The growing popularity of Epsom salts can be attributed to several factors, mainly reflecting an increased awareness of their potential health and wellness benefits, and people searching for calmer, happier, more simplified lifestyles, and a reduction in spending to achieve this. Could these be some of the reasons Epsom salt baths are a wellness trend that is making a comeback? In no particular order:
1. Focus on Self-Care: In today's fast-paced world, there's a heightened emphasis on self-care and well-being. Epsom salt baths and foot soaks provide a simple and accessible way for us to incorporate relaxation and stress relief into our daily or weekly routine, with little cost in time or money.
2. Natural and Simple Ingredients: Epsom salts are composed of magnesium and sulphate, naturally occurring minerals. The trend towards clean and simple ingredients (ie the kind you can pronounce, and not many of them) has contributed to the renewed interest in Epsom salts as a natural remedy. (Just be aware that not all Epsom salts are natural, even though it might say so on the packet. And watch out for synthetic fragrances and colours that are in soaks designed to look and smell pretty. They won’t have such a pretty effect on your skin.)
All Salt & Oil soaks are made with truly natural Epsom salt and use only natural essential oils in the scented blends.
3. Stress Reduction: Our modern lifestyles are often associated with increased stress levels. Epsom salt is believed to help alleviate stress by promoting relaxation and soothing sore muscles, making it a sought-after remedy for those looking to unwind. Magnesium is known as the Mind Mineral because of its calming effect on the brain. Magnesium is necessary for us to produce serotonin – one of our feel-good brain chemicals.
4. Athletic Recovery: Fitness enthusiasts and athletes have embraced Epsom salts for their potential benefits in muscle recovery. The salts are thought to help reduce inflammation and ease muscle soreness after intense physical activity.
Our original blend – SO:Active – was developed for top New Zealand rugby players to aid muscle recovery after matches.
5. Social Media Influence: The rise of wellness influencers and the sharing of self-care routines on social media platforms and in podcasts by the likes of Joe Rogan and Jackie Lynch, Menopause Nutritionist (the Well Well Well podcast) have played a role in popularising Epsom salt use. It’s actually refreshing to hear them encouraging the use of something so inexpensive and effective, rather than fancy supplements they’ve designed to boost their earnings!
6. DIY Home Spas: A top notch combo of self-care and money-saving. A trend most likely hastened by the pandemic, more and more people still prefer to treat themselves at home rather than battle traffic, find parking, and fit into the limited opening hours of salons.
7. Holistic Health Practices: The holistic health movement has gained momentum, and Epsom salts align with this trend as a natural and holistic remedy. People are exploring alternative approaches to health and wellness beyond traditional medicine. Something as simple as keeping your stress levels managed with mindful relaxation, such as a soothing, peaceful bath, can have a positive effect on all areas of your health and wellbeing.
8. Gift-Giving Trends: Epsom salt products, such as bath salts and foot soak kits, have become popular gift items. The trend of giving experiences and wellness-oriented gifts has contributed to the renewed interest in Epsom salts.
9. Natural Sleep Aid: Sleep quality has become a focal point of health discussions, magazine articles, podcasts etc. Epsom salts have gained attention for their potential to contribute to healthy sleep patterns, without large cost or potential side effects.
10. Cultural Shift Towards Mindfulness: The cultural shift towards mindfulness and holistic well-being has prompted individuals to seek out simple and accessible practices that contribute to their mental and physical health. Epsom salt foot soaks align with this mindfulness trend.
Whatever your reason for choosing to add Epsom salt baths or foot soaks to your wellbeing routine, welcome to Salt & Oil, where we handmake them for you in New Zealand, using natural, ethically-sourced ingredients.
To increase the benefits you'll experience, we've got a discount code for you - BENEFITS gets you 20% off all single items on our website (ie not the multi packs or gift sets).
This is a one-time per customer code and is for single items only, not multi-buys or gift sets.
One last thing: Would you like to join us and receive The Weekly Soak - aka our email updates? There's a welcome offer for you in your first email, and you'll be added to our monthly draw to win a bath soak for you and one for a friend as our Random Act of Relaxation.