The Tamesis
Magnesium’s popularity has been soaring over the past few years, in part because of its ability to aid sleep and relieve anxiety. Considering the popularity of supplements and sprays, it’s no surprise that the best magnesium body washes are now crowding the shelves, too, in theory, allowing you to surround yourself with the mineral and take advantage of its purported stress-reducing, muscle-soothing benefits.
FashionFavorite magnesium body wash:
The hype is not unfounded: This critically important essential mineral is involved in more than 300 processes in the body, including producing cellular energy and regulating stress and anxiety. It’s not just supplements. There is evidence that magnesium applied topically, whether you get it through a foot spray or bath salts, can have meaningful effects, with benefits for the skin barrier and even conditions like eczema. In addition to treating your skin, soaking baths offer a particularly great way to take advantage of magnesium’s inherent relaxing benefits. With that in mind, keep scrolling to see our favorites to complement your next self-care moment.
In this story:
Best Overall: Anti-stress bath therapy to relieve fatigue
- Why we love it: If you wake up feeling ready to go back to sleep, join the club and also consider soaking in this thoughtful blend of magnesium, potassium, and tryptophan. This blend is designed to counteract the effects of burnout, thereby boosting energy, clearing brain fog, and helping you fall asleep more easily. This mixture can work in as little as 15 minutes, but if you’re feeling particularly stressed, you may need a longer bath. There’s a compelling reason to move your bath time to the morning (if you can do it), as the benefits will pay off throughout the rest of the day.
- Editing experience: “I’ve never slept so well as I did after soaking in this Flewd formula. It’s called an ‘anti-stress treatment,’ and it seamlessly melts away my worries and puts me into a deep sleep without intrusive thoughts and overthinking occupying my mental space.” —Kiana Murden, beauty editor, shopping
- Main ingredients: Magnesium chloride hexahydrate, tryptophan, potassium
- Magnesium per dose: 115g
- fragrance: fruity and creamy
- size: 245g
Best for Dry Skin: Neom Perfect Night Sleep Magnesium Body Wash
- Why we love it: Add four to five bottles of this “milk” to a warm bath to help you relax and unwind in the evening. In addition to relieving muscle tension or pain, magnesium has a calming effect, while argan, jojoba, and sunflower oils deeply nourish and soften the skin. It’s especially helpful if you have dry skin or are prone to eczema, especially in the winter.
- Main ingredients: Magnesium chloride, sunflower seed oil, argan oil, jojoba seed oil, aloe vera leaf juice powder
- Magnesium per dose: not disclosed
- fragrance: Freshly picked lavender
- size: 300ml
Best for stress relief: High dose serotonin soak
- Why we love it: Designed to reduce stress and boost mood (hence the name), this body wash uses Zechstein magnesium flakes, so called because its source lies at the bottom of what is now the North Sea’s Zechstein Seafloor (where the magnesium is more bioavailable and free of contaminants, the brand says). This mineral is complemented with French Green Clay, Algae, and Apple Cider Vinegar to help soften and soothe skin. Muscle tension.
- Main ingredients: Zechstein Magnesium, Apple Cider Vinegar, French Green Clay, Algae
- Magnesium per dose: not disclosed
- fragrance: Crisp and herbal
- size: 32 oz.
Best for sensitive skin: Ancient Mineral Magnesium Bath Tablets
- Why we love it: For people with sensitive skin, even children, Ancient Minerals only uses magnesium chloride tablets (also sourced from the Zechstein seabed). It contains trace minerals but is free of fragrances and other ingredients, making it simple and streamlined in the best possible way.
- Main ingredients: Zechstein magnesium chloride flakes
- Magnesium per dose: 15mg
- fragrance: without any
- size: 8 pounds
Best for sleeping: Saint Jane Beauty Deep Sleep Bath Salts
- Why we love it: Dissolve these magnesium bath salts under running water and prepare to relax. The blend combines magnesium chloride with hyaluronic acid to enhance hydration and works with peptides for smoother, firmer skin. For extra moisture, you can also find sweet almond oil and evening primrose oil. A blend of floral extracts such as jasmine, orchid, lavender and blue lotus give the shower gel a floral scent, ideal for de-stressing after a long day.
- Main ingredients: Magnesium chloride, palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, hyaluronic acid, green tea leaf oil
- Magnesium per dose: not disclosed
- fragrance: calming floral scent
- size: 12 oz.
Best for muscle soreness: Vertical muscle soak bath salts
- Why we love it: This bath provides not one, but two magnesiums (magnesium sulfate and magnesium chloride) to soothe and relax the body, while Dead Sea and Epsom salts (rich in more minerals) help relieve tense or sore muscles. What really makes the difference, however, is the addition of arnica, an herb long thought to calm inflammation, thereby relieving muscle and joint pain. The combination helps refresh the body, while the calming scent (a blend of essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus and clary sage) soothes the mind, elevating an ordinary bathing experience into a spa-like treatment.
- Main ingredients: Magnesium Sulfate, Dead Sea Salt, Magnesium Chloride, Sulfur, Sunflower Oil, Arnica Extract
- Magnesium per dose: not disclosed
- fragrance: herbal lavender
- size: 10 oz.
Everything you need to know
Do magnesium baths really work?
There is currently no strong evidence that magnesium improves muscle recovery, although bathing in warm water can certainly help. That is to say, recently published in Jayad comments Studies have found that magnesium can promote wound healing and improve conditions such as eczema, acne, and psoriasis. “We are just beginning to understand the role of magnesium in the skin,” said study co-author Shari Lipner, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York State. “Magnesium applied topically may have anti-inflammatory effects and reduce moisture loss from the skin.”
Magnesium Soak Bath Benefits
The benefits of magnesium are many. Many people report that magnesium soaks help relieve muscle soreness, relieve tension, and generally help relax the body. As for the skin, the advantages are even more obvious. “There is some evidence that people with atopic dermatitis or eczema may benefit from magnesium in baths in terms of repairing the skin barrier and reducing itching,” says Dr. Lipner.
Which type of magnesium is best for soaking?
For a hot bath, you can’t go wrong with magnesium chloride—luckily, it’s the magnesium commonly found in body washes. “For use in baths, magnesium chloride is slightly better than magnesium sulfate because it dissolves more easily in water, and both magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate are preferred over magnesium oxide, which is insoluble and not helpful for the skin,” says Dr. Lipner.
When we test and review products, we take a holistic approach to provide comprehensive product recommendations. First, we rely on FashionGain professional acumen for the industry’s standout products with a vast network of experts, from board-certified dermatologists to celebrity estheticians, who actually use them on their clients. We combine their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate the thoughtful edits you read on our site.
When it comes to magnesium body washes, we select the best products based on: ingredients, type of magnesium, type of infusion, scented packaging, and the skin and health concerns they address. To do this, we combine our own personal testing of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which formulas we recommend to you.
