Final Up to date on January 21, 2026 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Does DIY sae salt spray for pimples work? If you happen to’ve spent greater than 5 minutes on TikTok recently, you’ve in all probability seen this video again and again. Somebody grabs a twig bottle, mixes up a DIY sea salt spray, mists their face earlier than mattress… and wakes up claiming clear pores and skin, flatter breakouts, and a full-on post-vacation glow like they’ve simply come again from the Dominican Republic or Cape Verde. And pay attention – I get the enchantment.
If you’ve acquired oily pores and skin, pimples breakouts, or a cussed pores and skin situation that refuses to settle down, you’ll attempt the perfect issues. Salt scrubs. Facial sprays. Pure strategies. Even that one hack somebody swore labored after swimming within the ocean. However does sea salt water truly assist pimples or is that this simply one other certainly one of TikTok’s newest skincare developments that has no place in your skincare routine? Let’s break it down – no fear-mongering, no jargon, simply actual discuss.
Why Everybody’s Making DIY Sea Salt Spray for Zits
At first, the entire DIY sea salt facial spray factor truly sounds form of genius. Sea salt can kill micro organism, pimples is attributable to micro organism, so growth – much less breakouts. Add in that it supposedly balances your pores and skin, dries up a few of that nasty extra oil, and it’s “pure” (so clearly secure, proper?), and all of the sudden everybody’s spraying their faces prefer it’s a brand new magnificence therapy straight from the ocean.
Plenty of TikTokers swear their pores and skin clears up after swimming within the ocean, so it is smart that spraying a bit of salt water in your face seems like bringing the seaside into your rest room. Some use heat water, some keep on with room temperature faucet water, and the salt could be sea salt, desk salt, and even Epsom salts if somebody’s feeling adventurous. Principally, it’s the form of factor that appears low effort, low value, and oddly satisfying – and that’s why it’s in every single place proper now.
Does Salt Water Truly Kill Zits Micro organism?
Quick reply: Sure – however that’s not the entire story. And actually the remainder of the story is form of a multitude, which is precisely why everybody conveniently leaves it out of their “OMG THIS CHANGED MY SKIN” movies. Look, sea salt has antimicrobial properties. That half is true.They even use it in air filtration methods and wound analysis. The catch? Sea salt doesn’t discriminate.
Let me clarify: Your pores and skin isn’t simply lined in “dangerous micro organism” that should die. It’s additionally acquired GOOD micro organism which are important for wholesome pores and skin. They hold all the pieces functioning correctly and cease your pores and skin freaking out with breakouts each 5 seconds. And salt water? It’s not performing some precision strike on P. Acnes, the micro organism that causes pimples. It’s extra like… carpet bombing your total face. Every little thing dies. Good, dangerous, doesn’t matter.
Right here’s what occurs subsequent: Your pores and skin barrier (that layer that retains germs and pollution out and moisture in) will get confused and begins performing bizarre. Lifeless pores and skin cells simply… cease shedding correctly and pile up. Your face will get dry and tight and itchy and irritated. Then your pores and skin panics as a result of it’s too dry, so it overproduces oil to compensate. Like far more oil than earlier than. And guess what completely LOVES extra oil? The pimples micro organism you have been attempting to homicide within the first place.
So the breakouts come again. Generally worse. Generally with pals. That itchy feeling everybody mentions tremendous casually like “yeah my pores and skin feels a bit itchy but it surely’s tremendous”? That’s not tremendous. That’s not your pores and skin “detoxing” or no matter. That’s your pores and skin actually sending you a misery sign that you simply’re messing issues up and what you’re doing is NOT a good suggestion.
How Does DIY Sea Salt Spray For Zits Have an effect on Your Pores and skin’s pH?
I do know pH appears like highschool chemistry class however stick with me as a result of that is truly necessary. Your pores and skin is meant to be barely acidic – like round 4.2 to five.6 on the pH scale. That acidic setting is actually what retains pimples micro organism in examine and your pores and skin barrier working correctly. Now right here’s what you’re truly placing in your acne-prone pores and skin once you do that:
- Faucet water: pH round 6.5 to eight.5 (already not nice)
- Ocean water: pH round 8.1 (even worse)
- Your DIY salt water spray: Relies upon how a lot salt you dumped in there however in all probability tremendous alkaline
When your pores and skin’s pH shoots up into alkaline territory, all the pieces goes mistaken. Your barrier will get disrupted. You lose water sooner. Zits micro organism truly get MORE comfy (actually the alternative of what you need). You find yourself dry which triggers oil overproduction which triggers extra pimples. So no, salt water doesn’t “stability your pH” like influencers declare. It does the precise reverse. Which is why your pores and skin may look unimaginable for like a day… after which all the pieces falls aside. You bought the short-term outcomes with out realizing you simply arrange a long-term catastrophe.
“However I All the time Get Clear Pores and skin After the Seaside!”
Yeah I completely imagine you as a result of that’s an actual factor that occurs. Ocean water CAN briefly make your pores and skin look wonderful. It dries up extra oil, kills some floor micro organism, provides you that glowy salty-skin trip vibe. But studies show ocean water also:
- Messes together with your pores and skin’s microbiome for over 24 hours
- Leaves random micro organism in your pores and skin (not the nice type)
- Will increase irritation and an infection threat
- Makes micro organism extra resistant over time
Plus once you’re on the seaside you’re additionally getting:
- Solar publicity (which has momentary pimples advantages)
- Decrease stress ranges (trip mind = much less cortisol = much less pimples)
- Bodily exfoliation from swimming
- Precise showering afterward to rinse all the pieces off
So is it actually the salt water doing the work? Or is it actually all the pieces else about being on trip and dwelling your greatest life? Making an attempt to recreate that at house by simply… spraying salt water in your face from a bottle? You’re principally getting the irritation half with none of the particular pores and skin advantages. Which is form of the worst potential end result.
Ought to You Ever Truly Do This?
In your face? Actually no. Particularly for those who’ve acquired:
- Zits (I do know, ironic proper?)
- Dry pores and skin
- Delicate pores and skin that will get mad at all the pieces
- A compromised barrier (in case your pores and skin feels tight or itchy)
- Actually any energetic breakouts you’re attempting to take care of
There are SO many higher choices that received’t destroy your pores and skin’s total ecosystem:
- Like a correct pH-balanced facial toner.
- Or precise pimples therapies with elements which are designed to work WITH your pores and skin as an alternative of nuking it from orbit.
- Or merchandise that help your good micro organism as an alternative of killing all the pieces indiscriminately.
- Or simply… a constant skincare boring routine that doesn’t contain mixing random stuff in your kitchen.
If you happen to’re actually into the “pure” factor (which I get, the wonder trade is shady as hell), have a look at precise good elements like aloe vera or centella or barrier restore stuff. Not DIY experiments that went viral as a result of they seemed good in a 15-second video.
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The Backside Line
Look, I get why that is tempting. If you’ve acquired pimples messing together with your confidence, you’ll attempt actually something that guarantees outcomes in a single day. And TikTok makes it really feel like everybody else is aware of some secret that you simply’re lacking out on. However right here’s what no person’s telling you: Salt water isn’t curing pimples. It’s not balancing something. It may well truly mess up your pores and skin long-term. And that fast win you may see within the first day or two? It often comes again to chew you with worse breakouts later. Generally the perfect transfer is NOT leaping on the most recent viral hack. Even when it’s trending. Even when everybody swears it really works. Even once you’re determined. So for those who’ve been questioning whether or not you must do that… you may skip it. Your pores and skin shall be tremendous. Truly higher than tremendous.
