8 Surprising Beauty Uses For Epsom Salt

Epsom salts aren’t just for athletes soaking their sore, tired muscles. They’re also an under-the-radar beauty treatment with a slew of benefits. "Epsom salt is a pure mineral compound—magnesium sulfate—and people don't realize that it can play a major role in their beauty routine," says Taz Bhatia, MD, founder and medical director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine. Here are her favorite home remedies that use the drugstore buy from head to toe.

1. Pump up the volume of your hair.
Add equal parts Epsom salt, such as Dr. Teal's Epsom salt, to equal parts of your favorite conditioner, work the mixture into your hair, and leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing. The treatment will get rid of excessive oils, which can leave hair looking flat and greasy. Bhatia suggests repeating the treatment once a week.

2. Do an at-home face scrub.
Using Epsom salt in your face scrub will give you great exfoliation.
Skip the pricey spa facial and get baby-smooth skin at home: Simply mix ½ to 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt with your favorite cleaning cream, and work the mixture it into your skin, using a circular motion, to remove dead skin cells, then rinse. "You’ll get great exfoliation," says Bhatia.

3. Soften callused feet.
If your feet are feeling a little rough around the edges, try this simple at-home softening treatment: Pour ½ cup of Epsom salt into a tub of warm water and soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes. "It will soften the skin," says Bhatia. You can then take a handful of Epsom salt, dampen it, and massage it on your feet to slough off dead, callused skin.

4. De-flake lips.
Cold weather and even just repeatedly licking your lips year-round can leave you with a parched, flakey pucker. For smoother, healthier-looking lips, mix a few tablespoons of Epsom salt with a teaspoon of petroleum jelly, gently massage the mixture onto your lips, and then wipe off.


5. Soothe a sunburn.
If you miss a spot with your trusty sunscreen and end up with an angry red mark, try this trick for easing a sunburn: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt in 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, and then spray the mixture on the sunburn to help reduce irritation, suggests Bhatia.

6. Take a moisturizing soak.
Take a moisturizing soak with Epsom salts to counter dry, scaly skin.
"In winter, a lot of us have super-dry, scaly skin," notes Bhatia. To counter that, pour two cups of Epsom salt into a bath, add in coconut oil or jojoba oil, and soak for 20 minutes. "Normally, if you stay too long in a bath, it will dry the skin further, but when you add Epsom salt and oil to the bath water, it hydrates your skin." Bonus: the magnesium in Epsom salt has a calming effect on the nervous system, so you'll also reduce stress and sleep better. Talk about a win-win.

7. Get relief from bug bites.
To soothe an itchy bug bite, stir 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt into 1 cup of water, dip a cotton washcloth in the mixture, and apply directly to the bite for relief.

8. Smooth rough skin.
You don't need to shell out for an expensive body scrub when you can create your own budget version at home: Mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt with your favorite body wash. Gently massage the mixture over any rough patches, such as elbows, knees, and feet, for smoother skin.