Meet our suppliers…The Dorset Sea Salt Co.
When I first started thinking about formulating a salt scrub and bath salts, I knew I didn’t want to use Himalayan or Dead Sea Salt. Although these are relatively cheap and the go to for skincare salts, they come from 1000s of miles away and are mined with damaging environmental impact. As an island, literally surrounded by salty water, I knew Britain would come up trumps with a ‘homegrown’ salt product and it certainly did!
After extensive searching, I came across the Dorset Sea Salt Co. and quizzed Jethro (the founder) and Caleb (salty guru!) about their environmental and sustainability commitments. When they came back to me it was clear that their ethos closely aligned with mine and I decided to go with their small business to provide the salt for my new products.
At the Dorset Sea Salt Co. all the salt water is hand harvested off the Dorset coast (Chesil to be exact) and is bought back to shore to undergo a series of microbiological and physical filters to ensure the product is safe (their primary market is the food industry). The brine is left to evaporate to give gorgeous, pure, sea salt crystals.
Unlike a lot of other salt products, nothing is taken away or added (like anti-caking additives) to the final product, so the mineral profile in the sea salt crystals is the same as in the sea (fun fact; the British sea mineral profile is almost exactly the same as the one found in amniotic fluid). But what does this mean? The minimal processing of Dorset sea salt means that trace levels of minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and other nutrients are retained, which has several benefits on the skin and wellbeing.
One such benefit is the effect of magnesium on tight muscles. The theory is that magnesium is adsorbed through skin and can help to relax tired muscles (magnesium acts as a natural calcium blocker, helping muscle cells relax after contracting). Anecdotally, a sea salt bath can also improve circulation and reduce inflammation, which will both help ease still muscles. A lot of our more active customers swear by the effects of our Lavender, Mint and Rosemary Bath Salts after exercise and I put this down to the exquisite quality of the raw ingredients we use.
Sea salt is also an excellent skin detoxifier, not only with the mechanical action of the salt crystals sloughing away dead skin, but also the effect of the minerals drawing out toxins and impurities from the skin. The result is soft, glowing skin ready for our much awaited summer! Try our Lavender Sea Salt Scrub as an all natural exfoliator.
Have you tried any sea salt products? What do you think? What do you find them useful for? Let us know in the comments below :)
