Calling all readers who get frequent breakouts, redness and irritation. It looks like there's a new viral TikTok trend claiming to "solve" all your skincare concerns. What's the trend in question? Sea Salt Water Spray. Is it another #fakenews TikTok trend or could there be actual merit to this claim? Keep on reading as we get to the bottom of it.
Back in June, TikTok user @Leacrylics shared with her followers her go-to skincare routine that she swears *cured* her acne. The entirety of her skincare routine consisted of one ingredient... sea salt. Yep, you read that correctly. LeAnna's skincare hack suggests mixing a small amount of sea salt into a spray bottle filled with water and, you guessed it, generously spray all over the face and neck. Her recommendation is to repeat this routine twice a day to allegedly clear up any active acne and inflammation on the skin.
In the TikTok video (which by the way reached 4.3 million views!) LeAnna stated, "I've been struggling with acne since I was eleven years old, I noticed every single time I swim at the beach and go into the ocean my skin clears completely, so I bought sea salt off Amazon." Shortly after @leacryclic 's video went viral, many fellow TikTok users and viewers raved about the salt method and swore it won their battle with acne. Many even dueted her videos to demonstrate their skins before and after.
So, what's the deal with sea salt and your skin? Is it too good to be true? While there is some truth to it, it certainly is not a skincare hack we'd recommend. Let's get into it. Saltwater does contain great nutrients like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Ocean water is known to have high levels of salt that can be effective in drying out acne and as such, acting as an exfoliating element to the skin. It could cleanse, exfoliate the debris, and temporarily balance oil production. Sometimes nature can pull through, but here's the downside. Spraying salt water will cause the water on your skin to evaporate and lead to more dryness, irritation, and subsequently worsening acne down the road. Not to mention, there's a key difference between water of the ocean and the salted concoction in your spray bottle.
Although we love nothing more than a quick fix, saltwater will not balance your PH levels. The PH of sea salt water is roughly about 7.5 to 8.3, whereas your skin has a natural acidic PH of 5.5. This means your skin will glow for a short period before the dryness causes an overproduction of sebum = more acne. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's better long-term sticking to your skincare products that are PH appropriate for your barrier and overall skin health.
What's very important to note is that acne is a legitimate skin condition that requires the attention of professionals. Everyone's skin is different and what works for one may not work for another. Although there is no proven cure for acne, there are many ingredients that can calm and potentially tame it. Those ingredients to look for including salicylic acid, AHAs, retinol, and benzoyl peroxide. The good news is that many of our acne-prone products contain these ingredients. Salicylic acid, Glycolic acid, and Alanine are the holy grail that can reduce the appearance of acne and inflammation. You can find them in our AHA Gel formulation which was designed to exfoliate the skin while encouraging collagen production. In other words, you'll notice a reduced appearance of fine lines, hyperpigmentation, blemishes and scarring!
BONUS TIP
A rule of thumb for our acne-prone and oily skin type friends: Double cleanse! No, you don't need to follow the traditional oil-and-soap approach. Simply doubling cleansing with a gentle yet effective cleanser will do the trick. Our sulphate-free Platinum Cleanser washes the skin of excess oil and makeup while maintaining the face's natural moisturizing factors.
Hey, no judgment here if you decide to hop on this TikTok trend or find the nearest ocean. If you do, ensure that you moisturize thoroughly and, of course, add that SPF - always.
If you're unsure where to begin, our BeautyBot has got your back. You can take our survey to highlight your specific concerns and determine your skin type, so you can shop by skin type to find the products that are adequately suited for you.