Last checked: October 2026 · By Boaz Yadin
Dead Sea water carries 26 Dead Sea minerals, led by magnesium, calcium, potassium and bromide. Against ordinary seawater it holds 40 times the magnesium, 43 times the calcium, 20 times the potassium and 80 times the bromide. For skin, that mineral load is the reason Dead Sea salt goes into scrubs and bath soaks and Dead Sea mud into cleansers. Both leave skin feeling softer and smoother.
New to the Dead Sea? Our Dead Sea guide covers the salt, the mud, the water and the 26 Dead Sea minerals in one place.
Why is the Dead Sea so mineral-rich?
The Dead Sea is mineral-rich because water flows in and leaves only by evaporation. The lake sits about 1,400 feet below sea level, the lowest point on Earth's land surface (Encyclopaedia Britannica). As the water evaporates, the minerals stay behind, and the water ends up close to 10 times saltier than the ocean.
That concentration is also why almost nothing lives in it, and why swimmers float.
Which minerals are in the Dead Sea?
SEACRET Dead Sea mineral skincare is built on 26 Dead Sea minerals. Four of them set the Dead Sea apart from ordinary seawater:
| Mineral | Dead Sea vs ordinary seawater | Where you find it in skincare |
|---|---|---|
| Magnesium | 40 times | Bath salts, body scrubs, lotions |
| Calcium | 43 times | Body care, cleansers |
| Potassium | 20 times | Body care |
| Bromide | 80 times | Bath salts |
Sodium, the main mineral in ocean salt, is a smaller share of Dead Sea salt. That flipped balance is what makes Dead Sea salt feel different on skin from table or sea salt.
Smaller amounts of other elements are present too, including zinc, iron, manganese, strontium, iodine, boron, lithium and copper, in levels that change with season, location and depth.
What does magnesium do for skin?
Magnesium is the most abundant mineral in Dead Sea water, and it is the one with the clearest skin research behind it. In a controlled study, volunteers with atopic dry skin soaked one forearm for 15 minutes in a 5% solution of magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt and the other forearm in tap water, with skin measured over six weeks. The Dead Sea salt side showed better skin hydration and less roughness and redness than the tap-water side (Proksch et al., International Journal of Dermatology, 2005).
That was a forearm study on a small group, so it describes what a mineral soak did in that setting, not a result for any one product. Most of the magnesium in Dead Sea water is magnesium chloride, a salt that dissolves quickly in water and rinses clean.
How is Dead Sea salt different from sea salt and Epsom salt?
Dead Sea salt differs from ocean salt in balance: ocean salt is mostly sodium chloride, while Dead Sea salt is mostly magnesium, calcium and potassium salts. Epsom salt is a single compound, magnesium sulfate. For a side-by-side of the two bath salts, see Dead Sea salt vs Epsom salt and magnesium sulfate vs magnesium chloride.
How do you use Dead Sea minerals on skin?
Start with a scrub. Massage a Dead Sea salt scrub onto damp skin once or twice a week and rinse it off, skipping broken or freshly shaved skin. For a soak, dissolve Dead Sea salt fully in warm water, stay in for about 15 minutes, then moisturize.
For every day, a cleansing bar such as SEACRET Mud Soap brings Dead Sea mud into your wash. Finish with a body lotion or body butter while skin is still damp.
Frequently asked questions
How many minerals are in the Dead Sea?
SEACRET counts 26 Dead Sea minerals, led by magnesium, calcium, potassium and bromide. Against ordinary seawater the Dead Sea holds 40 times the magnesium, 43 times the calcium, 20 times the potassium and 80 times the bromide.
Why does nothing live in the Dead Sea?
The water is close to 10 times saltier than the ocean, too concentrated for fish or plants. The same concentration is what makes its salt and mud useful in skincare.
Can I use Dead Sea mineral skincare daily?
Most Dead Sea mineral skincare, including SEACRET's mineral and mud-based formulas, is made for daily use, but tolerance depends on your skin and the product. Patch-test a new product, follow the label, and use salt scrubs no more than once or twice a week.
Is Dead Sea mineral extraction sustainable?
It depends on the method and the operator. Well-managed evaporation-pond harvesting limits disruption, while unregulated extraction can add to the Dead Sea's falling water level. A brand that sources Dead Sea minerals should be able to tell you how it does it.
Do Dead Sea salt baths help you relax?
Many people find a warm Dead Sea salt soak relaxing. That is a personal experience, not a medical effect, and a bath is not a substitute for medical care.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. SEACRET products are cosmetics intended to improve the appearance of skin and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary.
