EPSOM SALTS - Buyer Beware

What you should know about this mineral compound

As winter is here, now is a good time to indulge yourself with a soak in the bath or pamper those trusty feet. The simplest additive I reach for is Epsom Salts and as I started researching ingredients for my products, I thought it would be good to share information on this common product with you. Not all Epsom Salts are created equal.

The purgative effect of the waters of Epsom, in southern England, was first discovered in the early seventeenth century. Epsom subsequently developed as one of the great English spas where high society flocked to take the medicinal waters. The extraction of the Epsom Salts from the spa waters and their chemical analysis was that of magnesium sulphate. Epsom salts were never produced in any volume in Epsom but that is where the name of this mineral compound originates from.

A lot of people don’t realise that Epsom salts that you purchase today can be from natural or man-made sources. Naturally occurring Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) is harvested from a few select locations. One of the most significant sources is Germany, where natural underground deposits of epsomite (the mineral form of magnesium sulfate) is found. Other natural sources can include dry lake beds and mineral springs.

The vast majority today is synthetically manufactured for the mass market and comes in various grades - USP Grade (or Food Grade) is certified and tested for impurities which is suitable for personal care and food. Technical Grade, also known as Agricultural or Industrial Grade, is used in industrial or mass-agricultural settings and may contain impurities. Beware of some brands that also contain additives such as anti-caking agents, free-flowing agents, or conditioners.

Some studies have shown that magnesium and sulfate are easily absorbed through the skin. Magnesium treats various ailments and most commonly used for its therapeutic properties when it comes to relieving inflammation and pain and as a relaxant that is helpful in reducing muscle tension, swelling, and improving circulation. Sulfates help improve the absorption of nutrients, flush toxins, and may help ease a headache.

Epsom Salt Uses & Common Applications

Epsom salt has a long history of use around the home, in health, beauty, cleaning and gardening. Listed are some of the popular uses for this product.

• Bath Soak - to ease pain, sprains, bruises and relieve inflammation, making it beneficial in the treatment of sore muscles, recovery after exercise, fibromyalgia, and irritated skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. Use up to 2 cups and pour into warm running water to disperse. Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes.
• Foot Soak - to help improve circulation, soften rough skin, combat foot odour, relieve aches and pains and if used regularly it will help with athlete’s foot and toenail fungus.
• Remove splinters - Soak affected skin area in an Epsom salt bath for a minimum of 10 minutes to help draw out the splinter.
• Ease discomfort of Gout - Ease the discomfort of gout and reduce inflammation by adding 2-3 teaspoons of Epsom salts into a basin and immersing the affected foot/joint. The water should be as hot as it is comfortable. Soak for about 30 minutes.
• Relieves occasional constipation - Drinking a solution of food grade Epsom salt increases the transport of water to the large intestine. This results in a natural colon cleanse and body detox. Your gallbladder may also benefit from magnesium sulfate as a flush to help relieve gallstones. Seek medical advice for internal consumption.
• Polish silverware - make a solution of 1/4 cup of Epsom salt and 2 cups of boiling water and soak your silverware for 5 minutes to remove tarnish.
• Clean bathroom tiles - Mix equal parts Epsom salt and liquid dish detergent and use as a scrub on bathroom tile.
• Clean detergent build-up on washing machines - Fill the machine tub with hot water, add Epsom salt, and run an agitate/soak/agitate cycle to dissolve detergent build-up.
• Repels slugs and snails - Sprinkle a thin line of Epsom salt around your garden perimeter where these pests are likely to be.
• Fertilise your houseplants - Most plants need nutrients like magnesium and sulfur to stay in good health and Epsom salt makes the primary nutrients in most plant foods (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) more effective.
• Keep your lawn green - Epsom Salts provide vital nutrients that help prevent yellowing leaves and the loss of green colour (magnesium is an essential element in the chlorophyll molecule) in plants. Add 2 tablespoons of Epsom salt to 3 litres of water and sprinkle on your lawn to keep the grass healthy and green and safely and naturally get rid of plant pests.

If you are like me, next time you reach for a bag of Epsom Salts, read the label ingredients including country of origin and make informed decisions as to the quality of the product (obviously taking into account your intended use). Our products that we make Bath Salts and Herbal Foot Soak obviously only use Natural Epsom Salts. Now go and enjoy that bath!