Epsom Salt Crystals

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Epsom salt is a very commonly used product in spas, and is made from hydrated magnesium salt. The following section highlights the uses of this salt and gives information on how to make Epsom salt crystals. Epsom salt is a very commonly used product in spas, and is made from hydrated magnesium salt. The following section highlights the uses of this salt and gives information on how to make Epsom salt crystals.

Epsom salt originated from a saline spring in Epsom, Surrey, England. These springs emanate when porous chalk mixes with the non-porous London clay. It contains magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen, and has the chemical formula MgSO 4 .7H 2 O. This salt has been used for relieving muscle pain, as well as some other medicinal uses like being a laxative, treating nail fungus and athlete's foot. Epsom crystals are quite safe to use and can even be made at home.

Facts and Uses of This Salt

The most popular use of Epsom salt is in salt baths. Dissolve one to two cups of Epsom crystals in a hot bath―immersing your body in it will soothe tired muscles.

These crystals are added to the potting soil as a fertilizer, particularly while growing roses. They increase the level of magnesium in soil, which enables healthy growth of plants. They are also used as a coagulant while making tofu. A foot soak made by dissolving half a cup of this salt removes foul odor from feet, softens rough skin, and relaxes the feet.

Medical uses of Epsom salts include treatment of problems like athlete's foot and fungal infection of the nails, as well as for reducing bruises and sprains. This salt can also be used as a face and body scrub. Take a handful and mix it with extra virgin olive oil. Massage this scrub in a gentle circular motion all over your body, for removing dead skin.

This bath salt can be used to make a natural hair volumizing formulation. Combine equal amounts of it with your favorite conditioner, and fill this inside a small bottle.

This salt also helps to soak up excess oil from hair. Dissolve 8 to 10 tablespoons of it in ½ cup of shampoo, and apply one tablespoon of this concoction to your hair. Using a mixture of Epsom crystals dissolved in liquid dish detergent is very effective for cleaning bathroom tiles.

These crystals can also be used in various beauty treatments such as removing blackheads. Dissolve a tablespoon of these along with iodine in a cup of boiling water, and apply this mixture on the blackheads with a cotton ball.

How to Make Epsom Crystals

To make these crystals at home, you need: Epsom salts A shallow dish or bowl 1 cup hot water Food coloring (optional) Stirrer

Procedure Pour the hot water into the shallow dish or bowl and add a bit of the salt in it. Stir the water until all the crystals dissolve.

Keep adding the salt and repeating the process till the crystals stop dissolving. Add a drop or two of food coloring and place the dish inside the refrigerator, undisturbed, for about 3 hours, after which you will find the dish filled with thin crystals that are very fragile.