Beauty in a bad economy: The many, many uses for Epsom Salts

I got a random email from the Epsom Salt Industry Council (yes. There's an Epsom Salt Industry Council) the other day outlining the myriad beauty uses for their—seemingly miracle—product. Honestly, until that email arrived, my reference point for Epsom Salts was Scary Things Found in My Grandparents' Bathroom (other items in this file: tooth brushes with a plastic pick on one end, doll-in-crocheted-dress toilet paper covers and anything by Jean Naté). However, as it turns out, there are actually a lot of things you can do with this naturally-forming, healing mineral Behold! 7 Beauty Uses for Epsom Salt (some of them are a stretch, all of them are courtesy of the Epsom Salt Industry Council): 1. As exfoliator: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches. 2. For an at-home facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into your favorite face wash. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry. This will clear out clogged pores. 3. For a relaxing body soak: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. You can also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to help with a cold. 4. To make (those cheesy) bath crystals (at home!): Mix two cups of Epsom Salt with a few drops of fragrance to create a custom bath crystal. Add a few drops of food coloring or 1/2 TSP of glycerin if you like. Store in an air-tight container. 5. To refresh your dogs/foot soak: Soothe 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. 6. To add volume to hair (??? yes, apparently): 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. As a laxative: See package instructions. For more on Epsom Salt, go here. by Jennifer Romolini, Shine staff