News Flash! Sea Salt Is a Better-Skin Secret You Probably Already Own

By Maddie Aberman

Published on Dec 22, 2020

Photo by Anna Efetova / Getty Images

When’s the last time you reached for sea salt? If your answer is last night while you were cooking chicken parm for the fam, then you’re doing it wrong—at least in terms of your beauty routine. Yes, you read that right. Sea salt is a powerhouse ingredient that touts a ton of skin benefits.

Unlike your basic table salt (a.k.a. iodized salt), sea salt is a great source of magnesium. “Magnesium is a critical component in more than 300 biocellular processes and is actually better absorbed transdermally [through the skin] than through the GI tract [when eaten],” says dermatologist Dendy Engelman, MD. “We used to get plenty of magnesium from our diet, but years of over-farming have led to a dietary depletion. A great number of the population is deficient in magnesium, so we need to get it from external sources.”

But what can all that magnesium-heavy sea salt really do for your skin? Turns out, a whole lot. Keep reading to see why you should move the sea salt out of your kitchen and into your bathroom.

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Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon in New York City.

1. Face and Body Scrub

“Sea salt is a physical exfoliant,” says Dr. Engalman. “Physical exfoliants act as a buffer by physically removing the deadened skin cells on contact.” And as you work away those dead skin cells, plump, glowing skin is revealed underneath. We love KOSETTE Salt Body Scrub, which also uses detoxifying bamboo charcoal.

2. Acne Fighter

Sea salt might not be the first ingredient you think of to tackle breakouts, but think again. “Magnesium also helps acne and other skin disorders by reducing stress and cortisol levels, stabilizing hormonal imbalances, and improving cellular processes.”

3. Skin Soother

Fact: Inflammation is the root of all skin evil (aging, breakouts, sensitivity, you name it!). So anything you can do to reduce that inflammation is a big win for your skin. Enter sea salt. “Magnesium helps reduce inflammation in the skin therefore improving skin health, function, and appearance,” says Dr. Engelman.

4. Bath Soak

If you’re at all familiar with using sea salt in a beauty routine, then chances are you’ve used a bath soak. This easy addition to your self-care tub time does so much more than just feel relaxing—it can actually help relax your muscles, reduce stress and anxiety, and assist in sleep, says Dr. Engelman. Plus, magnesium helps with overall cell function and blood flow—a win, win for supple skin and muscles.

“Sea salts are a wonderful way to help remove toxins out of the body and allow the magnesium to enter,” says Dr Engelman “In a warm bath, the vessels in our skin dilate and allow for enhanced absorption of magnesium salts throughout the skin.”

5. Scalp Scrub

Did you forget about the skin on your scalp? We didn’t! We love a sea salt scalp scrub, like CHRISTOPHE ROBIN Cleansing Purifying Scrub With Sea Salt, to help deep clean our hair follicles from built up product, dirt, and oil, which can help with healthier hair growth. Another benefit of using salt scrubs on your scalp—it’s pretty hard to overdo it because the salt dissolves as you work it in.

Want to try out more buzzy skincare ingredients? We got you! Take our Beauty Quiz now to get started with your very own IPSY Glam Bag. Already an Ipster? Refer your friends to earn points, which you can use toward products. Either way, don’t forget to check us out on Instagram and Twitter @IPSY.

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