'Rub Salt On Your Body': Jaya Bachchan Uses 'Sendha Namak' In Her Skincare Routine For Smooth Skin; But Does It Really Work?
In the era of multi-step skincare routines, veteran star Jaya Bachchan is proving that beauty rituals don't really have to be complicated. Instead, it should be simple and natural. During a candid moment on her granddaughter Navya Naveli Nanda's podcast, 'What The Hell Navya' (Season 2, Episode aired February 15, 2024), the actress revealed an age-old Indian beauty hack for her smooth skin at 77. And, the skincare secret is to rub rock salt on your body.
Joined by her daughter Shweta Bachchan and granddaughter Navya, the three generations of Bachchan women got talking about wellness practices passed down through the years and Jaya’s simple skincare secret became the highlight of the conversation.
Jaya Bachchan's skincare secret
While chatting about body care rituals, Jaya revealed a practice she occasionally follows. The actress shared, "Actually, a very nice, calming thing is: rub salt on your body. Although I don't do it all the time."
Her daughter, Shweta, also added, "Yes, I do that after my shower. It is the last step of my shower. It is very good for aura cleansing. I do it on my arms, so I never have those bumps. I do it once a week – I do it on my whole body." To this, Jaya stated, "Even I do it (rub salt on my body) once a week. Just plain rock salt."
Well, can something as simple as sendha namak or rock salt really improve your skin? Know here.
What is rock salt and can it help your skin?
Rock salt, commonly known as sendha namak in India, is harvested when saltwater evaporates, leaving behind coarse, mineral-rich crystals. While it's a kitchen staple during fasts, it's also used in traditional Indian remedies for its supposed cleansing and therapeutic properties.
According to a 2019 Healthline report, rock salt is believed to rejuvenate skin tissue, strengthen its barrier, and detoxify the body. Although many of these benefits haven't been conclusively proven in modern science, they continue to be widely practised and passed down through generations.
Backing this tradition with research, a 2005 clinical study published by the National Institutes Of Health (NIH) found that bathing in a 5% Dead Sea salt solution daily for six weeks resulted in noticeably smoother and more hydrated skin, with reduced redness and irritation. Since Dead Sea salts and rock salts have similar chemical compositions, it’s possible that rock salt may offer comparable effects, especially when used in a bath or as a gentle scrub.
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