That’s a common belief, but it’s not really accurate in terms of how skin physiology works.
Washing your face with salt water doesn’t “deeply cleanse pores.” Pores aren’t little openings you can flush out like pipes—they’re the surface openings of hair follicles, and what mainly clogs them is sebum, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Salt water doesn’t remove those in any special way compared to a proper cleanser.
In fact, salt water can sometimes do more harm than good:
- It can irritate the skin by disrupting the natural barrier, especially if used frequently or in strong concentration.
- It can dry out the skin, which may trigger your skin to produce more oil as compensation.
- Any mild antibacterial effect from salt isn’t strong or controlled enough to replace proper skincare ingredients like salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide.
If your goal is “deep cleansing,” a better approach is:
- A gentle cleanser twice daily
- Occasional use of salicylic acid (BHA) for clogged pores
- Moisturizer to keep the skin barrier healthy
Salt water might feel refreshing, but it’s not a reliable or safe method for pore cleansing.
