The 16 Best Bath Salts and Bath Soaks of 2022

People have been taking baths for centuries, but now they’re far more than just a way to get clean. Modern studies have discovered that a hot soak can help promote better sleep,^[1] relieve stress,^[2] reduce depression^[3] and even boost metabolism.^[4]

And thanks to the newest bath products on the market, you can easily turn your tub into a spa-like experience.

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Forget the harsh, artificially fragranced and sulfate-laden bubble baths of the past. Gentler formulas have replaced them, featuring clean ingredients that are unlikely to disrupt your pH or cause irritation. Think: mineral-rich salts and skin-softening powders, infused with essential oils, algae, clay and other botanical ingredients.

Keep scrolling to discover the best bath salts and soaks (and why I chose them) for your next self-care session.

What to Look for in Bath Salts & Soaks

For the best bath experience, look for skin-friendly products that meet the following criteria:

High in salts: A high salt content will encourage the uptake of essential minerals. Magnesium, for example, is associated with improved hydration, skin barrier function and reduced inflammation.^[5]
Free of sulfates: Not to be confused with magnesium sulfate (a.k.a. Epsom salt), sodium lauryl sulfate and similar detergents are often present to produce a lather. Unfortunately, they can strip natural oils and irritate your skin.^[6]
Low in fragrance: While our bodies have a higher tolerance for fragrance than our faces, it’s linked to skin irritation, especially if you have sensitive skin.^[7]
Free of dyes and glitter: Gimmicky ingredients like dyes and glitter offer nothing beneficial to your skin and may be abrasive or irritating.
Low in PUFAs: Oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are unstable and quick to oxidize (go rancid).^[8] I avoid products with PUFA-based oils in the first five ingredients.

The Best Bath Salts & Soaks of 2022

As an editor, I’ve tested and evaluated bath salts and soaks from a range of brands. These are my top picks for every preference:

Best for Aromatherapy

Herbivore Calm Ylang Ylang + Vanilla Soaking Salts

Herbivore Calm Ylang Ylang + Vanilla Soaking Salts are an all-natural blend of salts, clay and aromatherapeutic essential oils for a truly calming bathing experience. The Himalayan pink salt infuses your bath water with relaxing minerals, while the ylang-ylang and vanilla essential oils create a soft, floral aroma. You can’t go wrong with this simple, soothing combination—all packaged in a chic glass bottle to display by your tub.

Odacité Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak

Odacite Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak — Odacité

Odacité Mood Cleansing Ayurvedic Bath Soak is an Ayurveda-inspired bath soak that promises to transform your mood from stressed-out to blissed-out. It has an uplifting grapefruit and lemongrass scent that acts as an instant pick-me-up. Meanwhile, the various salts and almond oil work to soften and hydrate your skin. Fun fact: this soak also has an all-natural blue tint!

French Girl Mint Sea Soak Enlivening Bath Salts

French Girl Mint Sea Soak Enlivening Bath Salts is a six-salt blend infused with soothing yet energizing plant essential oils. They include invigorating peppermint, herbaceous rosemary and relaxing lavender to create a spa-like mood. True to the brand’s French heritage, the base of mineral-rich salts comes from the salt ponds of France’s Guerande region and the Mediterranean Sea.

Best for Sore Muscles

Naturopathica Sweet Birch & Magnesium Bath Flakes

Naturopathica Sweet Birch & Magnesium Bath Flakes are ideal if you do a lot of working out, sports or yoga. Magnesium flakes are an alternative to Epsom salts, and can help with sore muscles and stiff joints. When absorbed transdermally, they reduce inflammation, pain, cramping and stiffness. They’re also infused with sweet birch oil, which creates a unique warming sensation.

Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath

Dr. Singha’s Mustard Bath was created by the late Dr. Shyam Singha, a London-based acupuncturist, osteopath and homeopath who was one of the most sought-after healers in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. The mustard helps to increase blood flow and eliminate acid waste, and can help with everything from achy joints and strained muscles to swollen feet and back pain. (But don’t worry, it smells like mint, not mustard, and won’t stain your tub!)

Best for Sleep

This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak

This Works Deep Sleep Bath Soak is a relaxing bath soak that helps to prepare your mind and body for a restful night’s sleep. If you’re looking to establish a better bedtime ritual, this blend is for you. It works best within two hours before you go to bed, using the most tranquil essential oils to relieve anxiety and promote relaxation.

Best for Detoxifying

Goop G.Tox Detox 5 Salt Bath Soak

Goop G.Tox Detox 5 Salt Bath Soak is a cleansing salt soak that “detoxes” both your body and mind from the stresses of daily life. Founder Gwyneth Paltrow famously takes a bath every single night, so she knows a thing or two about bath soaks. What makes this one unique? It has five different salts plus activated charcoal to draw out grime and pollution, and expertly blended essential oils that leave you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Just keep in mind that it can be a bit messy (the charcoal leaves some residue on your skin and in the tub).

Best for Colds & Flu

Pursoma Hot Tub Immunity-Boosting Bath Treatment

Pursoma Hot Tub Immunity-Boosting Bath Treatment is a single-use soak that helps to decongest the chest and sinuses, ease body aches and pains, and improve thermoregulation. If you feel you’re coming down with a cold or the flu, this bath will temporarily relieve symptoms and give you a good night’s rest. Ginger is the star ingredient here—it’s a natural decongestant that also stimulates circulation and warms you up.

Best for Dry Skin

Susanne Kaufmann St. John’s Wort Bath

Susanne Kaufmann St. John’s Wort Bath is a nourishing bath powder that replenishes lost moisture and relieves the feeling of dryness, leaving your skin supple and silky soft. If the skin on your body has been feeling dehydrated, sunburned or just stressed-out, this blend is just the ticket. The base is sodium bicarbonate (a.k.a. baking soda), which creates a cool fizzing effect when you add it to the water. St. John’s wort extract soothes, while cocoa butter and milk protein coat your skin in a silky veil of moisture.

Best Two-in-One

Indie Lee I-Recover Body Soak

Indie Lee I-Recover Body Soak is a dual-action bath soak and body scrub. You can either dissolve it in a bath for a relaxing 20-minute soak, or apply it directly to damp skin as a gentle scrub (and then rinse it off in the shower or tub). The multiple salts do double-duty, working to buff away dead skin and ease overworked muscles. Just keep in mind that it can separate in the jar (so you’ll need to give it a stir before using), and it can leave a slippery film in your tub.

Best Milk Baths

Agent Nateur Holi (Bath) Rose Infused Calming Coconut Milk Bath

Agent Nateur Holi (Bath) Rose Infused Calming Coconut Milk Bath is a luxurious, spa-like soak that calms your body while rejuvenating and moisturizing your skin. You’re getting a bit of everything in this high-quality blend. There’s coconut milk, salts and magnesium to nourish, soften and promote full-body relaxation. Meanwhile, the organic honey gently exfoliates, and calendula and chamomile soothe sensitivity.

Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak

Herbivore Coconut Milk Bath Soak is an indulgent milk bath that leaves your skin moisturized and silky-soft. If you love the scent of natural coconut and vanilla, this is a must-try—it’ll transport you to a tropical paradise. It creates a moisturizing, milky bath with coconut milk powder, coconut pulp and baking soda (which is actually a type of soothing salt). When you’re done, your skin is so soft, hydrated and lightly fragrant that you’ll be able to skip body lotion and perfume.

Best CBD

Vertly CBD Infused Bath Salts

Vertly CBD Infused Bath Salts are a blend of salts, natural botanicals and high-potency hemp for a tired, stressed-out body. In a bath, CBD won’t make you high, but its anti-inflammatory properties can help with mild muscle aches and pains. Each bag (which is good for two baths) contains 100 mg of a hemp-derived cannabinoid extract, along with an array of salts, MSM (sulfur) and arnica.

Lord Jones High CBD Formula Bath Salts

Lord Jones High CBD Formula Bath Salts is a CBD-infused bath soak to relax your body and soothe your soul. If you’re curious about the CBD trend, this is a low-dose product to start with. Each jar includes 240 mg of broad-spectrum CBD extract, and there’s enough for 12 baths. It’s also got arnica and mineral-rich salts, and is scented with citrus and evergreen essential oils to help you bliss out and release tension.

Best Budget

365 by Whole Foods Market Epsom Salt

365 by Whole Foods Market Epsom Salt is a soaking aid for minor sprains and bruises, according to its description—but it’s basically a big bag of pure, 100% Epsom salts. They may be basic, but they belong in everyone’s body care arsenal. You can either enjoy them on their own for a simple fragrance-free soak, or add your own essential oils to customize your bath.

Best Splurge

African Botanics Kalahari Desert De-Tox Bath Salts

African Botanics Kalahari Desert De-Tox Bath Salts are a luxurious salt soak that’s like an all-in-one spa treatment from the comfort of your own tub. They’re named for a rare, mineral-rich type of salt: Kalahari crystal, harvested from the Kalahari Desert in Africa. Besides helping you to relax, it’s laced with caffeine to reduce cellulite and water retention, seaweed to soften and soothe irritation, and Buchu leaf to reduce inflammation. This bath is the perfect treat after travelling or whenever you’re suffering from PMS.

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