Bath Salt Uses and Benefits
Most people associate bath salt with taking a warm bath. However, bath salt can be used for a wide variety of skin care purposes. Dead Sea Salts effectively treat various skin conditions, from dry skin and eczema to oily or extremely dry skin. These are beneficial because they are very similar to the skin’s own sebum, only much less sticky and diluted. Salts leave these salts the way they are meant, without additives or colors, which means you can just soak in and relax in therapeutic bath salt water, without added fragrances or other impurities. You’ll need to bath regularly though, as your body will produce less oil as you age, but regular bathing with Dead Sea salts will stimulate your skin’s production of collagen and keep your pores clear and moisturized.
Massaging with bath sea salts is a great way to soothe and relax sore muscles and joints. In addition to their relaxing effect, bath salts also contain essential oils that are great for rejuvenating and invigorating the skin. Essential oils add a relaxing effect, but some essential oils, like lavender and chamomile are also known for their stress relieving properties. Stress can exacerbate pain and inflammation, so using bath salt and other essential oils can help relieve muscle tension and promote a feeling of wellbeing. If massage is not your preferred method of relaxation, bath salts can also be used as aromatherapy.
For a deep and soothing massage, try combining a little bath salt with eucalyptus oil. The essential oils of eucalyptus can be used to massage the muscles and joints for a very effective massage. Add a little bit of olive oil to the mixture if you want a more traditional feel to your massage. Mix the essential oils into your bath water to soak your body for an invigorating soak.
Dead Sea salts also provide a deep healing soak. These salts have a cooling and de-stressing effect on the muscles and tendons. Add a pinch of dried fruit to the bath salt before soaking, or add the same amount of dried fruit to a glass of water. The added sweetness of the fruit will give you a burst of serotonin, which has a relaxing effect.
Salt baths are becoming quite popular as an alternative form of medicine. There are many natural ingredients found in bath salts, such as witch hazel, which is known to treat burns and ease pain. Calendula assists with inflammation and offers relief from rheumatic and gout pain. Other beneficial bath salts include Epsom Salt, rock salt, and calcium chloride.
When using bath salts for healing purposes, it’s important that they are not combined with any other products. It’s been shown that some other products can actually make the problems worse by containing too much sodium. For example, if you are using a salt bath to relieve a sunburn, don’t use a salicylic acid based product to soothe inflamed and irritated skin cells. Salicylic acid is an antiseptic and is also found in many anti-inflammatory medications.
Some manufacturers recommend combining bath salt with an astringent, especially when dealing with large areas of pain. However, there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that the combination provides any more benefit than either of the elements on their own. The minerals found in sea salt and dead sea salt are beneficial for the body in more ways than simply treating minor aches and pains.
Aromatherapy specialist recommend the use of these bath salts, as well as lavender essential oils, for a variety of conditions. Aromatherapy courses often include descriptions of the uses of bath salt and lavender oil and will provide details on how to get the best benefits for each condition. If you are experiencing any of the conditions listed above, an aromatherapy course might be able to help you deal with them more easily. You may even find that your existing bath salt or lavender oil treatment can improve your condition. For example, some specialists advise against the use of warm water baths for foot pain, because they can cause swelling.