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Summer Skin Care Tips: How Epsom Salt Can Help Before, After Being in the Sun

For beach season, celebrity skin care guru Ole Henriksen says you should exfoliate before going out in the sun to rev up circulation, facilitating the elimination of toxins or impurities that may be trapped in the skin. In addition to detoxification, Henriksen says, exfoliation leaves the skin luminous, smooth and soft in texture, and it removes any excess dead skin, allowing for better absorption and easier application of sunscreen or lotion.

Here's his recipe for an at-home dermabrasion resurfacing treatment called the "Shower smoothie:"

• Ingredients: 4 oz. of Epsom salt, 4 oz. coffee grounds, 1 TSP eucalyptus oil and enough sesame oil to form a smooth paste.
• Mix the Epsom salt and coffee grounds in a medium bowl, then add the oils and stir thoroughly until you have a smooth, but not runny paste.
• Get in the shower, get wet and turn off the water. Use the entire palm of each hand to vigorously scrub your body for several minutes, from your neck to your feet.
• Afterward, just rinse and glow. Your skin will feel smooth, and you'll notice an immediate lifting and constricting of the skin.

"Epsom Salt has amazing detoxifying properties and melts into the skin when activated by ingredients in my recipes," Henriksen says. "The texture of Epsom Salt is firm, yet very smooth to the touch. This makes the exfoliation process comfortable for all skin types."

After a day outdoors, cosmetologist Linda Ashbrook of the Golden Door Spa suggests soaking in Epsom salt for 20 minutes to relax tired muscles and soften the skin, which can get dry from the sun or sandy beaches. Add a few drops of aromatherapy oil, such as lavender or frankincense, to make it more relaxing, then use a very rich moisturizer afterward to further soften the skin. The Epsom salt - actually magnesium sulfate - helps retain moisture, eliminate toxins and relieve stress, Ashbrook says.

"With our skin being the largest organ, it absorbs and uses nutrients applied topically," Ashbrook says. "As most people are deficient in magnesium, taking an Epsom salt bath is the easiest way to restore this mineral to the body."

To soothe summer skin, Ashbrook also advises making a quick and easy facial mask while in the bath. Here's how:

• Ingredients: a tablespoon each of Epsom salt, honey and olive oil (for oily skin add a few drops of lemon juice).
• Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Rinse in a warm shower to wash away any impurities that have been drawn out from the Epsom salt.
• Moisturize with your favorite lotion.

Here are two other tips for using Epsom salt this summer:

• Pedicure Perfection: Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for 15 to 20 minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.
• For mild sunburn: Doctors say Epsom salt can help soothe itching, burning skin. Suggestions include:
  • Make a compress by soaking a cotton washcloth in cold water that has been mixed with Epsom salt (two tablespoons per cup), then apply to the skin.
  • Create a paste to apply to the skin by adding a teaspoon of Epsom salt to about a cup of hot water until it dissolves, then chilling the solution in the fridge for 20 minutes. Note: Clean the skin and pat dry before applying the paste.
  • Take an Epsom salt bath, by adding two cups of Epsom salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub and soaking for at least 12 minutes. The Epsom salt will dissolve quicker if you put it under the running water.

About OLEHENRIKSEN FACE / BODY SPA

Skin Care Guru to the stars, Ole Henriksen has spent years sharing advice with top beauty editors, celebrities and clients at his Hollywood spa. Throughout the past 35 years, Ole has treated some of Hollywood's most famous faces and developed a successful product line that offers solutions for every major skin concern. The OLEHENRIKSEN FACE / BODY SPA has become a sought after hot spot in Hollywood because every client is treated like a VIP and receives skin care treatments with exceptional products and visible results. For more information, please visit www.olehenriksen.com.

About Golden Door Spa

The original Golden Door Spa, founded by Deborah Szekely in 1959, is home to one of the most dynamic, innovative and high-energy fitness programs in the world today. Honored in 2010 with the Crystal Award for Favorite Spa in North America by readers of Luxury SpaFinder, it is known for its customized fitness programs, 20 miles of private hiking trails, Japanese-inspired architecture, and staff-to-guest ratio of 4:1. Golden Door Spa is part of the LXR Luxury Resorts & Hotels collection, located throughout the U.S. and Caribbean - a portfolio of independent properties distinguished by a style and spirit that captures the unique qualities of their setting. For information and reservations call Golden Door Spa at (800) 424-0777 or e-mail reservations@goldendoor.com.

About Epsom salt

Epsom salt - actually magnesium sulfate - is one of the most versatile household products, with uses ranging from creating at-home spa treatments to soothing achy muscles to helping start or improve gardens. It's been used therapeutically for hundreds of years, and it's gaining a new generation of fans looking for a safe, economical alternative in a sea of expensive, over-the-counter remedies. Epsom salt is easy to use, easy to find in your local pharmacy or grocery store and it costs about the same per use as a cup of coffee. For more information, please visit either www.epsomsaltcouncil.org, www.facebook.com/epsomsalt, or contact Peter Smolowitz, (704)916-6163, psmolowitz@mower.com.

Golden Door Spa
Jennifer Hart, 760-761-4124
jhart@luxuryresorts.com
www.goldendoor.com
or
Ole Henriksen Face/Body Spa
Kim Farrington, 646-756-4210
kim@kpr-nyc.com
www.olehenriksen.com
or
Epsom Salt Council
Peter Smolowitz, 704-916-6163
psmolowitz@mower.com
www.epsomsaltcouncil.org