Epsom salts are one of the best beauty secrets that you might not yet know or all of the applications and benefits you might not know about the skin.
They have been used for hundreds of years, especially in America and the United Kingdom, but they are also gaining ground in all regions. The difference between a simple scented bath salt and that of Epsom is abysmal. In this article, we find out why, where to buy it, and how to choose the best Epsom salts for bath and other uses, according to our review.
Table of Contents
What is the best Epsom salt?
Epsom salt is a natural mineral originally discovered and mined in the town of Epsom, Surrey, England. It is also called epsomite and is properly called magnesium sulfate. It also has the characteristic of being called bitter salt because of its special taste.
It can be used for relaxing and rejuvenating hot baths, foot baths, wound wraps, but also for body or hair beauty, as a DIY scrub and also as fertilizer for garden plants. Plus, if taken in the doses recommended by your doctor, it has laxative and cleansing effects. We bring you the best Epsom salts below:
1. Westlab Epsom 5 kg salt
Westlab epsomite, one of the best value choices on the market, is sold in 5kg packs, single or double, in convenient resealable bags.
Pharmaceutical quality and 100% natural, this product is particularly appreciated for soothing muscle pain in people who practice sports. Added to a hot bath, they relieve stress but are also excellent for water retention, which is the root cause of cellulite blemishes.
Main Features:
- Excellent value for money
- 100% natural, cruelty-free and vegan
- They are not likely to be ingested
Specifications:
- Brand: Westlab
- Package content: 5 kg
2. Salt Spa Co pure Epsom salt
From a company specializing in the production of luxury salts, here is a 5kg packet of Epsom salts at a great price compared to the quality. In particular, it has a practical reinforced handle and a zipper for better storage.
They can be used outdoors, for relaxing and purifying baths, but also for localized draining dressings. As the grains are small, it dissolves easily to better promote absorption of magnesium.
Main Features:
- A fantastic price-performance ratio
- Small grains
- Without perfume
Specifications:
- Brand: Salt Spa Co
- Package content: 5 kg
3. Epsom Nortembio salt
These magnesium sulphate crystals are sold in two rigid plastic packages of 6 kg. They have a pleasant strawberry and rose scent, are slightly pinkish and additionally contain vitamins C and E.
These bath salts used for foot baths and hot water dives help reduce muscle pain, cellulite and stress. They are produced by a process that reproduces the natural crystallization of magnesium sulfate.
Main Features:
- Scented
- High solubility
- Ebook with traditional uses
Specifications:
- Brand: Nortembio
- Package content: 2 x 6 kg
4. Dr Teal Epsom Mint Eucalyptus Salt
Dr. Teal’s English Salts are pure and scented with eucalyptus and mint essential oils, so a scent intense enough to consider before buying.
They are made in the USA and are valued for the personal care they provide and for their effectiveness in relieving injuries or stings, muscle pain and their stimulating effect on the body. The 1.36 kg package is very affordable.
Main Features:
- With mint and eucalyptus essential oil
- Not intended for food
- Made in the USA
Specifications:
- Brand: Dr Teal’s
- Package content: 1.36 kg
5. Warnke Epsom salt for food Vitalstoffe
Warnke Vitalstoffe Magnesium Sulfate Tablets are one of the best bitter salt supplements on the market. They are perfect for those looking for a certified natural intestinal cleansing product that is safe to ingest.
In addition, supplementing our body with magnesium helps reduce the feeling of fatigue and exhaustion. These tablets are especially popular with those who cannot stand the really bitter taste of magnesium sulfate crystals.
Main Features:
- Magnesium supplement
- Food use
- No bitterness
Specifications:
- Brand: Warnke Vitalstoffe
- Package content: 120 tablets
6. Bretannia blue and navy Epsom salts
Ideal for foot baths, these English salts are infused with tea tree essential oil known for its antiseptic and antibacterial properties.
As this is a specific product for the treatment of the feet, it is not recommended to use it in the bathtub.
Epsom salts are appreciated for their relaxing effect, but above all for their effectiveness in combating swelling, mild yeast infections and in treating athlete’s foot in a natural way, with a biological product.
Main Features:
- Foot bath salts
- With tea tree essential oil
- 100% natural
Specifications:
- Brand: blue & navy Bretannia
- Package content: 1 kg
Epsom Salts Buying Guide
Having seen some of our top picks regarding Epsom salts which can be purchased online and with various features, let’s try to understand what there is to consider before purchasing this ancient, multi-functional natural remedy that is becoming of more and more popular in Italy as well.
What should you know before buying English salts?
English salt or bitter salt is a naturally occurring mineral in the form of crystals technically called magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. Magnesium is a substance that we often lack, resulting in fatigue, exhaustion, insomnia, stress and muscle pain, cramps and swelling. The combination of magnesium and sulfate in Epsom salt has been shown to be effective in countering the effects of magnesium deficiency, but also in reducing the healing time of stretches, injuries, bruises and wounds.
An additional curiosity is that Epsom salt is not salt, because chemically speaking salt is sodium chloride, but it has this nickname because it tastes salty and bitter. If you are looking to buy English salt online, make sure what you are buying is Epsom salt (other names are epsomite, magnesium sulfate, bitter salt, or English salt).
- Quality
Epsom salts can be of different types, only one food grade and therefore 100% pure and safe to ingest as a natural magnesium supplement and purging agent.
The second category is for outdoor use, so it can be used for beauty treatments, baths and foot baths, but should not be consumed. There is also industrial Epsom salt, which is less pure and unsuitable for personal care treatments.
- Quantities
Magnesium sulfate can be purchased at pharmacies, online, or stores specializing in homeopathic and natural care. It is sold in different quantities, often in pharmacies, you can find it in packs of 250 or 500 grams, which can be good if you’ve never tried it and don’t want too much. However, buying English salt online is very beneficial in terms of value for money, as you can find large quantities (1 kg, 5 kg or 10 kg) at a much more competitive price than in a pharmacy.
On the other hand, buying heavy items online is sometimes a problem, as packages can arrive damaged.
- Crystal size
Magnesium sulfate is different from salt also because it comes in the form of crystals and granules which can be transparent and odorless in their purest form or can be colored and with essences.
The size of the crystals and their purity also determine their ability to be more or less soluble in water.
It is not essential that Epsom salt dissolves perfectly and quickly in water, especially since a less soluble salt can be excellent as a body scrub and localized wrap.
What is certain is that an English salt that dissolves faster will facilitate absorption through the skin to flush out toxins and cleanse the body, as well as make cleaning the bath less tiring.
- Perfumes and aromatherapy
A truly potent combination of Epsom salt and essential oils makes a simple hot bath a real spa aromatherapy experience. For an energizing effect, peppermint or eucalyptus are ideal, while lavender is perfect for a more relaxing and sleepy atmosphere.
Tea tree essential oil, on the other hand, thanks to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties, combines with magnesium sulfate salt to create a foot bath that helps treat foot conditions such as yeast or yeast infection. mushrooms.
- Ingredients to add
Besides essential oils, you can add other ingredients to Epsom salts, like natural dyes to create a special gift set or homemade personal care remedies. For example, bath bombs, like Lush bombs, are created from English salt and a combination of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid. Or body and face scrubs made from magnesium sulfate and coconut oil. In short, there are many uses and combinations and I will talk about this in more detail in a paragraph below.
Practical advice
- After purchasing a 1 or 5 kg packet of Epsom salt, remember to close the bag tightly and avoid leaving it exposed to the sun or to sources of heat or humidity that would affect the status of the magnesium sulfate.
- Decanting into smaller, more convenient containers might be an option, but often a handy measuring cup comes with the epsomite sachet.
- English salt, based on magnesium, is a fantastic fertilizer for roses that love this mineral and also a natural deterrent for snails.
- It can also be used for household cleaning, to remove encrustations in fixtures, mixed with plain water, obtaining a pasty consistency to be rubbed.
All the best uses for Epsom salt: Best Epsom salts For Bath
Hot baths
The most common use is that of English salt baths. The amounts depend on the size of the tub and the effect you want to achieve, but usually you add a drink or two. It is also important to remain with the body immersed in the water of the tub with magnesium sulfate for a period ranging from a minimum of 20 minutes to 40 minutes for an optimal regenerating and relaxing effect.
But why is bathing in Epsom salt so beneficial?
- Because the skin absorbs magnesium and thus fills a deficiency in our body that causes stress and chronic fatigue.
- Purifies and eliminates the superficial layer of the epidermis, promoting the renewal of cells and skin.
- Reduces pain, the appearance of bruises, injuries and muscle tension in people who engage in particular physical activity
- Fights water retention and cellulite, as it acts on swelling with an anti-inflammatory effect
- Naturally reduces stress and relaxes body and mind
Foot baths
Combined with baking soda to do a treatment with hot water on the feet, this is great as it relieves swelling, reduces possible problems like a strong odor or classic athlete’s foot. Simply prepare a bowl of hot water with magnesium sulfate and soak your feet for at least 20 minutes.
Food use
While it is true that magnesium sulfate has laxative and purifying properties, the dietary use of Epsom salt is open to debate due to the contraindications it may present.
It is found in powder to be consumed dissolved in water, as in the case of the food supplement Spazio Eco Salute. In fact, if taken in excessive amounts, it can cause serious digestive problems and dehydration. It is therefore not recommended to take it following the online advice, but it is better to consult your doctor who can tell you the dosage or not take it if it is not suitable for your specific case.
Aesthetic uses
The bitter salt beauty remedy recipes for the cure are many and some very good and definitely worth a try. The best are:
Bath bombs: The most famous are those from Lush, but to make them at home you need 200g of baking soda, 100g of corn starch, 100g of citric acid and 100g of Epsom salt for powders. While for liquids, 2 teaspoons of water, 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and a few drops of essential oil to give your bath bomb the scent you prefer and also want a few drops of food coloring have the full effect of the originals.
Natural body scrub : Combine organic English salt, almond oil and a few drops of essential oil and gently massage the skin to exfoliate and moisturize.
Epsom Salt Drainage Packs for Water Retention : Apply magnesium sulfate to damp skin and wrap it in bandages and hold for at least 20 minutes.
Compresses volumizing hair : combine equal parts of conditioner and Epsomite and apply on leather scalp for at least 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with water.
Cleanser face : English add salt (you can also grind to make it easier on facial skin) to your facial cleanser or your facial oil to increase its purifying efficiency.
Purifying acne treatment for the face: mix two teaspoons of bitter salt with a glass of water and stir until completely dissolved (if any crystals remain, it means that the water is saturated with magnesium) and apply with your fingers to the skin, let it dry and you will see a layer of magnesium sulfate powder appear. Leave on for a few minutes, then rinse by massaging gently.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Epsom salt?
Epsom salt is not salt, but magnesium sulfate. It is also called English salt, bitter salt, or epsomite. The reason it is called salt is because it is salty and very bitter and was discovered in the fields of Epsom, an English town, around 1700.
Can I put Epsom salts in a hot tub?
It is not recommended to put epsomite in the hot tub, as it could clog the filtration system and damage it with the remaining residue.
Does Epsom salt dry out skin and hair like sea salt?
Epsom salt is used for volumizing compresses and to remove excess sebum on the scalp, so it has a similar effect to seawater on the hair. However, taking detox baths with English contributes to softer, smoother skin.
What are the different qualities of English salt?
English salt can be food grade and therefore suitable for oral consumption, on prescription or only for external use and is indicated on the package label. It is therefore advisable to check the back of the packaging to be sure.
Is it dangerous to take hot baths with Epsom salt?
Hot relaxing Epsom salt baths have no contraindications and are also safe for children. However, ingesting this compound of magnesium and sulfate can cause bowel problems and diarrhea and interfere with the medications you are taking and the health of people with liver problems. They are also not recommended for pregnant women.
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