Draw Toxins Out of Your Body - 13 Wonderful Ways to Use Epsom Salts

Epsom Salt—who knew that such an uninspiring ingredient could inspire such devotion?

Epsom salts have amazing health benefits!

I spent some time at the Epsom Salt Industry Council web site and I learned that epsom salts—made of the mineral magnesium sulfate—are also a sedative for the nervous system.

When magnesium sulfate is absorbed through the skin, such as in a bath, it draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous system, reduces swelling, relaxes muscles, is a natural emollient, exfoliator, and much more.

13 Wonderful Ways to Use Epsom Salts

Relaxing and sedative bath: Soak in warm water and 2 cups of epsom salt.

Foot soak: Soothe aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry.

Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups epsom salt to a warm bath, and soak.

Splinter remover: Soak in epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.

Face cleaner: To clean your face at night, mix a half-teaspoon of epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water.

Homemade skin mask: Apply the mask to damp skin. For normal to oily skin, mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of non-fat dry milk, the juice of 1 lemon, and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, mix 1/4 cup of grated carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt.

Skin exfoliator: Massage handfuls of epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.

Remove excess oil from hair: Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from hair. Add 9 tablespoons of epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when it is dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse.

Remove hairspray: Combine 1 gallon of water, 1 cup of lemon juice, and 1 cup epsom salt. Combine, cover and let set for 24 hours. The next day, pour the mixture into your dry hair and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then shampoo as normal.

Hair volumizer: Combine equal parts of deep conditioner and epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.

Baths are wonderfully healing, and it is easy to make your own homemade, detox baths.

Hot water draws toxins out of the body to the skin’s surface, and while the water cools it pulls toxins from the skin. Epsom salts augment this detoxification by causing you to sweat. Other salts—all highly alkaline and cleansing—used in baths include sea salt, baking soda, clay, and Dead Sea salts.

Basic Salt Soak Bath Formula

Minerals and salts make the bath water feel silky and leave your skin cleansed and soft.
1 cup sea salts
2 cups baking soda
1 cup Epsom salts
1 to 2 tablespoons glycerin per bath
Combine the sea salts, baking soda, and Epsom salts in a bowl. Stir to blend. Pour 1/4 cup or so into the bath while the tub is filling. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons glycerin to keep your skin from drying out (more for dry skin, less for oily skin) and essential oils of choice.

Salt of the Earth Body Scrub
Recommended for all skin types except for those with acne (use with care on sensitive and environmentally damaged skin).

INGREDIENTS
2 cups sea salt (preferably finely ground, but regular granular will do)
¾ cup extra-virgin olive base oil or base oil of choice
40-60 drops peppermint, spearmint, grapefruit, geranium, or rosemary (chemotype verbenon) essential oil
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the sea salt and the base oil. Using a whisk, stir to blend. Add the essential oil drop by drop, blending after each addition.