November 29, 2017 by Jayshree Bhagat
First question, what is Epsom salt? Epsom salt is a saline spring located at Epsom in Surrey, England. It is nothing but pure magnesium sulphate. Since ancient times, this is known as the natural remedy to cure number of ailments. It also has a wide array of health and beauty benefits, household and gardening uses.
Let us see the top 12 uses of Epsom salt.
Benefits of Epsom salt:
1. Eases stress and relaxes the body:
This helps in distressing the body and boosting levels of adrenaline. Epsom salts are absorbed in the skin when dissolved in warm water. The magnesium in the salt helps release serotonin, which is a mood-boosting chemical in the brain that gives a calm and relaxing feel. This also increases energy and stamina by producing adenosine triphosphate in the cells. Taking bath with Epsom salt three times a week can make you look better and energize you. Magnesium ions also help to relax and thus, lower irritability. They give a relaxing feel that improves sleep, concentration and helps muscles and nerves to function properly.
2. Relieves pain:
An Epsom salt bath is a natural remedy to ease pain, treat sore muscles and bronchial asthma, and relieve inflammation, migraine, headaches etc. This is also used to heal cuts and lower soreness from childbirth. Mix Epsom salt with hot water and apply this paste to sooth pain.
3. Helps muscles and nerves function properly:
Epsom salt helps to regulate the electrolyte balance in the body, maintain muscle functioning, and also the working of nerves.
4. Prevent hardening of arteries:
Epsom salt is used to maintain heart health, prevent heart diseases and hear attacks. This improves blood circulation, protects elasticity of arteries, prevents blood clots and reduces the risk of heart attack.
5. Diabetes:
Maintained magnesium and sulphate levels in the body help in increasing the insulin that can lower diabetes.
6. Constipation:
Epsom salt is beneficial to treat constipation. It can be taken internally to detoxify colon. The salt is a laxative that increases water in the intestines and gives relief from constipation.
7. Eliminates toxins:
Epsom salt contains sulphates which flush away the toxins and other heavy metals from the body cells. This helps to ease muscle pain and eliminate harmful toxins. Add Epsom Salt to water in a bathtub; soak for 10 minutes to detoxify your body.
8. Hair Volumizer:
Mix equal parts of deep conditioner and Epsom salt. Warm this in a pan and apply to your hair, leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly to give volume to your beautiful hair.
9. Hairspray:
Mix water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 cup Epsom salt. Cover this mixture and leave it aside for 24 hours. Next day, pour this on your dry hair and leave for 25 minutes. Shampoo your hair and rinse off.
10. Foot odour:
Mix half cup of Epsom salt with warm water. Soak your feet in this for 15-20 minutes. This will remove bad odour, sooth pain, and soften skin.
11. Blackheads:
Mix a teaspoon of epsom salt with 3 drops iodine in half a cup of boiling water. Apply on the blackheads with cotton to remove blackhead.
Mix a cup of epsom salt with a tablespoon olive oil, and rub on your wet skin to exfoliate and soften.
To make Exfoliating face cleanser, mix half-teaspoon of Epsom salt with some cleansing cream. Gently massage this on your face with cold water.
12. Face mask:
This is the best face pack for normal to oily skin. Mix 1 tablespoon of cognac, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 lemon juice, and half-teaspoon of Epsom salt. For normal to dry skin, you can make the mask by mixing 1/4 cup of carrot, 1 1/2 teaspoons of mayonnaise and a half-teaspoon of epsom salt. Apply the mask to damp skin as this will immediately cleanse your skin and give you a radiant glow.
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Uses for Epsom Salt
Here are 21 of my favorites uses for don’t have this magnesium-rich (and inexpensive) household staple:
1. Relaxing Bath Soak
Epsom salt has been added to baths as a relaxing soak since it was first discovered at a salty spring in Epsom, England. The high magnesium content makes it a wonderfully relaxing soak.
I’m a big fan of using epsom salts as part of my detox bath routine. I also usually add a little epsom salt to my kids’ baths to help them sleep.
What to do: Add a cup of epsom salt to a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes. You can also add a drop or two of lavender essential oil, which adds a lovely scent and helps induce relaxation as well.
2. Splinter Removal
This is an old trick I learned from an elderly relative and we use it all the time. With six kids who love to climb trees and run around barefoot, splinters are a fact of life. Unfortunately, the removal of these splinters used to cause a lot of heartache at our house.
Now, I make a strong solution of warm water and epsom salt and let the splinter soak for about 10 minutes. This makes it so much easier to remove (and helps stop the pain too!).
What to do: Dissolve 1/3 cup epsom salt in 1 cup of warm/hot water and stir until completely dissolved. Soak the affected finger/toe/body part with the splinter for at least 10 minutes and carefully remove the splinter with tweezers or a sewing needle. Also, use common sense: if the splinter is big, deep, a puncture wound, bleeding, or simply won’t come out, visit a doctor.
3. Magnesium Foot Scrub
Our feet are one of the most over-worked and under-appreciated parts of our bodies. On days that I hike, garden, or work outside for hours, it’s easy to end up with sore feet and legs, so I love to use this soothing and silkening (is that a word?) magnesium foot scrub.
What to do: Find (and print) the full recipe here, but you basically mix up 1 cup of epsom salt or magnesium flakes with some carrier oil and a little castile soap to make a luxurious foot scrub. It also seems to help with cracked heels if you get those as well.
4. Firming Facial Wash
Did I mention that magnesium can help firm the skin and exfoliate? I add a little epsom salt to my face wash or oil cleansing routine for a soothing and firming boost.
What to do: I grind up epsom salt (in the blender or using a mortar and pestle) and add it to my face wash or oil cleansing oil as I massage it into my face. I find this works better than trying to add it to the face wash in the container.
5. Body Ache Relief
Once upon a time I got a bad case of the stomach flu and my body ached all over as it tried to fight it off. I noticed I had some Biofreeze on my counter. The package indicated that this was for “sore and achy muscles” so I decided to give it a try. Turns out, this super-strong muscle relief cream is not designed to be used on the entire body! Instead of achy muscle relief, I got whole-body chills for an hour. Not so fun!
Now, I stick to epsom salt baths for body aches and sore muscles and it works like a charm!
What to do: Add 2+ cups of epsom salt to a warm/hot bath and soak for 20+ minutes.
6. Sea Salt Spray for Thicker Hair
A hairstylist once used a texturizing salt spray on my hair and I loved the body and texture that resulted. I wasn’t willing to spend the $30+ it cost, so I started experimenting with DIY options. Now, I use my beach waves spray most days and combine it with my dry shampoo if I’m not washing my hair that day.
What to do: Use this recipe to make a beach waves spray with magnesium. If using dry shampoo, use it first and comb/brush through hair before spraying with the salt spray.
7. Magnesium Lotion
We use topical magnesium spray all the time but my kids don’t love the tingly skin feel they get after using it. (And I don’t love the dry skin that can sometimes result from direct use on the skin.) Years ago, I started making this soothing magnesium lotion to solve those problems. Now, this lotion is a daily staple in our house.
What to do: Use this recipe to make your own soothing magnesium lotion. If you don’t want to try the DIY, there is also a great brand of pre-made magnesium lotion available here.
8. Grow Better Vegetables
When I was in 4-H years ago (more than I’d like to admit!), we learned that epsom salt can be used to improve a vegetable garden. These days, I add 1 tablespoon per plant a couple times during the year and it helps plant growth, especially tomatoes.
What to do: Sprinkle a tablespoon of epsom salt around the base of a plant after it has grown to at least 12 inches tall.
9. DIY Salt Scrub
Epsom salt is a magnesium-rich alternative to regular salt in salt-scrub recipes. Salt scrubs are traditionally a mixture of salt and an oil like olive oil or almond oil. Epsom salt can easily be used in place of the salt in these recipes for an extra magnesium boost.
What to do: Use epsom salt instead of salt in a recipe like this one. Or, just mix 1/2 cup epsom salt with 1/4 cup olive or almond oil and use as an exfoliating scrub in the shower.
10. Tile and Grout Cleaner
Want to clean your tile without a toxic chemical cleaner? Add some epsom salt to some liquid dish soap and scrub away. Just make sure to rinse well since the soap will be slippery!
What to do: Mix equal parts liquid dish soap and epsom salt and scrub tile and grout with a brush. For a pre-made option, Bon Ami also works great on cleaning tile and grout without harmful chemicals.
11. Foot Soak
If you aren’t in the mood for a full bath but want the magnesium-boosting benefits of an epsom salt bath, just soak your feet instead!
What to do: Add 1 cup of epsom salt to hot water for a concentrated foot soak. For scent, you can also add up to 5 drops of essential oil of choice.
12. Volume-Boosting Hair Mask
I explained above how I use magnesium as a texturizing spray for thicker hair. It can also be used in the shower to thicken and strengthen hair. I love to add epsom salt to a natural conditioner for a texturizing and strengthening boost for hair.
What to do: Mix a natural conditioner (I use this one) with equal parts epsom salt and work into your hair. Leave on for up to 20 minutes. Rinse well and dry for thicker hair! This hair serum also helps thicken hair and I’ve been using castor oil for years to achieve thicker hair and eyelashes.
13. Relieve Itchy Skin and Bug Bites
What can magnesium not do? Epsom salt is also my go-to for relieving itchy skin from bug bites or other reactions.
What to do: Dissolve a tablespoon of epsom salt in a cup of water and let it cool. Spritz on bug bites or itchy skin to help calm the itch. A drop of lavender right on a mosquito bite also helps calm the itch. Or add some lavender to the spray.
14. Sunburn Relief Spray
I’m going to step onto a soap box for just a minute. I think the sun is beneficial in moderation and that in many cases, sunscreen may do more harm than good. That said, every source agrees that sunburn is harmful and we should make every effort to avoid it. For our family, we try to get moderate sun exposure daily, but never enough to burn or turn pink. On the rare occasion when we get too much sun (usually me … Irish skin), I make a soothing after sun spray.
What to do: Dissolve 2 tablespoons epsom salt in 1 cup of water and cool. Add 4 drops lavender essential oil and shake. Spray on skin to calm the pain of a sunburn. (Diluted apple cider vinegar also works for this, but the salt spray smells a lot better!)
15. Get Things Moving
This is one of the on-label uses for epsom salt. Due to its high magnesium content, it is well known for its ability to relieve constipation. I’ve used it this way as part of a liver and gallbladder flush, but some people use it for the relief of occasional constipation.
What to do: Follow the package directions for relief of occasional constipation, but check with a doctor first, especially if you have any health problems.
16. Healthy House Plants
House plants are great for cleaning indoor air and we love to keep them around. Just like garden plants, house plants love a magnesium boost once in a while. Add some epsom salt as part of a regular watering or fertilizing routine for more robust house plants.
What to do: Sprinkle a little epsom salt on the soil in a house plant container or add a little epsom salt to the water when watering. A tablespoon is usually plenty for a month or two.
17. Say Goodbye to Slugs
Salt of any kind, including the epsom variety, is great for deterring slugs. If you’re already using salt in the garden to help improve the soil, this should help deter slugs as well. If not, consider sprinkling some salt around to keep the slugs away.
What to do: Sprinkle epsom salt in or around gardens and other areas you don’t want slugs invading to keep them away.
18. Beautiful Roses
We can debate forever if a rose by another name would be as sweet, but one thing is for sure: roses love magnesium and adding a little to the soil around a rose bush helps increase growth and blooms.
What to do: Sprinkle a tablespoon of epsom salt around a rose bush and water for faster growth. Can be done once a month.
19. Headache Relief
There is quite a bit of evidence that magnesium may help headaches and even migraines when used regularly. Some sources even think that magnesium deficiency may increase the chance of headaches. I’ve noticed that when I consume magnesium or use it transdermally, I also don’t seem to get headaches. And my husband swears that the best hangover cure is a long swim in the ocean, which is much higher in magnesium than lakes or swimming pools.
What to do: Use any of the methods above to get more magnesium. I also find that magnesium spray and magnesium lotion are especially helpful for headache relief.
20. Sleepy Kids
What parent doesn’t want kids who want to sleep at bedtime? I know I certainly do! Part of our bedtime routine is using magnesium in some way. This may be a bath, lotion, or spray, but it helps our kids fall asleep much quicker and stay asleep longer. Here are some other natural sleep remedies we use, and why we don’t have night lights in their rooms.
What to do: Make an epsom salt bath or magnesium lotion massage part of the bedtime routine at your house.
21. Garden Soil Prep
Magnesium in the soil helps improve plant growth. It can be added during the growing season but we see the best results when we mix it into the soil too.
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Here are 20 uses for don’t have this magnesium-rich (and inexpensive) household staple:
1. Relax Your Body
Epsom salts dissolved in warm water – like those in an Epsom salt bath – are easily absorbed through the skin where they immediately go to work inside our bodies. The magnesium ions break apart from Epsom salt molecules and begin to relieve stress by promoting the production of serotonin and reducing the effects of adrenaline. Magnesium also plays a critical role in the production of energy in cells, helping us to feel invigorated without causing feelings of restlessness or anxiety.
To find out how to make your own Epsom salt bath and nine reasons you should have a soak in one today, have a read of our recent article here.
2. Relieve Pain and Cramping
Epsom salts absorbed through the skin also work to relieve muscle tension, pain, and inflammation in joints. Submerge yourself in a warm Epsom salt bath to alleviate tension headaches or soothe abdominal cramps. Tired and sore feet will also benefit from the therapeutic warmth of an Epsom salt soak.
3. Muscle and Nerve Function
Aside from relieving tension, pain, and cramping, Magnesium sulfate has several other positive effects on the human body. It aids in many enzymatic functions, helps to regulate fluid retention in cells, and facilitates the body’s use of calcium to transmit chemical signals throughout the nervous system.
4. For Arterial Health
Epsom salts may help to improve circulation and prevent serious cardiovascular illness by decreasing inflammation and protecting the elasticity of arteries. Healthier arteries means less risk of blood clots, plaque build-up, and damage to arterial walls. Try soaking in an Epsom salt bath three to four times per week to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve your cardiovascular health.
5. Regulate Blood Sugar
Both magnesium and sulfate help to improve the body’s ability to produce and use insulin. Regular intake of Epsom salts – either orally or transdermally – may help to regulate blood sugar, lowering the risk of diabetes and improving your overall daily energy levels.
6. Relieves Constipation
One of Epsom salt’s more popular uses is as a saline laxative. Dissolve one teaspoon of Epsom salts into a cup of warm water and drink. Note, this remedy should not be used more than once per day. If symptoms persist for more than a few days, it is always recommended to consult with a physician.
7. Helps to Remove Splinters
To dislodge a stubborn splinter, simply soak the affected body part in warm water and Epsom salts for a few minutes. Magnesium sulfate will reduce the inflammation around the wound and soften up the splinter, making it much easier to remove.
8. Soothe Sprains and Bruises
Anti-inflammatory Epsom salts can be used to alleviate the soreness from sprains and bruises. Just add two cups of salts to your warm bath water and soak away the ache.
9. Keep Feet Healthy
It’s pretty common knowledge that soaking your feet in Epsom salts is good for soothing away aches and pains. But did you know that it can also help to treat athlete’s foot and toe nail fungal infections? Simply add a half cup of Epsom salts to warm water and soak your feet for as long as you want (or until the water gets cold) to alleviate the itching and burning and help heal feet faster.
10. Ease Discomfort of Gout
Add a couple of tablespoons of Epsom salts to hot water and soak body parts affected by gout. Magnesium sulfate quickly soaks through skin and into the swollen, aching joints to help alleviate pain and inflammation.
11. Exfoliate Your Skin
By rubbing a handful of Epsom salts over damp skin, you can easily remove dead cells, helping your skin to look healthier and feel softer. Use this treatment on hands, feet, and everything in between.
12. Natural Face Cleanser
At night before bed, mix a teaspoon of Epsom salts with your regular cleanser for an easy daily treatment or use this recipe for an exfoliating face mask, compliments of preparednessmama.com:
Finely chop a small ripe tomato and mix in one pureed egg white, half a teaspoon of vitamin B5 powder, one teaspoon each of aloe vera gel and Epsom salts, and a couple of drops of Thyme essential oil. Apply mixture to face for 15 minutes then rinse with lukewarm water for an excellent clarifying skin treatment.
13. Dislodge Blackheads
Use Epsom salts to remove dead skin and oil from your pores. First, you’ll want to exfoliate to remove any dead skin from around the outsides of the blemishes. Then mix one teaspoon of Epsom salts and four drops of iodine into half a cup of hot water. Stir until salts are completely dissolved and let the mixture cool until it is still warm, but not hot. Massage the mixture into skin affected with blackheads, let it dry completely, then wash your face with warm water and pat dry with a clean cloth.
14. Remove Styling Product Build-up
To remove build-up of hairspray or other styling product from your hair, mix one cup each of Epsom salts and lemon juice into a gallon of water. Cover and let the concoction sit for 24 hours before using. Then simply pour over hair and leave it on for about 15 – 20 minutes. Follow up with a wash and condition as usual.
15. Add Volume to Hair
To add body to your hair, try mixing equal parts all-natural, sulfate-free deep conditioner and Epsom salts. Warm the mixture to slightly above body temperature then work through hair. Leave in for 15 – 20 minutes then rinse. Feel free to follow up this hair treatment by waving your hair around your face (like the people in those television commercials for chemical hair products) and remember: Laughter is a great natural remedy for all kinds of things!
16. Wash Pots and Pans
Pour a small amount of Epsom salts into those really-dirty dishes before you scrub them. The abrasive texture of the salt crystals will help to remove stuck-on food more easily without hurting your cookware.
17. Clean Tile and Grout
Mix equal parts Epsom salts and liquid dish detergent to create a super effective tile and grout cleaner. Apply this mixture to dirty or stained surfaces in the bathroom, kitchen, or even outside and allow it to soak in for a minute or two. Then scrub away the loosened grime and rinse clean.
18. As a Hand Wash
Mix equal parts Epsom salts and baby oil to create a moisturizing hand cleanser. Store this mixture in bottles next to all of the sinks around your home and use regularly to keep hands soft and clean.
19. Removes Detergent Build-up
Over time, laundry detergent and other contaminants may build up inside machines. Use Epsom salts to remove this unwanted gunk and keep your washer running more efficiently. Fill your empty washing machine with hot water, add a quart of clear vinegar and one cup of Epsom salts, let the machine agitate for about a minute, then stop the cycle and let the solution soak for about an hour. For more details on this procedure, check out this how-to guide.
20. In The Garden
Magnesium sulfate may be used to fertilize your plants, green up your lawn, remove unwanted insect pests, and prevent slugs among other things. Check out this article for ten incredible Epsom salt uses in the garden.
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7 Benefits of Epsom Salt
There is a laundry list of ways to use Epsom salt in your daily life. Here are some of the top benefits of Epsom salt:
1. Boosts Magnesium Levels
Appropriate levels of magnesium are absolutely key to good health, and it is very common to have a magnesium deficiency. Known as hypomagnesemia, low magnesium levels can be caused by alcoholism, severe diarrhea, malnutrition or high calcium levels (hypercalcemia). By simply soaking your feet or entire body in a bath containing Epsom salt, internal levels of magnesium can be increased naturally without taking magnesium supplements.
Magnesium regulates over 300 enzymes in the body and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions, including muscle control, energy production, electrical impulses and the elimination of harmful toxins. Magnesium deficiencies contribute to today’s high rates of heart disease, stroke, arthritis, osteoporosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestive disorders as well as mental illness. By boosting your internal magnesium levels through external use of Epsom salt, you can help improve or ward off many avoidable health ailments.
2. Reduces Stress
Everyone has heard of the recommendation to have a good soak in a warm bath after a rough day (whether mentally or physically rough) — it’s a great way to bust stress. If you want to amplify the stress-reducing benefits of a nice, long soak, then add a cup or two of Epsom salt to your bathwater. Not only will the magnesium in the Epsom salt help to relax your muscles, it can also help to relax your mind.
According to research from the University of North Carolina, magnesium deficiency enhances stress reactions. Further studies show that magnesium has a profound effect on stress and neural excitability — and magnesium salts such as Epsom salt can reduce stress and improve neuropsychiatric disorders. Magnesium is critical to the production of energy in cells so, by increasing magnesium levels, you can feel revived without feeling restless (as opposed to how people feel revived from caffeine consumption).
3. Eliminates Toxins
The sulfates in Epsom salt assist the body in flushing out toxins and providing a heavy metal detox from the body’s cells, hence lowering the internal accumulation of harmful substances. Human skin is a highly porous membrane; by adding minerals like magnesium and sulfate to your bathwater, it sparks a process called reverse osmosis, which literally pulls salt out of your body and dangerous toxins along with it.
For a detoxing bath, add at least two cups of Epsom salt to bathwater and soak for 40 minutes total. The first 20 minutes will give your body time to remove toxins from your system while the last 20 minutes will allow you to absorb the minerals in the water and help you emerge from the bath feeling rejuvenated. Make sure to consume water before, during and after the bath to protect yourself from dehydration and increase detoxification.
4. Relieves Constipation
Epsom salt is an FDA-approved laxative and is commonly used to naturally relieve constipation. When taken internally, Epsom salt acts like a laxative by increasing water in the intestines and cleansing the colon of waste. A roundup of studies published in Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology notes that there is strong evidence that Epsom salt “has potent laxative effect in vitro through the release of digestive hormones and neurotransmitters.”
Internal use of Epsom salt can bring about temporary relief from constipation, but like any laxative, it is not meant to be a long-term solution or a substitute for a healthy high-fiber diet.
If a laxative solution is a must, it’s smart to avoid many of the harsh laxatives on the market today, which are commonly loaded with artificial colors and flavors and questionable chemicals. To take magnesium sulfate orally, it’s typically suggested to dissolve one dose in eight ounces of water. Stir this mixture and drink all of it right away. You may add a small amount of lemon juice to improve the taste.
Make sure to drink plenty of liquids while consuming Epsom salt to prevent dehydration. Magnesium sulfate taken orally should produce a bowel movement within 30 minutes to six hours.
5. Reduces Pain & Inflammation
A warm bath containing Epsom salt is known to ease pain and relieve the inflammation at the root of most diseases, making it a beneficial natural treatment for bronchial asthma, sore muscles and headaches (including migraines). Epsom salt can also help heal cuts and reduce the swelling that accompanies sprains and bruises.
Have an annoying and painful splinter stuck in your hand? Soak the problem area in warm water and Epsom salt, and the splinter should be drawn out of the skin in no time! Soreness after childbirth? Epsom salt can help with that, too. In general, healthy magnesium levels from Epsom salt use can help overall bodily inflammation since low magnesium has been linked with higher C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation in the body.
6. Improves Blood Sugar Levels
Healthy magnesium levels have been linked with a reduced risk of developing diabetes. Epsom salt is an excellent source of magnesium. Both magnesium and sulfate help improve the body’s ability to produce and utilize insulin. Regular intake of Epsom salts, either orally or transdermally, can help to regulate blood sugar, lowering the risk of diabetes and improving daily energy levels. Studies continue to show how a healthy intake of magnesium is associated with a lower risk of the development of type 2 diabetes in both men and women, proving Epsom salts work as natural diabetes remedies.
7. Volumizes Hair
Adding Epsom salt to hair products can help decrease excess oil, which contributes to hair looking flat and weighed down. One easy way to create your own volumizing conditioner at home is to combine equal parts Epsom salt and conditioner (example: two tablespoons conditioner + two tablespoons Epsom salt). After shampooing hair as usual, apply the volumizing conditioner mix to hair, coating it from the scalp to the ends. Leave the mix in for 1o to 20 minutes before rinsing. This is a great weekly hair treatment.
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