What do people mean by the phrase “female beauty”? A certain collective image of an ideal girl with an elegant figure, regular facial features and flawless velvety skin appears in my head. Clean and smooth skin of the face, and even better of the whole body - this is an important part of an attractive appearance. And women spend a lot of effort to keep it fresh and supple, without acne and black spots. This is an uncompromising war, which does not reckon with costs. And moisturizers, scrubs, peels , professional cosmetologists, anti-aging procedures and a variety of homemade skin care recipes go into battle.
The most experienced ladies know that the simplest and most inexpensive component for home remedies is plain salt.
Which salt to take
What should I buy salt for the face - sea or table? The sea has a more complex composition with many useful components: here iodine, and fluorine, and magnesium, and sodium, and other substances. But it is usually found in stores in the form of large fractions, and it needs to be additionally grinded so that large pieces do not injure the skin.
Salt contains fewer useful components, but it is always at hand, and it has a finer grinding (if it is not pickled). So, salt has reduced nutritional activity, but cosmetics based on it also well cleanse the skin and increase its tone.
The use of salt in cosmetology
How does this wonderful product work? Salt causes slight irritation on the skin, therefore, near the epidermis, blood flow increases, blood circulation becomes more intense, and cells receive additional nutrients.
Another beneficial effect is cleansing. Salt for the face is very useful, not without reason it is included in various products. It helps to clean pores, remove a layer of keratinized cells from the surface and provide oxygen access to the dermis.
If sea salt is used for masks and scrubs, then the epidermis will be enriched with valuable mineral components, namely:
- iodine, which will help to cleanse and improve the epidermal cells;
- potassium, the absence of which leads to withering of the skin and the formation of early wrinkles;
- bromine, calcium and magnesium - a trio of substances that improve blood circulation;
- iron, the lack of which leads to anemia and deterioration of complexion;
- selenium, a powerful antioxidant;
- copper and zinc, which protect the skin from the harmful effects of the environment;
- silicon and magnesium, which tone the epidermis and make the skin more elastic.
Indications for use
Face salt must be used in the presence of the following problems:
- oily, unhealthy skin with characteristic signs - greasy shine and large pores;
- ugly pigmentation - freckles, spots, dark traces from the dead acne, etc .;
- a tendency to form acne and blackheads, increased activity of the sebaceous glands, clogged pores;
- low skin elasticity, age-related fatigue of the epidermis.
The main recommendations when using salt masks and scrubs
Face scrubs and face masks with salt will be more effective and will not cause harm if applied correctly, taking into account the following recommendations:
- Salt is an aggressive and dangerous substance. The sharp edges of the crystals can damage the dermis, which is why finely ground products are always used in recipes.
- Natural olive oil significantly reduces the aggressive effect of NaCl, but reduces the effectiveness of the cosmetic product.
- It is best to use sea salt, ideally from the Dead Sea. You should not use bath salt, as it contains a lot of dyes and perfume. The use of shallow, iodized salt is not recommended.
- The mask or scrub recipe should be chosen according to the type of skin.
- It is necessary to familiarize yourself with contraindications.
- Allergotest before the procedure is a mandatory step. It is carried out as follows: the finished product with face salt is applied to the inner surface of the hand or behind the ear, aged 15 minutes, then it is washed off. After a half-hour pause, it is necessary to evaluate the result - there should not be redness, rash, irritation at the place of application, and during the procedure there should be no unpleasant sensations like itching or burning. If the allergotest was a failure, you need to try the recipe with other ingredients. Or completely abandon salt-based cosmetics.
- Means are applied to prepared skin - clean, without cosmetics, steamed.
- Masks and scrubs can be applied not on the entire face, but locally, in problem areas.
- Do not arbitrarily increase the exposure time of the mask - it is either specified in the recipe, or is standard for most formulations 15 minutes.
- Salt masks and scrubs need to be washed off very carefully - with warm water and several times, and then apply a moisturizer.
Lotions and solutions
Very often, acne salt on the face is used in the form of lotions and solutions. NaCl is a powerful natural antiseptic with a disinfecting and drying effect.
For prevention: Dissolve half a teaspoon of sea salt in a glass of warm boiled water. Apply to a cotton pad and wipe the problem areas a couple of times a week, avoiding the eyelids.
For oily skin with local rashes: 3 tbsp. l shavings of baby soap, 1 tbsp. l NaCl in 200 ml of water. Wet a cotton pad and treat the rash area. Then rinse, alternating heated and cold water. Repeat at least 2 times a week.
For problem skin, with large pores and large acne: 1.5 tbsp. l salt per 150 ml of boiling water, wait until the saturated solution cools. Wipe, in especially inflamed areas, hold a cotton wool with a solution for 1-2 minutes. If inflammation is spread all over the face, then you can use a gauze soaked in a saturated solution - it can withstand up to 5 minutes. Procedures should be carried out no more than 4 times a week. After you must wash your face and lubricate it with a moisturizing or nourishing cream.
Wipe for problematic skin, but without inflamed purulent blackheads: apply a little sea salt on a cotton pad soaked in chamomile broth and wipe the face with a disc - using soft, non-pressing movements in the direction of the massage lines and avoiding the eye area. Massage no more than 1-2 minutes, then wash thoroughly.
Scrubs
Face scrub is used no more than once a week. With increased skin sensitivity, it is excluded from the list of permitted cosmetics. It is also worth limiting the use if the skin is too curly and too dry. NaCl is used as an independent tool, but more often in a company with other useful ingredients, for example:
- With coffee grounds: salt and coffee are mixed in equal volumes, a few drops of cosmetic oil are added to partially neutralize the salt.
- With soda: soda and face salt are often found in a variety of recipes for home cosmetics. But the most traditional combination is a scrub of salt and soda in equal volumes, which helps to remove black spots on the face. For easier application, it is mixed with a small amount of soap foam (shaving foam from a bottle).
- With honey: NaCl and liquid honey are mixed in equal volumes. If the skin is dry and has a tendency to peeling, then a little cosmetic or natural olive oil should be added to the main components.
All scrubs need to be washed off with a large amount of warm water, and after the procedure, apply cream to the skin.
Masks
The regular use of salt masks has a beneficial effect on the skin of the face - it rejuvenates, becomes smoother and firmer, and the number of rashes decreases. The mask should be selected according to the type of skin: if dry, then preference should be given to recipes where oils and similar components are present; if oily, then in the composition of home remedies must be present drying components. For combination skin, you should choose either neutral means, or use masks locally, in problem areas.
A very good mask based on honey and salt for the face: 2 tbsp. l heat honey in a water bath, add 2 tsp to them. fine sea salt and a little cosmetic oil. After the composition has cooled, apply on face, wait 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.
With banana puree: make mashed potatoes from one fresh banana, add 1 tsp to it. NaCl and one whipped protein. Then enter 1 tsp. lemon juice - it will lighten the skin and dry it. The mixture is applied to the face for 25 minutes, then washed off.
With kefir: to 1 tbsp. l cottage cheese add 1 tbsp. l kefir and add one teaspoon of salt and honey. For girls with dry skin, it is better to replace kefir with milk.
With clay: mix any cosmetic clay in equal volumes with salt and dilute to a condition of sour cream with a decoction of chamomile or calendula (always cooled).
Wrinkle facial salt is used in the following recipes:
- Rejuvenating mask of semolina: mix one tablespoon of semolina, salt and honey with one egg yolk. Apply to skin surface and leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly.
- Mask against wrinkles and age spots, or a Chinese mask for porcelain skin: one teaspoon of salt, honey and potato starch is mixed and applied to the face in several layers, each layer is dried separately. The total procedure time is 25 minutes, spend 1 time per week.
Salt peeling
Face peeling with salt is carried out using any NaCl-based scrub. You can also use a gel for washing with the addition of salt. But dermatologists do not recommend performing the procedure more often than once a week or a maximum of two if the face is oily. And some experts do not recommend using NaCl for face treatment in principle, using it only in body care products.
The harmful effects of salt
Why is NaCl so dangerous? Everyone knows that table and sea salt are safe natural substances. And all the danger lies in the details. For example, you cannot use any salt products on the skin around the eyes, since it is very thin and sensitive in this place. In addition, a mask or scrub can get into the eyes, which will cause irritation.
You also need to carefully use scrubs - prolonged intensive rubbing of poorly prepared coarse salt can damage the epidermis.
Contraindications
It is not necessary to add salt to the composition of the face if:
- The skin on the face is thin, delicate, sensitive and prone to redness.
- You have high blood pressure, especially chronic hypertension.
- There are open wounds on the surface of the face.
- Near the epidermis there is an accumulation of capillaries (rosacea).
- There is an oncological disease.
- You are pregnant.
Reviews of cosmetics with salt
Reviews about face salt, that is, about its use in various recipes for home scrubs and masks, vary. Most women and girls are very happy that they found a penny skin care product: salt scrubs and masks perfectly eliminate black spots, help reduce the frequency of acne and acne rashes, tighten and rejuvenate the face.
Others note either the low effectiveness of home-based NaCl products or the presence of side effects such as excessive dryness of the face, irritation, itching and burning. This is most likely due to the fact that the girls incorrectly assessed the type of their skin and used inappropriate components or neglected the allergotest, the list of contraindications and did not apply a nourishing or moisturizing cream after the procedure.