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For those of you who live near the ocean, you may already be using one of our greatest resources for your skin. For the rest of us, or for those of you who are new to this idea altogether, you won’t have the real thing but can still take advantage of it all the same. What are we talking about? Pure natural sea salt — a top acne mediation that works in a very short amount of time, or at least for those that don’t have a severe chronic acne condition.

Most of the time, what we eat and our hormones lead to acne. Despite the myth, it’s not chocolate that causes acne, it’s actually the dairy and sugar in milk chocolate. Heavy oils that are refined, refined flours and refined grains, refined and added sugars, and processed food, in general, all also lead to acne. Our skin shows how healthy we are inside, and gut bacteria health has the largest impact on your skin, another reason to care for your face (and overall health) from the inside out.

But even if we are in good health, we all have a breakout occasionally. Maybe it’s stress, maybe we indulged in some really delicious foods we later realized didn’t agree with us, or maybe we’re going through some hormonal changes. After evaluating your diet and ensuring you’re eating foods that benefit the skin, managing your lifestyle, and avoiding eating added hormones, you should consider things to apply to your skin that will treat the acne topically. Though it develops from the inside out, once it’s there, it’s nice to know how to treat it without harsh chemicals.

The Ocean’s Secret to Healing Your Skin

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Source: momo/Flickr

Sea salt is an incredibly powerful acne medication that works by cleansing the cells and killing bacteria while also promoting healthy pH levels in the skin. Sea salt water straight from the ocean is one of the best ways to take advantage of this because it’s pure and natural and richer in minerals than tap water you’ll find at home, however, you can still mix high-quality sea salt with filtered water and use that on your skin if you don’t live near the ocean.

Here’s how to do it: 

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Source: Lucscious Lather/Flickr

*Note* If you can find Himilayan pink salt, it’s a fantastic source of over 84 minerals that will boost your skin health fairly quickly and is great to keep around the house in general. If not, use the best sea salt you can find at the store instead (NOT iodized table salt because most of the minerals are gone).

  1. Mix 1 cup of filtered very warm water (but not scalding hot) with 3 tablespoons high-quality sea salt. Stir well with a spoon for a minute or so to incorporate, or you can blend it in a blender.
  2. Since acne can be painful, you don’t want to rub salt on your skin; diluting it in water and soaking a cloth in the mixture is much better.
  3. Dip a soft cloth in the mixture and put the entire cloth over the affected area, holding on for several minutes. Hold the cloth on your skin for several minutes (around 3-4).
  4. Remove and then rinse your face with the mixture (but close your eyes and mouth!) just to make sure it’s applied thoroughly.
  5. Rinse with plain warm water a few times, and pat your face dry.
  6. Do this in the morning and at night; if you are at home during the day more often, you can also do it up to 4 times a day for more severe cases.
  7. Be sure not to apply harsh exfoliating products that will tear the skin; it’s important to let the salt do the work and the healing at the same time.

In a couple or a few days, you should notice the area starts to disappear and almost no remains will exist; it’s also very effective at preventing scarring.  It’s also as natural as it gets!

Don’t Forget …

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If your acne still doesn’t disappear after this treatment, you may consider if your diet is a culprit. Common food allergens that cause skin problems include: dairy, gluten (and wheat), peanuts, yeast, and histamine-rich foods can be a culprit. You should also eliminate all high-glycemic foods (sugar, refined grains, added syrups, and sweeteners) since they also trigger acne due to insulin swings that result in breakouts.

Eat a balanced diet of vegetables, leafy greens, lean protein, and healthy fats for optimal skin health. And, it goes without saying, that whole foods promote clean skin better than any others. Probiotic-rich sauerkraut and kimchi will also help boost gut health to promote beautiful skin as well.

Give this natural beauty treatment a try if you haven’t already … and if you live near the ocean, definitely appreciate nature’s beauty remedy more often.

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