Discovering that a mundane pantry item can take on a new life as a serious #lifehacking essential feels kind of like a Cinderella-style “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” moment. Whether you’re using baking soda to leave your laundry smelling so fresh and so clean, or tenderizing your meat with lemon juice, or unclogging your sink with cream of tartar, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a frugal and effective multitasking item. So, what if I told you that salt—AKA the most basic of all spices in your kitchen—might actually stop a breakout in its face-puffing tracks?

Recently, a makeup artist from LUXit—a premium beauty-services-booking app—told Byrdie that sprinkling a little sodium chloride on a zit basically dries that sucker out as you sleep peacefully. However, it’s important to note that while your pimple likely won’t be totally MIA in the a.m., there’s a good chance it’ll be noticeably smaller and easier to conceal.

“[Salt] may help dry out a pimple and even exfoliate dead cells on the surface of the skin, but it certainly will not be as effective as a traditional acne treatment like benzoyl peroxide.” —Joshua Zeichner, MD

And the tip has a medically approved backing “Salt has a dehydrating effect—on both the body in general and the skin,” explains Joshua Zeichner, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. “It may help dry out a pimple and even exfoliate dead cells on the surface of the skin, but it certainly will not be as effective as a traditional acne treatment like benzoyl peroxide.” In other words, it’s not exactly a miracle-worker. But if you’re in a, *ahem*, pinch, salt can’t hurt.

To get pepper’s soul mate to actually stay on your face, you’ll need to grab you salt shaker and a bandage (square varieties that are sealed all the way around will work best). To stop the white grains from pouring off your face and all over the floor, tilt your chin upwards to press a small dot of salt atop your zit. Then, place the bandage over the spot to secure it. From there, drift away in peace knowing that your uninvited sleepover guest will be much less of a nuisance in the morning.

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