Everything about Bath Salts totally explained
The term
bath salts refers to a range of water-soluble, usually
inorganic solid products designed to be added to a bath, either to improve cleaning, provide a medical improvement, to improve the experience of
bathing, or to serve as a vehicle for cosmetic agents.
Bath salts have been developed which mimic the properties of natural mineral baths or
hot springs.
Such salts include:
Although, chemically speaking, many organic substances commonly used in bath water (such as
soap and many other
surfactants) are salts, these are not referred to as "bath salts", as they're not used in the form of hard, crystalline granules. On the other hand, some organic salts such as sodium citrate can be used in bath salts.
Fragrances and colors are often added to bath salts, and one purpose of salts is as a vehicle or diluent to extend fragrances, which are otherwise often too potent for convenient measurement or use. Other common additives to bath salts are oils (agglomerating the salts to form amorphous granules, the product being called "bath beads" or "bath oil beads"), foaming agents and effervescent agents.
Although bath salts are often packaged for retail in windowless boxes or bags, the more attractive versions may also be displayed in transparent containers. For instance, the needlelike appearance of sodium sesquicarbonate crystals makes them attractive for such purposes.
History of bath salts
The earliest systematic exposition of the different kinds of salts, its uses, and the methods of its extraction was published in China around 2700 years
BCE.
Hippocrates encouraged his fellow healers to make use of salt water to heal various ailments by immersing their patients in sea water. The ancient Greeks continued this and in 1753, English author and physician Dr. Charles Russel published "The Uses of Sea Water".
Effects of bath salts
Epsom salt is the most-studied bath salt and has many effects on the muscles and nervous system.
Bath salts provide a variety of benefits to a bather. Salts change the osmotic balance of the water so that less water is absorbed by the skin via
osmosis. This reduces the "pruning" or "wrinkling" effect of prolonged exposure of
skin to fresh water. Magnesium sulfate has been shown to be absorbed through the skin (1) and magnesium has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Some bath salts such as
phosphates have a detergent action which softens calloused skin and aids in
exfoliation.
Some bath salts act as
Water softeners and change the way soap behaves and rinses.
High concentrations of salts increase the
specific gravity of the water and increase
buoyancy which makes the body feel lighter in the bath. Very high concentrations of salts in water are used in flotation therapy.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Bath Salts'.
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