The Benefits of Magnesium in Skincare: Calm Skin, Relaxed Body, Deeper Sleep

If you’ve been seeing more magnesium creams, magnesium body butters and natural magnesium deodorants lately, you’re not imagining it. Magnesium has quietly become one of the most-loved minerals in holistic wellness – and now it’s making its way into skincare rituals too.

Magnesium Chloride is typically obtained from salt lakes and sea water.

What magnesium is and why it matters in skincare

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including muscle function, nervous system regulation and energy production.(Wikipedia)

On the skin, magnesium is being increasingly explored for its ability to:

* Help calm redness and irritation

* Support the skin barrier and hydration

* Soothe tight, overworked muscles when massaged in

* Create a sense of overall relaxation when used as part of an evening ritual (CLEARSTEM)

For many people, topical magnesium feels like a way to nourish both skin and spirit at the same time.

Common forms of magnesium used in beauty products

You’ll see several different magnesium INCI names in skincare and body care:

* Magnesium Chloride – often used in magnesium creams, sprays and bath flakes. It’s typically obtained from seawater, salt lakes, and brine sources, or from minerals such as magnesite and dolomite.(USGS)

* Magnesium Sulfate – better known as Epsom salt, widely used in baths and soaks for muscle relaxation.

* Magnesium Hydroxide – a gentle alkaline mineral used in many natural deodorants for odour control.

* Magnesium PCA – a form often used in facial skincare; PCA (pyrrolidone carboxylic acid) is a natural moisturising factor, so magnesium PCA offers both mineral and hydration support.

Magnesium itself is abundant – it’s the eighth most common element in the Earth’s crust and the third most plentiful element dissolved in seawater, making seawater and brines attractive sources for magnesium salts.

The science behind topical magnesium absorption

There’s been a lot of debate about transdermal (through-the-skin) magnesium. Research is still emerging, but several studies suggest that magnesium can be absorbed to some degree when applied topically:

* A pilot study using a magnesium cream showed statistically significant increases in magnesium permeation across human skin compared with control creams. (PMC)

* Another study using a magnesium chloride cream found that daily application for 12 weeks produced a small but measurable improvement in magnesium status in some participants. (PMC)

* In patients with hypomagnesaemia and an ileostomy, a magnesium chloride hexahydrate spray helped maintain or improve low serum magnesium levels and reduced muscle cramps.(ScienceDirect)

While more large-scale, long-term trials are needed, the current evidence suggests that topical magnesium can contribute to magnesium status, especially when used regularly and at meaningful concentrations.

Applied topically Magnesium can help ease inflammation.

Skin Benefits of Magnesium: Calm, Hydrated, Supported

From a skin perspective, magnesium is being explored for its:

* Soothing and anti-inflammatory potential – Several sources suggest that topical magnesium can help calm sensitive, reactive or redness-prone skin, likely due to its role in cellular regulation and inflammation pathways.(CLEARSTEM)

* Support for barrier function and hydration – One study on topical magnesium found improved skin hydration, although effects on barrier (TEWL) were modest, suggesting magnesium may work best as part of a well-rounded formula with other emollients and humectants.

* Comfort for dry, tight or overworked skin – Many people find that magnesium creams feel particularly comforting on tired legs, feet, and areas that feel tight or overused, especially when combined with nourishing plant oils.

In other words: magnesium doesn’t replace good skincare, but it can be a beautiful supportive mineral layer inside a well-formulated cream.

Mind–Body Benefits: Magnesium for Muscles, Pain & Sleep Support

Magnesium is well-known in integrative health for muscle relaxation and pain modulation, particularly when taken internally. Reviews of clinical trials show that magnesium can help with certain types of pain (for example, postoperative pain, migraines, tension headaches and some neuropathic pain), likely via NMDA-receptor modulation and muscle relaxation.(NCBI)

For topical magnesium, early research and real-world use suggest:

* Muscle & tension relief – Topical magnesium gels and creams are widely used to ease muscle tension and soreness; some clinical and pilot data, such as studies in neuropathic symptoms and hypomagnesaemia, support a potential benefit. (NIH)

* Evening wind-down & sleep rituals – While robust sleep studies on topical magnesium are limited, many people report deeper relaxation and easier sleep onset when they massage a magnesium-rich cream into their legs, feet or shoulders before bed. This aligns with magnesium’s known role in nervous system regulation when sufficient levels are reached in the body.(NCBI)

Magnesium in natural deodorant

Magnesium has also become a star in natural deodorants, especially for people who can’t tolerate baking soda.

* Magnesium hydroxide helps control odour by raising skin pH enough to slow the growth of odour-causing bacteria, without blocking sweat glands.

* Research and cosmetic literature suggest that magnesium-based deodorant actives can offer similar anti-odour efficacy to some traditional aluminium salts, but with a gentler profile on the skin.

For those seeking a clean, aluminium-free deodorant, magnesium offers an appealing, more skin-friendly option.

Is Magnesium a Sustainable Ingredient?

From a sustainability perspective, magnesium has some encouraging qualities:

* It is highly abundant in the Earth’s crust and is the third most plentiful element dissolved in seawater, meaning it does not rely on rare or endangered resources.

* Magnesium salts like magnesium chloride can be produced from seawater, salt lakes, and brines, and there is growing interest in recovering magnesium from desalination brines and industrial waste streams as part of a circular economy approach. (Geoscience Australia)

* Industry bodies note that the combination of abundant primary sources and recyclability makes magnesium a relatively sustainable material when produced with attention to energy use and emissions.

As always, the real impact depends on how and where it’s sourced and processed – but magnesium itself isn’t a scarce or fragile resource.

Meet Dream Cream: Our 15% Magnesium Multi-Purpose Skin Cream

Our Dream Cream is formulated with a generous 15% magnesium to create a truly multi-purpose, magnesium-rich body cream that supports both skin and nervous system rituals.

* High-dose magnesium (15%) – to support relaxation and provide that comforting, slightly tingly “ahhh” feeling when massaged into tired muscles or restless legs.

* Emollient and moisturising – we pair magnesium with nourishing plant oils and butters so the cream doesn’t just deliver minerals; it also cocoons the skin in moisture and softness.

* Multi-purpose – beautiful as a:

* Nightly foot and leg massage cream

* Post-bath body moisturiser

* Comforting rub for neck, shoulders or lower back after long days

  * Soothing hand cream

* Bedside ritual to gently wind down before sleep

While we can’t make medical claims, we formulated Dream Cream to be a sensory, plant-rich magnesium practice — a way to soften muscles, hydrate skin, and send a clear signal to your body that it’s safe to rest.

Made fresh and in small batches our magnesium cream is mineral rich, nourishing and hydrating

Who Might Love Magnesium Skincare?

A magnesium-rich cream can be especially appealing if you:

* Love natural, mineral-rich body care

* Experience restless, tight or overworked muscles

* Want to create a grounding night-time ritual to help your body unwind

* Use natural deodorant or body products and value clean, conscious ingredients

* Prefer multi-tasking products that support both skin health and nervous system calm

How to Add Magnesium to Your Self-Care Routine

A few simple ways to weave topical magnesium into everyday life:

* Evening body care – After a warm shower or bath, massage a magnesium cream like Dream Cream into legs, feet, shoulders or anywhere that feels tense.

* Sleep support – Keep it by the bed and use it as a “signal” to your body that it’s time to wind down. Combine with slow breathing and gentle stretching.

* Post-movement care – Use on overworked muscles after long walks, gardening or movement practice.

* Underarm care – If you use a magnesium deodorant, enjoy that as an additional way to bring mineral support into your routine.

Rose & Co's. Cream Cream contains 15% magnesium

Final Thoughts

Magnesium in skincare sits at the beautiful intersection of science and ritual: a mineral with real physiological importance, meeting the soft, sensory world of creams, oils and nightly self-care.

Whether you’re drawn to magnesium for skin comfort, muscle ease, sleep support, or clean deodorant, it can be a deeply supportive ingredient when used thoughtfully – especially in a formula that honours both the body and the Earth.

And if you’re looking for a way to turn your nights into a small sacred ritual, our Dream Cream with 15% magnesium was created exactly for that: to ground you, surround you, and remind you that your body is a place worth softening into.