The Ultimate Beauty Guide

Although its not actually salt (the name is from its chemical structure and the location of its discovery) Magnesium Sulfate, aka Epsom Salt, is one of the worlds hidden wonders!

Think its just for bath salts and in-grown toe nails – think again! This is little sprinkle of natural goodness is as versatile as MacGyver.

Epsom Salt can be found at your local grocery store, pharmacy and even your garden supply store. It has a wide array of uses, and although each may be manufactured differently they are all the same chemically. Usually a two and a half pound container will run you $2 more or less.

Personal Uses

1 - Face cleaner: to clean your face at night, mix a half teaspoon of Epsom salt with your regular cleansing cream. Just massage into skin and rinse with cold water

2 - Homemade skin mask: Puree 1 Egg white, 1/2 Teaspoon Pantothenic acid powder, 1  Teaspoon Aloe Vera gel, 1  Teaspoon Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom salt), 1 Ripe Tomato, chopped, and 2 drops Thyme oil. Apply to face for 15 minutes then rinse off. This is especially good for acne problems.

3 - Foot Soak: Sooth aches, remove odors and soften rough skin with a foot soak. Add 1/2 cup of Epsom salt to a large pan of warm water. Soak feet for as long as it feels right. Rinse and dry. Also helps with toe nail fungus, like athlete’s foot.

4 - Skin exfoliate: Massage handfuls of Epsom salt over your wet skin, starting with your feet and continuing up towards the face. Have a bath to rinse.

5 - Remove excess oil from hair: Epsom salt soaks up excess oil from your hair. Add 9 tablespoons of Epsom salt to 1/2 cup of oily hair shampoo. Apply one tablespoon of the liquid to your hair when dry; rinse with cold water. Pour lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar through the hair, leave on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse.

6 - Hair volumizer: combine equal parts of deep conditioner and Epsom salt. Warm in a pan. Work the warm mixture through your hair and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse.

7 - Soak sprains and bruises: Epsom salt will reduce the swelling of sprains and bruises. Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath and soak.

8 - Splinter remover: Soak in Epsom salt, it will draw out the splinter.

9 - Get rid of blackheads: Here’s a surefire way to dislodge blackheads – Mix 1 teaspoon of Epsom salt and 3 drops Lugol’s Solution liquid iodine in 1/2 cup boiling water. When the mixture cools enough to stick your finger in it, apply it to the blackhead with a cotton ball. Repeat this three to four times, reheating the solution of necessary. Gently remove the blackhead and then dab the area with an alcohol based astringent.

10 - General stress relief – nothing draws out stress like bath salts. as the magnesium soaks into your body it reverses the effects of stress on your body, replenishing magnesium levels, decreasing adrenaline, and producing serotonin. Make your own bath salts by mixing 16 ounces all-natural bath salt and 15-30 drops of essential oil (especially those that induce relaxation). Store in a glass jar and use 3 times a week for maximum results!

11 - Relieve gout pain and inflammation – 2-3 teaspoons of Epsom salts into a basin of hot water (as hot as you can stand). Soak for about 30 minutes

12 - The new aloe vera – Use or mosquito bites, bee stings, mild sunburn and poison ivy by soaking a cotton washcloth in a cold water Epsom salt solution (2 tablespoons per cup) for the affected area.

13 - Eye health – rinse your face with a solution of Epsom salt and warm water can help heal cataracts, conjunctivitis, and sties.

14 - Detox (aka laxative) - mix approximately 2 tsp. of Epsom salts in 1 cup of warm water until it dissolves, then drink. Do not repeat this cleanse  more than once per day, and always drink extra water!

15 - Grow more – add 1/4 cup Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to 1/2 cup boiling water stir until it dissolves. Pour over sponge in shallow dish and place in a warm sunny spot. As the water evaporates your crystals will grow. Just be sure to check crystals against the original before “harvesting.”

For the Home

16 - Clean bathroom tiles: Epsom salt will get rid of that grungy look. Mic it in equal parts with liquid dish soap, then dab it onto the offending ares and start scrubbing. The Epsom salts work with the detergent to scrub and dissolve the grime.

17 - Remove burnt food from pots and pans – scrub pan with about 1/4 of Epsom salt and some warm water and rinse the salt out. Viola!

18 - Regenerate a car battery: Give your battery a little more life with this potion – Dissolve an ounce of Epsom salt in warm water to make a paste and add it to each battery cell.

19 - Frost your windows for Christmas: Mix 1 1/2 c. boiling water with 1 c Epsom salt and 3 T of liquid dish soap. Apply the mixture to your windows with a sponge – for a realistic look, sweep the sponge in a arc at the bottom corners. When the mixture dries, the windows will look frosted.

20 - Do some awesome winter crafting thanks to Epsom salt and modge podge.

For the Garden

21 - Get Rid of Raccoon If the masked marauders are poking around your trash can, take a few tablespoons of Epsom salt and spread it around your garbage cans. It will deter raccoon who don;t like the smell of the stuff. Remember to reapply after it rains.

22 - Deter Slugs: Sprinkle Epsom salt where they glide and say good bye!

23 - Make your grass greener: Epsom salt, which adds needed magnesium and iron to your soil. may be the answer to your green lawn. Add 2 tablespoons to 1 gallon to water. Spread on your lawn with a garden sprayer to make sure it soaks into the grass.

24 - Bigger, better, and more produce – studies have shown Epsom salt increases production of peppers, tomatoes and blooms. 1 T per a gallon of water sprayed on your plants every 1-2 weeks can create show stoppers.

15 - Soil prep – 1 c per 100 feet will help create the perfect gardening mix for this summers bounty. Use a fertilizer spreader and mix into soil.