My Soapy Face Salt Recipe

This is my special recipe for the face salt that I use to wash my face. It might be a little rough, but after spending all day outside in the elements, my acne-prone face needs this refreshing exfoliant. I came up with this recipe after testing out different salt mixes over the past few years. 

My Soapy Face Salt Recipe!

This really doesn’t have anything to do with wedding photography, but I wanted to share this recipe of my super awesome face salt that I’ve used for several years now! Back in Oregon, I worked for about 6 years on a variety of dairy farms…it wasn’t the cleanest job! A friend who is a daughter of one of these dairies, told me about using salt as a face cleaner. So I tried it, and have been hooked ever since!

“Green Cleaning” for my face!

I love being inspired by the people I photograph, and hope to share more about the talents and passions of my clients! This blog article would not be happening if it wasn’t for my client’s mom, Leslie, who is THE “Green Cleaning Coach”! She is the expert on green cleaning for your home with safe DIY cleaning products, and encouraged me to share my “natural” recipe for my facewash. So on one snowy day, I got out my measuring cups and camera to share this.

These are the 5 ingredients I mix together for making my face salt: Sea salt, witch hazel astringent, my favorite basic face cleanser soap, lavender oil, and my favorite mix of essential oils. These are the 5 ingredients I mix together for making my face salt: Sea salt, witch hazel astringent, my favorite basic face cleanser soap, lavender oil, and my favorite mix of essential oils.

Sea salt is the exfoliant base. If you have sensitive skin, not sure if sea salt is the best idea, but my face needs some kind of “microdermabrasion”! Salt is a natural bacteria killer as well. I used to use an exfoliant facewash, but now I don’t need to spend the money on anything fancy, just these basic ingredients (which also have other uses around the home!).

I like to mix in about 2 tablespoons of a face cleanser I got from Trader Joe’s, because I like how it makes the salt mix a little more soapy. I used to use a tube of creamy face wash with a triclosan base, but triclosan stinks up my nose and someone said it’s not the best stuff for you…

Witch hazel is an astringent that is derived from the witch hazel tree. Back in the day when my face was very prone to acne, my dermatologist recommended wiping this liquid with a cottonball on my face. Now I just mix a bit of this (~3 tablespoons) in with the salt to dissolve some of the salt a little.

Add in a few drops of your favorite essential oil

My favorite fragrance is lavender. I love it so much that I often make myself a lavender latte in the afternoons! For the face salt, I add in about 5 drops of lavender oil. It’s refreshing, and scientific papers confirm that lavender oil has direct health benefits (see this article and this article). The lavender oil that I use is organic and for culinary use as well. For “cliff notes” or general info about lavender, check out this article from Talon Wine Brands.

Curious about other ways you can use lavender for a wedding? Check out The Farm at SummitWynds page on lavender here. 

I admit that I don’t live 100% all-natural or all organic, but I can say that the Clearskin essential oil mix by Doterra takes down inflammation of acne when I directly apply it to any spots. So I also add about 5 drops of this into the salt mixture. It works for me, but you don’t have to add any essential oil if you don’t have any!

Mix it all in a small bowl with a spoon, or with your fingers so you can feel the consistency. If you feel it’s too wet or liquid to your liking, then just add more salt!

My DIY Soapy Face Salt Recipe

In a small bowl or cup (if you can keep it in the container with a lid that’s even better!) mix the following:

1/2 cup sea salt

3 tablespoons witch hazel

2 tablespoons your basic facial soap

With a dropper, add in your essential oils, such as 5 drops of lavender oil.

Happy face washing! Feel free to email me at ling@trailingtwine.com if you have any questions, or comment below to share your own modifications!

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