When it comes to exfoliating the skin, sugar scrubs flood the DIY skin care market. Haven’t you had enough of sugar scrubs, though? It’s time to get a new exfoliation go-to that sloughs off dead skin cells and bacteria in no time. The best way to do that is with a few simple ingredients, one of the best ones being Himalayan pink salt. 

What Is Himalayan Pink Salt?

Himalayan pink salt contains up to 98% sodium chloride, making it chemically similar to table salt. What makes it different from table salt is the fact that is consists of trace minerals, including potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals, in addition to iron oxide, give the salt its signature pink hue. It is extracted from the Khewra Salt Mine, located in the Himalayas in Pakistan. It’s one of the oldest and largest salt mines in the world. In fact, experts believe that the salt in this mine was formed millions of years ago as a result from the evaporation of ancient bodies of water. 

What Makes Salt Different?

The natural harvesting process of Himalayan salt allows it to retain as many trace minerals and elements as possible. In fact, some people estimate that Himalayan pink salt contains over 84 different minerals and trace elements. The processing of table salt eliminates these minerals and trace elements, making it an unhealthier version. 

This article isn’t focused on the consumption of salt; rather, it’s about using salt to enhance the health of the skin. Below, you’ll find a few surprising ways that Himalayan pink salt helps to restore your skin and body. 

Exfoliating

Exfoliating the skin is the most efficient way to remove dead skin cells. Himalayan pink salt is a gentle exfoliate and the mineral content helps to restore and hydrate the skin. It’s as though you get a two-for-one deal when you exfoliate with Himalayan pink salt. As you remove dead skin and bacteria, the mineral content nourishes new skin cells. 

Improves Glow

Everyone wants to look younger, but how do you do that without plaguing the skin with harmful ingredients? Himalayan salt has anti-inflammatory properties and it works to help balance the skin’s pH levels, both of which help to brighten the skin’s complexion. Additionally, the actual exfoliation helps to improve glow as well. Sloughing away dead skin cells gives your skin that beautiful shine you want. It also helps to keep acne at bay and allows the skin to breathe freely, revealing smoother skin.

Cellulite Reduction

One of the best ways to get rid of the bumps that are indicative of cellulite is to increase circulation to the skin’s surface. Exfoliation helps to remove clogged pores and dead skin cells, allowing the skin to breath. Additionally, massaging the skin with a salt scrub helps to break up the fat underneath the skin, helping to reduce those cellulite dimples.

DIY Himalayan Salt Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
• 1 cup Himalayan pink salt
• 5-10 drops frankincense essential oil

Instructions:

• Add the coconut oil to a heat-safe vessel and melt it in either a microwave or double boiler. If your coconut oil is already melted, you can skip that step.
• In the same vessel in which you melted the coconut oil, add the Himalayan salt and essential oil and mix well. 
• Spoon the scrub into a glass jar and store in a cool, dark place. 
• Use weekly by massaging a small amount on the skin after a shower. Make sure to rinse the skin after a couple minutes and pat dry so you don’t wipe away the coconut oil.

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Anyone with a skin care routine knows that exfoliation contributes to clearer, smoother, healthier skin. Exfoliation is also necessary when it comes to your scalp and your ability to boost hair growth. When you scrub your scalp with natural ingredients, you help to unclog hair follicles and get rid of any built-up dead skin cells or oils that get in the way of you having luscious locks.

While hair loss is much more prevalent in men, both men and women commonly experience pattern hair loss at some point in life. Women tend to experience thinning hair or hair loss in different patterns than men, and it happens much later in life for them. Experts believe that hormonal issues play a role in female hair loss. Men, on the other hand, can lose hair early on in life and about 95% of male hair loss is due to androgenetic alopecia. This is a genetic trait that causes receding hairline, thinning hair, or pattern baldness.

The Scalp’s Role In Hair Growth

If you don’t regularly scrub your scalp, you can kiss your dreams of thick hair goodbye. Just like your skin, the scalp has a dermis and an epidermis, but it also has a large concentration of terminal hair follicles. Diet, medications, illnesses, and hormones, can alter the growth cycle of these hair follicles. According to scientific research, a healthy and balanced diet plays a major role in the health of hair follicles, hair thickness, and the survival of hair.

Why Should You Scrub Your Scalp?

As we mentioned earlier, dead skin cells, oil, dirt, and grease can accumulate on the scalp, blocking pores and contributing to unhealthy hair. Exfoliating your scalp helps to remove all that build-up and naturally balance your scalp’s pH level. When you massage the scrub into your scalp it helps to increase blood flow, and several studies show that better circulation to the scalp boosts hair growth. Try the following scalp scrubs to strengthen, grow, and protect your hair.

Pink Salt Scalp Scrub

Himalayan pink salt helps to scrub away dead skin cells and dandruff, unclogging hair follicles in the process. By exfoliating the scalp, the pink salt helps to boost the penetration of other ingredients to your hair follicles. The peppermint essential oil also aids with exfoliation, but it works to unclog hair follicles and make your hair shinier. Finally, the coconut oil helps to nourish the scalp and strengthen your hair.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Himalayan pink salt
• 10 drops peppermint essential oil
• melted coconut oil

Instructions:

• Add the salt and peppermint oil to a bowl, and pour in enough melted coconut oil to form a spreadable paste. Stir the mixture and let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour before you use it.
• Take a dollop of the mixture and massage it into your scalp. Let it sit for a few movements and then shampoo out. Use this once every two weeks.

Brown Sugar And Oatmeal Scalp Scrub

This scalp scrub is all about gentle exfoliation, which is perfect if you have sensitive skin. The combination of sugar, oats, and your favorite conditioner works to exfoliate without drying the scalp or adding excess oils. Many cultures use oats in hair care routines to facilitate hair growth and contribute to thicker hair.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rolled oats, ground
• 2 tablespoons hair conditioner

Instructions:

• Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
• Get in the shower and shampoo your hair to remove any products, oil, and dead skin cells.
• Scoop a small amount of this scrub into your hand and massage it into your scalp in a circular motion. Rinse hair thoroughly after two minutes.

Lemon Scalp Scrub

This scrub is honestly the perfect one-two punch, offering moisturizing and exfoliating properties. The citric acid in lemon is a powerful exfoliator that helps to remove built-up oils or dead skin cells. Olive oil contains vitamins A and E, two powerful antioxidants that fight free radicles, which contribute to hair loss.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

• Add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
• Before you use this scrub, make sure your hair is damp. Massage the scrub into your scalp in a circular motion and then rinse well with warm water.
• Follow with regular shampoo and conditioner regimen.

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Before people knew about sea salt, Himalayan salt, black salt, and Celtic sea salt, salt was just salt. It remained unchanged for centuries, but there are numerous salts in the spice aisle of the grocery store nowadays. The primary salt battle exists between sea salt and regular table salt. To the untrained palate, there is no difference between them, but one is much healthier than the other.

Sea salt comes from evaporating seawater (the ocean), whereas manufacturers mine table salt from salt deposits and process it into fine crystals. Table salt is fortified with iodine, which happened as a result of iodine deficiencies in the United States in in the early 1900s. Manufacturers use chemical additives in table salt to prevent clumping, whereas sea salt comes from direct evaporation of seawater. It is not processed and therefore retains trace minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients.

What Is Table Salt?

Table salt is called table salt for a reason: it is on every table in restaurants or homes. It is found in high quantities in almost every processed food item or fast food meal. This is one of the primary reasons that Americans consume more sodium than they should, which has led to increased rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and water retention.

Table salt is heavily refined and heated, so all of the inherent nutrients are gone before you season your food with it. Finally, some manufacturers add fluoride, bleaching compounds, and monosodium glutamate (MSG) to table salt. The final product is filled with harmful ingredients, which is why nutritionists look down on it, but natural sea salt is a different story.

What Is Sea Salt?

Table salt is highly processed and refined, whereas natural salt like sea salt is not heated or manipulated. Because the chemical structure is unaltered, it retains the naturally occurring minerals. In fact, sea salt can contain as many as 60 different trace minerals, some of which include zinc, boron, iron, magnesium, silicon, calcium, and copper.

Some sea salt varieties have larger crystals, but this depends on where they are sourced. The source of sea salt can also increase the mineral content. For example, sel gri (gray sea salt) comes from salt beds that contain clay, and it has over 100 different minerals. Finally, it is lower in sodium than most other salts, including sea salt.

Don’t Pass The Salt…Switch To Natural Sea Salt

You don’t need to view salt in a negative light. Natural salts like sea salt or Himalayan pink salt have alkalizing properties and minerals that the body needs to function optimally. Avoid the chemically processed and altered table salt because there are no benefits. But this doesn’t mean you should season the heck out of your food with sea salt. When consumed in excess, sea salt can be detrimental to your health. Use sea salt in moderation and it will benefit your overall health. When you over-salt your food, you increase your risk of cardiovascular health complications.

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The changing of seasons can make your skin do some weird things. You may look down and be appalled by cracked, red, or dry hands or skin patches on the body. Dry skin is not only unpleasant to look at, but it can make you feel self-conscious. Listen, nobody is perfect and everybody has that one item in his or her skin care routine that contributes to flawless-looking skin. This Himalayan pink salt scrub could be that item for you.

You may be thinking, “Isn’t Himalayan pink salt meant for seasoning food? Isn’t that what those hipster salt lamps are made of?” You are correct on both accounts, but it is actually incredibly beneficial for your skin. Mined in the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, primarily in Pakistan, Himalayan pink salt is one of the purest forms of salt. Ancient oceans deposited these salts in the Himalayas over 250 million years ago, and the salt beds were covered by lava, ice, and snow for millions of years. This makes Himalayan pink salt free of modern-day pollutants. Isn’t that cool?

Benefits Of Himalayan Salt

Rich In Magnesium

Magnesium is necessary for many chemical reactions in the body, but the primary functions include muscle relaxation and nervous system regulation. Himalayan salt has trace amounts of magnesium and a scientific review found that magnesium can possibly enter the lymphatic system via the skin. While you should obtain magnesium via dietary sources, you can also increase your magnesium intake with a scrub containing Himalayan salt.

Powerful Exfoliator

In general, salt is a natural exfoliator that works to remove dead skin cells that accumulate on the skin. The essential trace minerals in Himalayan salt work to soften the skin and restore hydration as it scrubs away the dead cells, so you aren’t left with dry or raw skin.

Great For Acne, Eczema, And Psoriasis

The antimicrobial properties of Himalayan salt have been known to be beneficial for clearing up blemishes on the skin. You can apply the salt to the skin via a scrub, like the one in this article, or you can add it to a bath and soak in it. That’s especially beneficial if you have acne on your back. Mineral baths have also shown to be beneficial for people with eczema or psoriasis. The salt helps to reduce the redness, scaling, and irritation that is commonly associated with these conditions.

DIY Pink Himalayan Salt Coconut Oil Scrub

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups ground pink Himalayan salt
• 1/3 cup virgin unrefined coconut oil

Instructions:

• Combine the Himalayan salt and coconut oil in a large bowl and mix well with a spoon or your hands. Make sure that both ingredients are thoroughly combined.
• Spoon this mixture into a glass jar and screw on the lid for optimal storage. You are now ready to use it!
• You can apply this scrub several times a week to help reduce dryness and combat other skin conditions.  

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What’s going on with these salt lamps? They seem to be taking the health world by storm! You may have seen one of these oddly shaped pink lamps in a friend’s home, advertised online, or in a store somewhere. It’s easy to look at something like a salt lamp and think that it is just a health gimmick or that it has a placebo effect on the person. In reality, it can actually help purify whatever room you put it in.

When we say “purify,” it’s easy to assume that this is merely a spiritual product. While looking at the glow of a salt lamp can have a calming effect, it’s important to know a little chemistry. There are water molecules in the air and these molecules can carry pollutants like mold, allergens, or bacteria. Because salt is hygroscopic, meaning that it attracts water molecules to itself, Himalayan salt lamps work to trap the polluted water molecules for a cleaner, purified space.

According to experts, authentic Himalayan pink salt originates in Khewra, Pakistan, along the western edge of the Himalayas. These lamps are blocks of Himalayan salt that have been hand-carved. Sometimes they are light pink, but they can also have a subtle orange hue. The color depends on the mineral concentration. Aside from the salt lamps, pink salt itself has the following benefits:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Antibacterial
• Removes airborne pathogens
• Loosens excessive mucus

Himalayan salt lamps help to create a more balanced and mindful space. They also release negative ions into the surrounding environment, which helps you feel more rejuvenated. You’ll find four reasons why you should get a Himalayan salt lamp below.

They Cleanse They Air

This is the reason most people purchase Himalayan salt lamps. Given that we are exposed to airborne pollutants out in the world, it is beneficial for your health to have clean air in your home. When the salt lamps absorb the water molecules, they trap the toxins inside, but the water evaporates back into the air.

They Ease Allergy & Asthma Symptoms

Because Himalayan salt lamps work to trap allergens and other airborne toxins, many people with respiratory ailments experience relief when they put salt lamps in their homes. Additionally, the salt lamps help those with asthma or allergies by counteracting the harmful effects of positive ions in the air.

They Reduce Electromagnetic Radiation

You can’t argue that we live in a technological world filled with electronic devices. While these devices provide convenience, they also leave behind electromagnetic radiation, also known as electrosmog. Constant exposure to this can weaken the immune system and increase stress levels. Because of the negative ions that salt lamps emit, you help to cancel out the positive ions in the air and neutralize electromagnetic radiation.

They Promote Better Sleep

Having a lot of positive ions in the air can create irregular sleep patterns. The positively charged ions actually rob the brain of sufficient blood and oxygen supply, which ultimately affects the quality of your sleep. Himalayan salt lamps neutralize these ions, improving the air quality in your bedroom. If you are sensitive to light, we recommend turning the lamp off when you go to sleep.

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Not all food items are the same. There are bad sweeteners, and there are sweeteners that don’t harm the body. The same thing can be said for salts. When you consume a lot of salt in you diets, you increase your risk of developing high blood pressure, reduced kidney function, or other forms of heart disease. You don’t need to douse everything you eat in regular table salt. You can get that salty flavor by only using a small amount of the salts listed in this article. Not only do they enhance the flavor of your food, they also bring a host of nutrients!

How can you discern the bad salts from the good salts? There are more and more salts hitting the market nowadays, so we are presenting you with three ones that you can always rely on.

1. Naturally Dried Sea Salt

Most foods are healthy in their natural state, and the same thing can be said for salt. Naturally dried sea salt is salt that has been made from natural seawater evaporation. This natural process allows the salt to retain a ton of essential trace minerals, which regular tables salts don’t have because of the refining process. The only concern with using unrefined, natural sea salt is whether or not it comes from a clean, uncontaminated source. Pacific sea salt from New Zealand or Hawaiian sea salt are great options. New Zealand waters may actually be cleaner than Hawaiian waters though. People in New Zealand have actually been mining for salt, and they created areas below sea level to dry the salt from the ocean. Some of those fields are still used today.

2. Pink Himalayan Salt

Pink Himalayan salt is a very popular salt in the culinary world. This rock salt is mined in the ancient salt beds of the Himalayas, so you can taste history when you season your food. Ok, maybe not, but you don’t have to worry about contamination because of how old the salt beds are. Himalayan salt, much like naturally dried sea salt, contains beneficial trace minerals and it looks pretty because it’s pink, which is due to the presence of oxide. Health studies have shown that pink Himalayan salt can help improve the body’s pH balance because it contains about 84 different minerals and trace elements.

3. Black Lava Salt

Hawaiian black lava salt is incredible. The name may seem slightly intimidating, or as though it isn’t meant for food, but the salt actually gets the color from the volcanoes. Not only does it mean the salt has activated charcoal, it also means that there is a heightened flavor profile. Aside from adding a somewhat smokey flavor, the activated charcoal helps to cleanse the body and improve digestive health. This means that you reap the benefits of activated charcoal every time you sprinkle this salt on your food!

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Citrus salts are a fun way to keep your food interesting. They can awaken your taste buds and make an ordinary dish, dressing, or sauce flavorful and zesty. You can be experimental with various citrus fruits and spices, creating unusual flavors that cater to different cuisines.

You can always build more flavors on top of other flavors. Citrus zest offers a subtle yet signature hint of citrus to whatever you are making. You can use mandarins, lemons, limes, grapefruit, oranges, or tangerines, and you’ll be reaping the many health benefits of each citrus peel. Here are a couple reasons why you should regularly add citrus peels to your salts.

Antioxidant-Rich

Much like citrus fruits themselves, the peels are rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants work to protect your DNA from free radical damage, and can help boost the immune system as well. Plus, many citrus fruits, specifically lemons and limes, are great for helping the body reach an alkaline state.

Lowering Cholesterol

Several studies indicate that consuming citrus peels can help lower cholesterol levels and decrease a person’s risk of heart disease. Citrus peels actually contain PMF compounds, which help to lower bad LDL cholesterol levels by 30%.

IMPORTANT: ONLY USE SEA SALT WHEN MAKING THESE CITRUS SALTS. HIMALAYAN PINK SALT IS ALSO OKAY TO USE.

Making The Salts

The best way to zest the citrus peels is with a microplane grater. The amount of grated citrus peel should always be the same as the amount of sea salt used. For example, if you have one ounce of grated lemon peel, you should mix it with one ounce of sea salt. When you zest the citrus peel, mix it in the sea salt with your fingers. Let the citrus salt dry in the open air and then cover it in a glass jar. You can store it in your cupboard. Just keep adding sea salt and more citrus zest to keep up your supply. Try out some combos below and see how they enhance your dishes!

Orange Tarragon Salt

Mix together equal parts orange zest and sea salt and combine with tarragon to your desired taste. This can be a great seasoning for a salad dressing.

Lime Chili Salt

Mix together equal parts lime zest and sea salt and add your desired amount of cayenne pepper or red chili flakes. Using more cayenne or chili flakes will obviously intensify the heat.

Lemon Lavender Salt

This can be a great seasoning for raw ice cream recipes. The subtlety of lemon and lavender set up a beautifully refreshing flavor.

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