This Or That: Epsom Salt or Dead Sea Salt?
Epsom salts are small flakes of magnesium chloride that dissolve in water and consist of Magnesium and Chloride. While Dead Sea salts are made up of salt (sodium chloride) and more than 20 minerals, Epsom salts contain no salt at all. Instead, Epsom salts form when high levels of magnesium and sulfate combine in water. They are known as ‘salts’ simply because they resemble salt crystals and have similar properties. 

Dead Sea salts are mineral salts extracted from the Dead Sea, a salt lake located between Jordan, Israel and Palestine. They are, however, abundant in many other minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur and bromide. Its crumbling moist consistency sets it apart from the clear smooth crystals of Epsom salts. The composition is also different. In regular ocean water, 85 percent of the salt is sodium chloride (table salt); however, Dead Sea salt is only 12-18 percent sodium chloride. This means that Dead Sea salt contains a richer mixture of other nutrients, primarily magnesium salts. In Dead Sea salts you will find 21 minerals which include magnesium, calcium, sulfur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium. 

Highly absorbent, the high moisture content of Dead Sea salt makes it perfect for combining with fragrance or essential oils. But this also means Dead Sea salt needs to be stored tightly and kept in a cool dry place, whereas Epsom salts are very resilient and can be stored in your bathroom cupboard. 

Soaking regularly in water treated with one of these products—or a blend of them—is known to nourish, replenish and hydrate the skin and repair its barrier function. Both Epsom salt and Dead Sea salts are transdermal products, meaning they allow the minerals to absorb into your skin when you take a bath or soak your feet.

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