Salt Scrub
A salt scrub is a concentrated suspension of salt crystals, usually in an oil base. The oil suspension keeps the salt from dissolving and immediately moisturizes the fresh layer of skin exposed by the scrub. Scrubs can also be made with sugar, oatmeal, ground nut hulls and other very fine grits that are suspended in an emollient.
The Epidermis
The top layer of the skin is the epidermis. This stacked layer of cells is waterproof and continually sheds to renew the skin surface. Salt scrubs and other home methods of exfoliation refine the skin surface by removing any loose cells on the top layer of the epidermis. Normally, these cells shed on their own, exposing the smoother layer beneath. Exfoliation simply speeds up this process and makes the skin look and feel smoother immediately, as the old cells are often dull and rough.
Cutaneous Circulation
Beneath the epidermis is the dermis. This is the skin layer that contains all the nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, sebaceous glands and hair follicles. The blood vessels in the dermis are a fine capillary network, made up of vessels with walls only one cell thick. Changes in temperature cause these vessels to constrict or dilate to help maintain body temperature. Since capillaries are tiny arteries, blood only flows one direction through them and then continues onto a series of tiny venules. Venules and veins have valves within them which prevent blood from flowing backward.
Massage with Exfoliation
Manual stimulation of the blood vessels of the dermis squeezes the blood from the capillaries and into the venules. When pressure is released, fresh blood fills the capillaries. Repeating this process, as a scrub is rubbed on the skin, allows more fresh oxygen and nutrients to reach a particular area of skin than would normally flow there. The same effect can be achieved while rubbing lotion into the skin or getting a massage. The combination of a gentle massage to increase circulation, removal of dead skin cells and moisturizing the newly exposed cell layer with oil or lotion leads to the healthy glow often seen after using a salt or other scrub.
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