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Skintellectuals – ELLE’s panel of pros pass judgement on the latest skincare trends, techniques and ingredients.
Slugging, microdosing, reverse routines, we thought we’d heard, seen and tried it all. But then the expansive (and, arguably, sometimes helpful) world of social media hit us with yet another new skincare trend. We’re talking about salt water. One for the DIY fans out there, the trend involves mixing up, you guessed it, salt and water to form a face spray that theoretically helps to treat acne and other skin conditions. But can plunging your face in sea water actually cure the symptoms of acne? Or have we fallen foul of TikTok’s enthusiasm for homemade remedies once again?
We turned to the Skintellectuals to find out…
Skintellectual No.1: Pamela Marshall, Clinical Aesthetician and Co-Founder of Mortar & Milk
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‘I wouldn’t look at salt water as the be all and all to clearing the skin. Often when someone goes on holiday and they’re in the sea a lot, they’ll notice that their skin gets better, whether it’s reducing acne , eczema, etc. The salt water in the sea is only one component of this. Salt water is anti-inflammatory and it also contains some antibacterial qualities. It contains vitamins and minerals which are in fact beneficial to skin, but you’ll find these types of ingredients in a well-balance skincare formulation – which will have been sensitivity and stability tested.
‘The pH of salt water is roughly about 8 +/-. The skin is slightly acidic sitting around 5.5 ish on the pH scale. Alkaline skin is more susceptible to dehydration and fine lines so salt water would make theoretically make these worse.
‘If you’re looking for something antibacterial to help with acne, I’d recommend using Clinisoothe instead. It’s antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral and antiporous. It has a skin neutral pH and is non-cytotoxic. It reduces inflammation without causing any damage . It’s been tested extensively and is delivered in a bottle that is free of microbes, unlike home concoctions.’
The Verdict
‘Swim in the sea because it’s glorious, but a daily use of home-made salt water potentially has more damaging effects than positive. Dehydrated skin will produce more oil through the sebaceous glands which can lead to at best oily skin, at worst more acne , but also skin that doesn’t heal as well. The skin needs hydration so that it doesn’t go into panic mode and create more unnecessary oils.’
ELLE Edit: Salt Water Alternatives
Skintellectual No.2: George Driver, ELLE Digital Beauty Editor
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‘As someone with skin so dry facialists have regularly expressed legitimate concern for me, the thought of spraying a DIY salt spray on my face, rather than in my hair, leaves me, and my skin, feeling thirsty. Considering my everyday skincare routine consists of of every different form and weight of hyaluronic acid I can get my hands on, and my preference of product texture is as close to a glass of water as you can get, washing my face with salt water sounds like the opposite of what my skin needs .
‘But, that said, I don’t struggle with acne or eczema or other similar skin conditions so perhaps I’m not the target audience for benefiting from TikTok’s latest skincare “hack”. However, I can make a relatively informed judgement on whether salt water is actually going to revolutionise your skincare treatment. Reader: it just won’t. Antibacterial at best, the quickest route to super dehydrated skin at worst, spraying your face with salt water is unlikely to treat acne effectively, and will actively make eczema worse.’
The Verdict
‘Yes, the simplicity and ease of a DIY skincare treatment that costs almost nothing is alluring, but in this case, it’s better to leave the salt spray to your beachy waves rather than your skin.’
Skintellectual No.3: Dr Ophelia Veraitch, Consultant Dermatologist
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‘There is no place for salt water in treating acne. Yes, acne can sometimes get better on holiday with the salt water and sun but this is more likely to be due to the anti-inflammatory effects that light has on the skin. Also, just being relaxed and not wearing heavy make-up/ going to work in built up areas where considerable pollution can congest the skin and cause break outs.
‘Salt water may have anti-bacterial properties – that’s why bathing acute skin infections with salt water can help. So in acne vulgaris (the medical term for acne) there are many factors in the development of acne. There is a bacteria called P.acnes that plays a role in acne, and so on paper it could be argued that the anti-bacterial properties of salt water could be used to treat the acne. In practise we have far better anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory treatments to manage acne. Additionally, if you suffer from a dry skin condition, such as eczema, this could be made worse.
‘Instead of salt water I would suggest gentle cleansing, using active ingredient serums (contain ingredients such as vitamin A derivatives and alpha/ beta hydroxy acids) to treat the underlying acne. Then tablet medications and in-clinic chemical peels/ light/ laser based therapies can also be used to effectively treat it.’
The Verdict
‘No Consultant Dermatologist I know would advise on salt water having a place in acne. If you are suffering with acne do make an appointment to see a Consultant Dermatologist if you want an effective treatment plan for your break outs and acne.
‘Psychologically, hearing about a trend and dedicating yourself to following it only for it not to work long term can be really upsetting for anyone. It can then lead to a loss in faith in anyone giving advice on skin and more likely it can lead to loss of self esteem and depression. We often see this is clinic when acne patients come after trying all these gimmicks with no results.’
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