Pink Himalayan salt seems to be the new skincare ingredient; here’s what happens when you wash your face with it

Pink Himalayan salt is popular across the globe due to its high mineral content. Now, it is also making headlines as a beauty ingredient as face yoga expert Mansi Gulati took to Instagram to share how to use overnight-soaked pink Himalayan salt to cleanse the face.

*In a copper vessel, soak ¼ teaspoon of salt overnight
*Next day, wash your face with this magical water, said Gulati. She added that doing so once every week helps remove dead skin cells as the salt acts as a mechanical exfoliant and scrub.

“This leaves the skin feeling smoother, softer, and brighter,” Gulati continued.

Does it work?

Dr Vidushi Jain, dermatologist and medical head, Dermalinks, Ghaziabad and Noida said rinsing a teaspoon of pink salt in water at night, and washing your face in the morning with it is believed to have many benefits. “It acts as a skin cleaner, reduces skin inflammation, and enhances skin health,” said Dr Jain.

Pink salt-dissolved water is called sol (said ‘so-le’). According to Jain, this product contains minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iron which can have a variety of positive effects on the skin, like:

Cleansing and detoxifying: The solution assists in the removal of dirt, spots, and toxins that are marinating on the skin’s surface. Salt is an agent that helps prevent bacterial growth on the skin, and thus may prevent acne and other infections.

Scrubbing: It may be effective as a light scrub as pink salt removes the outer layer of the epidermis and stimulates the regeneration of new cells.

Skin pH balance: This solution can be of great assistance in restoring the pH balance of the skin. The primary consequences of a pH shift likely include spots, dryness as well as overactivity of the sebaceous glands.

Moisturising: While table salt has a drying effect on the skin, pink Himalayan salt is milder. Sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium are among the many compounds in pink salt water. “The detoxifying power of these minerals can help boost hydration levels in the skin as well as help normalize its pH levels. They may also serve as emollients for irritated skin and act as a mild scrub that exfoliates dead skin cells thereby making it appear smoother and refreshed,” said Dr Jain.

Himalayan pink salt as a face cleanse? (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

While this approach can be beneficial for many, it’s not suitable for all.

Sensitive skin: This is not encouraged for people with sensitive skin as the salt may be too abrasive and cause inflammation, redness, or burning-like sensation.

Open wounds or active acne: Additionally, those with open wounds, cuts, or severe acne, may find a saline solution worsening their condition. The salt can be problematic for exposed areas of the skin and will cause itchiness, tingling, or soreness.

 

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A post shared by Mansi Gulati (@mansifaceyoga)

Dry skin: Dr Jain said that people with extremely dry skin may find that the salt solution has a similar impact on the skin as dehydration. In such circumstances, it is safer to utilise merchandise that is not very abrasive and formulated with intense emollients.

Allergic reactions: Some people may experience allergic reactions to positive minerals in the salt. Hence, always do a patch test first.

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