DIY Skin & Hair Care with Epsom Salt | Epsom Salt Council
Skin Care icon

Epsom salt for skin and hair care

Epsom salt offers many beauty benefits for skin and hair. An exfoliating scrub of Epsom salt crystals can take your skin from winter-dry to summer-ready. It’s gentle enough for facial treatments and, blended with your favorite deep conditioner, leaves your hair looking fuller. Epsom salt can also be used to help relieve certain skin conditions.

Exfoliating with Epsom salt

Epsom salt crystals are a natural, gentle exfoliant—just mix with oil for a refreshing scrub that will smooth and soften your skin. Try this two-ingredient DIY body scrub from beauty expert Janice Cox to deep clean your arms, legs and back:

Epsom salt body scrub

  1. Mix ½ cup Epsom salt with ½ cup natural oil, such as almond or coconut.
  2. Scrub your body to deep clean and help your skin look healthier.

Facial treatments with Epsom salt

Esthetician Linda Ashbrook of the Golden Door Spa recommends adding Epsom salt to at-home facials to help retain moisture, eliminate toxins and relieve stress. She suggests the following DIY facial mask to soothe and soften skin after a day in the sun:

Epsom salt summer facial mask

  1. Mix 1 tbsp. Epsom salt, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. olive oil and 3 drops of lemon juice.
  2. Apply to face and leave on for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Rinse in a warm shower to wash away any impurities that have been drawn out by the Epsom salt.
  4. Moisturize with lotion and enjoy soothed, smooth skin.

Epsom salt’s exfoliating properties also make it ideal for a gentle but deep-cleaning facial scrub, like this one:

Epsom salt facial scrub

  1. Mix ½ tsp. of Epsom salt into your favorite cleansing cream.
  2. Massage on skin.
  3. Rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Increase hair volume with Epsom salt

DIY beauty experts swear by Epsom salt as a natural and effective body-building treatment for hair. Here’s a simple, two-ingredient recipe to try at home:

Epsom salt hair volumizer

  1. Combine equal parts warm conditioner and Epsom salt.
  2. Work the mixture through your hair and leave for 20 minutes.
  3. Rinse.

Learn more about Epsom salt for skin and hair care below.