. If too greasy, add more salt.
- Mix in 10-15 drops of a skin-friendly essential oil, if desired.
- Transfer to a clean, dry container with an airtight lid. Store somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.
Notes
- The coarser the salt you use, the less oil you need. Scrubs made with very coarse salts may need less oil than this recipe calls for. To avoid making a greasy-feeling scrub, add the oil slowly, two tablespoons at a time.
- Table salt is not recommended for this recipe, as it doesn't offer as high a concentration of the minerals that make salt scrubs so beneficial.
- For longer shelf life, use a newly opened oil; coconut oil, sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and extra virgin olive oil are all great options.
How to use salt scrubs
Salt scrubs can be used in the bath or shower, or simply in a steamy bathroom or sauna. It's best to apply them after washing, or at least after rinsing off in warm water-- having warm, dampened skin will help your pores to open up and make the most of the scrub's detoxifying, moisturizing effects.
If you want to use your salt scrub as a moisturizer, you won't need to use soap afterward. Just apply the scrub gently and rinse off when you're done. If you find that the scrub is a bit too greasy, or if you're just using it as an exfoliant, follow it up with soap-- and consider using a nice lotion or body butter afterward.
It's important to note that salt scrubs are not intended to be used as facial exfoliants. Even finely ground salt is too rough to use on your face. So, avoid the temptation to replicate that smooth, day-at-the-beach effect on your face and reserve your salt scrubs for the rest of your body. If you are looking for a DIY facial scrub, you could try out a much gentler sugar scrub (ideally made with a noncomedogenic oil).
How often should you use salt scrub?
It's up to you! As long as your salt scrub is moisturizing and it's not irritating your skin, you could use it every day.
Do salt scrubs damage your skin?
Salt scrubs made without oils can damage skin by drying it out or abrading it. Likewise, they could conceivably damage very sensitive skin, or cause abrasion when used too vigorously. But the beauty of natural salt scrubs is that they don't use the skin irritants that are common in commercial skincare products.
As long as they're made with salt that isn't too coarse, are used in appropriate areas (not the face!), and are applied gently, moisturizing salt scrubs with coconut oil (or similar oils) aren't known to be damaging. That said, if you're worried, keep an eye out for signs of irritation: inflammation, redness, or dryness.(And if you do have sensitive skin, consider using a less abrasive sugar scrub instead!)
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