Tea Tree Salt Scrub

Well I’m glad I decided to finally mix this stuff up yesterday – There are a couple of mosquitoes trapped in our apartment and they are definitely making a feast out of me (I think they’re just making sure they eat their fill before Jim and I head out on Tuesday …).

In the past, I’ve mentioned that plain old kosher salt works well for calming and healing bug bites.  With this recipe, I’ve decided to up the ante and add a bit of tea tree oil for extra calming power.

Materials:

• 1 cup kosher salt
• 2-3 teaspoons 15% tea tree oil (if you have pure 100% tea tree oil, please add with caution according to your skin’s sensitivity to essential oils)
• mason jar (or other container with tightly-sealing lid)

Directions:

1. Pour salt into a storage container that has a sealing lid – I used a simple mason jar.
2. Add tea tree oil and stir with a spoon or other implement until salt is thoroughly coated.
3. Seal and store until needed.

For Use:

• In-Shower – Apply generously to wet skin and gently scrub affected area.  Leave on skin for a few minutes and wash salt away before drying off.
• Out-of-Shower – Create a paste with tea tree salt and a few drops of water in the palm of your hand and apply to affected area.  Leave mixture on bite until it dries – Then brush or wash salt crystals away.

I love the added tea tree oil, because it remains on the skin even after the majority of the salt is rinsed away for an extended calming effect.