A lot of people kind of remember Epsom Salt as a product that was in the medicine cabinet when they were growing up, but this product can also provide spa-like results. A soak or exfoliating treatment using this naturally occurring compound restores vital magnesium levels in the body, reduces stress and leaves skin radiant and glowing. Best of all, it costs only a few bucks and can be found at your local pharmacy, grocery store and many times at the Dollar Store.

Epsom Salts are always in my bathroom available for a nice soak in the bath, but my most favorite way to use them is for a foot soak. Even if I don't have time for a full at-home pedicure, simply soaking for 15 minutes in epsom salts mixed with warm water makes a world if difference in my tired, aching feet.

You can buy them plain, lavender, eucalyptus or mint scented () or you can make your own scents with fragrance oils or essential oils right at home. (more skin care recipes)

Here are some great tips that the Epsom Salt Council supplied us with.

• Homemade Bath Crystals: 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.
• Glowing Skin Exfoliating Treatment: 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.
• Microdermabrasion Facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.

• Pedicure Perfection: Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for fifteen to twenty minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.
• Stress Relieving Soak: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.
• Natural Hair Volumizer: Combine equal parts warm conditioner and Epsom salt. Work the mixture through your hair and leave for 20 minutes.

These tips were sent to us from the Epsom Salt Council and they have a great website that lists other ways to use Epsom Salts. (Any science geeks? You'll love reading about the health benefits of sulfate.)

Love This? Try These.

• Recipe: Bubbly Rasilicious Face Mask - Why it's Good For Your Skin: Luscious raspberries exude powers of renewal. Rich in vitamins C and A as well as manganese, this fruit offers a calming and toning effect.
• Exfoliating Your Body: Head to Toe - We all know we need to exfoliate the dead skin cells off of our body, but not all areas of your body should be treated the same. Your face can not be exfoliated with the same product as your feet, and vice-versa. Here we break down the body into 6 parts and talk about what is needed to exfoliate each area of your body.
• Book Review: Return to Beauty by Narine Nikogosian: Return to Beauty is a 260-page beauty book full of skin care recipes for all skin types. It addresses common skin care concerns and gives you a way to treat them at home, inexpensively.