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Byrdie / Chloe Jeong
Look, we get it, taking a bath every day probably (read: definitely) isn’t in the cards for most people. But there’s no denying that there’s something truly decadent—not to mention utterly relaxing—about trading a five-minute shower for a long, leisurely soak. And for those rare occasions when the latter is an option, adding all the right accouterments is the best way to take a bath from basic to blissful. Enter bath salts, which have long been used for both their physical and mental benefits. Many are made from either magnesium sulfate (commonly known as Epsom salt) or different types of sea salt, all rich in minerals that can do everything from purify the skin to soothe sore muscles. Add in essential oils for various aromatherapy benefits and bath salts are the perfect way to treat both your body and your mind.
Check out a handful of our favorite bath salts below and get to soaking.
Best Overall: Herbivore Botanicals Calm Bath Salts
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Hydrates and softens skin
Vegan formula
Aromatherapy benefits
Strong scent
Who else recommends it? Allure, PureWow, and The Skincare Edit all picked the Herbivore Botanicals Calm Bath Salts.
What do buyers say? 87% of 400+ Amazon reviewers rated this product 4 stars or above.
No time for daily meditation or yoga class? Hop in the tub with this soak. A combo of Himalayan pink salt and Pacific sea salt relax muscles, while vanilla oil calms the nervous system to help you seriously chill out, no matter how much your mind may be racing. Ylang-ylang essential oil balances out the scent with its floral notes, but also maintains the moisture balance in your skin so that you feel both blissed out and super soft after you climb out of the tub.
Key Ingredients: Himalayan pink salts, ylang ylang essential oil, vanilla | Scent: Warm vanilla, ylang-ylang | Size: 8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Budget: C. Booth Pink Himalayan Bath Soak with Epsom Salt
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Courtesy of Ulta
Affordable
Aromatherapy benefits
Ingredients aren't disclosed online
Not only is the price a total steal, you only need to use a small amount for each bath, so one jar lasts quite a while. A combination of Himalayan sea salt and Epsom salt do their thing for your body, and the floral scent—of rose, pink peony, lily, and violet—is a big hit among satisfied reviewers.
Key Ingredients: Pink Himalayan salt, Epsom salt | Scent: Rose, pink peony, lily, violet | Size: 17.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Drugstore: Dove Renewing Ritual Peony and Rose Bath Salts
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Courtesy of Walmart
Affordable
Sulfate-free
Hydrates and softens skin
Strong scent
Who knew drugstore favorite Dove has a line of soothing bath salts that smell great and are reasonably priced? We're partial to this relaxing peony and rose scent, which is rejuvenating and invigorating, ideal when you need a little mental or physical pick-me-up. It’s made with Dove's patented moisture blend of sea salts that are sulfate-free, gentle, and will nourish your skin.
Key Ingredients: Skin-caring patented moisture renew blend technology | Scent: Peony, rose | Size: 28 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Before Bed: This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak
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Courtesy of Thisworks
Great to use before bedtime
Hydrates and softens skin
Pricey
Have trouble sleeping? Instead of reality TV binging or never-ending social media scrolling, try taking a bath with this soak a few hours before bedtime. A blend of lavender and vetivert oils, plus chamomile extract, in a sea salt base help to calm and quiet your mind, leaving you feeling totally relaxed and ready to hit the sack. You’ll get extra credit points for not bringing your phone into the bathroom.
Key Ingredients: Lavender oil, camomile oil, vetivert oil | Scent: Lavender | Size: 7.06 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Purifying: Goop Beauty G.Tox Detox 5 Salt Bath Soak
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Courtesy of G. Tox
Clarifying
Hydrates and softens skin
Pricey
Don’t be put off by the black hue—that’s just activated charcoal and glacial marine clay, a dynamic duo that goes to work removing all the impurities and assorted gunk and grime we’re exposed to on the reg. There’s also a blend of different salts, skin-softening enzymes, and essential oils, too. Be sure to soak for at least 20 minutes in order to reap the purifying benefits—consider this your excuse to stretch out your time in the tub.
Key Ingredients: Pharmaceutical-grade Epsom salt, Himalayan pink salt, dead sea salt, New Zealand solar salt, baking soda, matcha tea extract, activated charcoal, coriander essential oil, cardamom essential oil, grapefruit essential oil, helichrysum essential oil | Size: 24 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Luxe: Susanne Kaufmann St. John’s Wort Bath
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Courtesy of Spacenk
Soothing
Hydrates and softens skin
Dissolves completely
Pricey
It may be a splurge, but this soak is worth every penny, particularly if you have dry or sunburned skin; calming and soothing St. John’s Wort leaves skin feeling silky soft after just one soak. Also nice: It is ground into a fine powder that dissolves completely, just mix a few teaspoons under running water as you fill the tub.
Key Ingredients: Cocoa butter, milk protein, St. John's wort flowers | Size: 14.1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Scent: OUAI Chill Pills Bath Bombs
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Hydrates and softens skin
Smells good
Fizzes
Can leave a residue in tub
Toss a couple of these adorable cubes into a bath for the ultimate unwind. Infused with hydrating jojoba oil, safflower seed oil, and hemp seed oil, they’re an especially good pick for anyone with dry skin. But these take the cake for their addicting scent, a slightly sweet, jasmine rose combo that’s never cloying, and a pleasant change from the standard bath product smells like lavender and chamomile. Plus, they get fizzy in the tub, which is just plain fun.
Key Ingredients: Hemp seed oil, safflower oil, jojoba seed oil | Scent: Jasmine, rose | Size: 9 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Hydrating: Tree Hut Shea Moisturizing Epsom Salt, Coconut Lime
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Courtesy of Tree Hut
Affordable
Hydrates and softens skin
Made in the U.S.
Strong scent
You get all the muscle-relaxing and skin-purifying benefits of Epsom salt, coupled with hydrating (and certified organic, we should add) shea butter to simultaneously add a heavy hit of hydration to your skin. And we’d be remised to not mention the scent, a tropical mix of coconut lime that will transport you to a beach vacation even in the dead of winter.
Key Ingredients: Epsom salt, coconut oil, shea butter | Scent: Coconut lime | Size: 3 lb | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best Epsom Salt: Dr. Teal’s Pure Epsom Salt Soaking Solution Pre & Post Workout
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Courtesy of Walmart
Affordable
Cooling sensation
Reduces pain and inflammation
Strong scent
The Epsom salts from this brand may not be super fancy or come in Instagram-worthy glass containers, but there’s a good reason they have a cult-like following. Made with pure Epsom salt, which can do everything from reduce pain and inflammation to improve your sleep, there are over 15 versions, all with different ingredients and essential oils added. (There are fragrance-free and pure Epsom salt versions available for purists, too). Still, this one, which has cooling and soothing menthol, is one of our personal favorites, perfect for relieving achy muscles after an intense workout.
Key Ingredients: Epsom salt, menthol | Scent: Citrus, mint | Size: 3 lb | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Best for Travel: Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt, Eucalyptus
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Courtesy of Amazon
Affordable
Travel-friendly
Vegan formula
Strong scent
One of the best parts of staying in a hotel? Taking a bath, of course. Upgrade your vacation soak by taking one of these perfectly portable packs with you; the single-use size is ideal for travel. They come in a variety of different scents and benefits.
Key Ingredients: Eucalyptus, pure mineral salt | Scent: Eucalyptus | Size: 1.6 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
What to Look For in a Bath Salt
Ingredients
The most common ingredient in bath salts is magnesium sulfate, however, magnesium chloride may be just as, if not more, effective. Magnesium chloride is a type of magnesium salt that includes chlorine, and it’s easily absorbed transdermally.
Aromatherapy Benefits
Scented bath salts can offer additional aromatherapy benefits, such as relaxation, reduced depression symptoms, and improved mood. Some popular scents include lavender, chamomile, and peppermint.
Avoid Essential Oils if you have Sensitive Skin
We recommend staying away from Epsom salts that contain essential oils if you’re someone with sensitive skin or are prone to eczema.