Himalayan Salt: Uses in Bath Salts, Scrubs and Crafts

Himalayan salt is a rock salt mined mainly at the Khewra salt mine in Pakistan's Punjab province, in the foothills of the Salt Range. In India it is often sold as pink sendha namak. Chemically it is mostly sodium chloride, the same compound as ordinary salt, with small amounts of other minerals.

• Main component: sodium chloride, NaCl, molar mass 58.44 g/mol
• CAS number (sodium chloride): 7647-14-5
• Appearance: pink, off-white or reddish crystals; the colour comes from traces of iron oxide
• Melting point of NaCl: 801 °C
• Solubility: about 360 g per litre of water at 25 °C

Because it is a natural mined mineral, colour and crystal size vary from batch to batch. That is normal and doesn't change how it works in a scrub or bath blend.

Azlok lists Himalayan Salt in its cosmetic raw ingredients range. That means it is meant for bath salts, scrubs, soaps and craft work, not for cooking. The product name doesn't give a pack size, so check the weight and crystal size on the product page.

For kitchen use, buy salt packed and labelled for food under an FSSAI licence. See today's price per kg.

• Bath and foot soaks: dissolved in warm water, often with a few drops of fragrance or essential oil.
• Body scrubs: fine crystals mixed with oil give a coarse scrub for arms, legs and feet.
• Soap making: sprinkled on top of soap bars for look, or used in salt bars, which are hard bars with a high proportion of salt.
• Crafts and gifting: layered in glass jars, used in decorative bath salt hampers and potpourri.
• Brine and salt blocks: blocks and coarse pieces are used for decoration and display.

Bath salt blend: mix 2 parts Himalayan salt with 1 part Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) and add 10–15 drops of fragrance oil per 250 g. Store in a sealed jar. Use about 2 tablespoons in a bucket of warm water for a foot soak.

Salt scrub: use fine-grain salt. A common starting ratio is 2 parts salt to 1 part carrier oil (coconut, sweet almond or sunflower) by volume. Stir well and use within a few weeks. Keep water out of the jar so it stays dry and doesn't grow mould.

Soap topping: press coarse crystals onto the top of cold process soap just after pouring. Salt draws moisture, so wrap finished bars once they are fully hardened.

Salt is gentle to handle but it stings on cuts, freshly shaved skin and broken skin, so don't scrub those areas. Keep it out of your eyes. Coarse crystals can scratch delicate skin, including the face; use fine grain or skip the face entirely.

• Store in a closed jar in a dry place; it absorbs moisture in monsoon months and forms lumps.
• Keep away from bare iron and steel tools left wet, as salt water speeds up rusting.
• Keep homemade bath products away from children, who may mistake them for sweets.
• Leftover salt can be dissolved and flushed with water.

Patch test any homemade product on a small area of the inner arm for 24–48 hours before wider use. If you plan to sell finished cosmetics in India, they need to meet BIS standards and CDSCO cosmetic rules, so check those before you launch.

Pick fine grain for scrubs and soap batter, and coarse crystals for bath jars, soap tops and display. If you are making a few gift jars, a small pack is enough. For regular bath salt production or hampers, buy a larger pack and keep it sealed so it doesn't cake. For 25 kg and above, send a bulk inquiry.

Remember that this listing is a cosmetic raw ingredient. Don't move it into the kitchen.