The world never stops spinning. By the end of the day, after meetings, meals, and endless to-dos, there's often nothing left in the tank. It's no surprise that your body feels tense, your mind overstimulated, and your shoulders permanently tight.
When life feels heavy, even the smallest acts of self-care can become a quiet revolution. Among the most accessible forms of restoration are Epsom salt baths. These mineral-rich soaks have long been praised for their ability to alleviate soreness, quiet the nervous system, and provide a moment of tranquility, allowing you to unwind and reconnect with yourself.
What Is Epsom Salt?
Epsom salt is a naturally occurring compound made up of two common minerals: magnesium and sulfate. It has been used for centuries for its therapeutic benefits, especially its ability to soothe tired muscles and soften skin.
Outside of its scientific name, magnesium sulfate, you may also find Epsom salt listed as bitter salt, bath salt, or even English salt. The latter is derived from Epsom, a town in Surrey, England. This is where these soothing salts were first distilled from mineral-rich spring waters in the early 17th century.
While best known as a soothing bath soak, Epsom salt offers more than just relaxation. Harvested from mineral-rich waters, its two components — magnesium and sulfate — are essential to overall wellness.
A Timeless Tool for Healing and Restoration
Like many of the natural ingredients we use in our Prima's bath and skincare products, Epsom salt didn't originate in a laboratory but rather emerged naturally.
The Origins of Epsom Salt
The story begins with a chance discovery by an English cowherd named Henry Wicker.
In the early 1600s, during a drought-stricken summer, Wicker stumbled upon a curious spring bubbling up in the English countryside. Unfortunately for his thirsty herd, the water was bitter to taste, but Wicker noted the glistening salt crystal formations left behind around the edges of the spring.
Soon, through somewhat mysterious circumstances, the healing properties of this strange spring began to reveal themselves. Locals soon discovered that the water from this spring had laxative properties when ingested, and people began to notice its more topical applications for calming irritations, helping wound healing, and the many benefits of Epsom salt for weary feet. Epsom quickly became one of the first spa towns in England, thanks to this humble mineral-rich spring.
While Epsom salts specifically are rooted in English history, mineral baths in general have long been a global tradition. For millennia, people around the world have turned to natural hot springs to soothe the body and spirit. From ancient Egypt to the Roman Empire, mineral bathing was a sacred ritual passed down through generations as a source of healing and cultural connection.
The Beauty and Wellness Benefits of Epsom Salt Baths
Over the centuries, Epsom salt baths have taken on a lore all their own. These days, they are the go-to ingredient for a deeply restorative, steamy soak. In fact, the baths have become so popular that nearly everyone seems to have a stash of these English salts tucked in their bathroom cupboard, just in case.
Soothes Muscles and Joints
Scientifically speaking, the benefits of an Epsom salt bath revolve around soothing muscle pain, alleviating stress, and reducing inflammation. Studies have found that hot Epsom salt soaks can help reduce knee joint pain and calm hypertension. There are, of course, the general benefits of a hot bath that come into play as well, for further relaxing muscles and joints.
Calms Irritation and Supports Skin Moisture
Many sources claim this is also an excellent way to help boost your body's natural levels of magnesium. After all, Epsom salt is a source of magnesium, and luxuriating in a hot bath can help open up pores for better absorption. While magnesium is essential for deep relaxation and stress relief, scientific consensus on absorption through the skin is still evolving.
And just like Wicker, the English herder whose discovery sparked centuries of healing, many still turn to Epsom salt for its soothing effect on the skin. A warm bath infused with these magnesium-rich crystals may help calm irritation, support minor wound healing, and bring comfort to dry or reactive skin.
Outside of the bath, Epsom salt benefits for skin serve as a natural, mineral-rich exfoliant. When gently massaged onto damp skin, the delicate crystals help lift away dullness and dead skin cells, leaving a smoother, softer surface behind. It's an all-natural way to support skin renewal, especially when paired with nourishing body oils to seal in hydration afterward.
How To Take an Epsom Salt Bath
There is nothing quite as relaxing as running a hot bath, sprinkling in a handful of essential oil-infused Epsom salts, and sinking in up to your neck. It does something magical for your body, mind, and soul.
Here’s how to bring the bliss of Prima's Bath gems into your next relaxing bath ritual:
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Step 1: Fill the bath with as much hot water as possible to ensure your entire body can melt away beneath the surface.
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Step 2: As the bath is filling, light a few scented candles to help set a peaceful mood.
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Step 3: Add at least two cups of Epsom salt and use your hands to help it dissolve, or simply drop a Bath Gem before you step in. Allow it to dissolve fully, releasing all its functional minerals, aromatics, and moisturizing oils.
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Step 4: Step into the waters and allow your tension to melt away. Stay in for at least 20 minutes to get the full benefits of soaking in Epsom salt (but feel free to stay there for as long as you need).
Our Bath Gem Formulation is more than just a nice-smelling bath bomb. Each is crafted with natural ingredients that offer support that goes beyond the bath.
A few of the highlights include organic hemp CBD to support the skin and provide balance, meadowfoam seed oil for its benefits for supremely soft and intensely hydrated skin, and calming essential oils like eucalyptus, lavender, and camphor to help soothe the mind.
Reset Your End of Day Self-Care with Bath Gems
When the world is weighing you down, there is no better way to release some of that tension than with a long, luxurious soak in an Epsom salt-infused bath. With its ability to ease body stress, soften skin, and help support a quiet moment of relaxation, this magnesium-rich, crystalized ingredient remains one of the simplest rituals for a full-body reset.
When combined with nourishing ingredients like those in Prima’s Bath Gems, this timeless practice becomes something even more powerful—an easy, beautiful way to care for yourself, inside and out.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this content is for general knowledge and educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or medical condition. Individual results may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before using CBD or any hemp-derived products, especially if you have underlying health conditions, are pregnant or nursing, or are taking prescription medications.
