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Resources

Sea salt (Maris sal)

Sea salt is a mixture of inorganic salts from seawater; CosIng declares it under two names, MARIS SAL and SEA SALT, and recognizes abrasive, humectant and skin conditioning functions12. Cosmetic evidence specific to it is scarce: this page says so and cites the neighboring data.

Gray-white sea salt crystals in macro view on a sage green ceramic surface, raking light

Sea salt at a glance

Entry from our cosmetic ingredient glossary. Regulatory data from the European Commission's CosIng database12. The two entries designate the same type of material under different nomenclatures.

INCI name
MARIS SALGlossary name; function: skin conditioning1
Alternative INCI
SEA SALTInternational trade name; the INCI to declare follows the nomenclature of your market2
Other names
Sea salt, marine saltPink salt is cited as a synonym in CosIng2
CAS number
7647-14-5For SEA SALT, the sodium chloride number; no CAS for MARIS SAL12
EC number
231-598-3SEA SALT2
Composition
Mixture of inorganic saltsFrom seawater or inland salt water bodies; composition varies with origin and refining12
CosIng functions
Abrasive, humectant, skin conditioningSEA SALT: "abrasive, humectant, skin conditioning". MARIS SAL: "skin conditioning"12
Appearance
White to gray crystals depending on grainGrain size decides how abrasive a scrub is
EU status
Permitted, no dedicated annexNo annex listed in CosIng12
Allergen to declare
No
Safety
No dedicated assessment foundNeither a CIR report nor an SCCS opinion was consulted for this page: ask the supplier

What the research says

Each result shows the protocol and the level of evidence. The higher the level, the better the result carries over to a finished formula.

Clinical trialReview or consensusLaboratory

Body skinScrub and bath

Sodium chloride crystals in dermabrasion

Clinical trial
8 participants, face split in twoNaCl crystals versus aluminum oxideMeasurements at 24 hours and 7 days

Water loss increased at 24 hours then fell below baseline at 7 days, with both abrasives. Hydration increased at 24 hours and stayed higher at 7 days with NaCl. An in-clinic procedure with crystal projection, not a cosmetic scrub3.

A 5% Dead Sea salt bath

Clinical trial
Salt rich in magnesium chlorideAtopic dry skin, 6 weeks

Improved barrier function in the high water loss subgroup, plus better hydration and roughness. It is a different salt from sea salt: the result does not carry over4.

Seawater and balneotherapyReviews

Thalassotherapy: evidence centered on medical conditions

Review
2025 narrative review566 articles, 16 studies retained

The studies mostly concern skin and rheumatic conditions, with symptom improvements. The authors call for assessing effect size, long-term benefits and risks. No cosmetic data specific to sea salt come out of it5.

Thermal waters in cosmetics: mechanisms to clarify

Review
2025 reviewThermal waters, in vitro and in vivo

The authors report a cosmetic use of these waters for hydration and consider it necessary to identify the useful mineral profiles. A thermal water is not a sea salt: indirect reading6.

This page summarizes published literature on a cosmetic ingredient. It does not describe the effect of a finished product, which depends on its formula, and it is not medical advice. The evidence is weak: we found no peer-reviewed trial on a sea salt scrub or bath. The data retained concern neighboring salts or sodium chloride crystals in dermabrasion.

Which products use sea salt?

Our white label catalog includes 2 formulas with sea salt: the key active in 2 of them, a supporting ingredient in the others. Every category can be customized (formula, fragrance, packaging).

1Body

Dry sea salt and rosemary scrub: the crystals act as the abrasive.

1Hair

Scalp scrub with sea salt crystals, combined with rosemary essential oil and caffeine.

In our formulas, it is most often paired with

Basil 1Caffeine 1Chamomile 1Myrtle extracts 1Rosemary essential oil 1

Sea salt or magnesium chloride?

Two mineral salts in the catalog. The table describes the material, not an efficacy ranking.

Sea saltMagnesium chloride
NatureMixture of salts from seawater2Single substance, MgCl₂7
INCIMARIS SAL or SEA SALT12MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE7
CosIng functionsAbrasive, humectant, skin conditioning2Viscosity controlling, flavouring7
Carmel catalog formulas2 formulas3 formulas

Frequently asked questions about sea salt

What is sea salt in cosmetics?
It is a mixture of inorganic salts from seawater. CosIng declares it under the names MARIS SAL and SEA SALT, with abrasive, humectant and skin conditioning functions12.
What is the difference between Maris sal and Sea salt?
They are two nomenclature entries for the same family of material: MARIS SAL is the glossary one, SEA SALT the one that carries CAS 7647-14-512. Use the one your market requires on the label.
Does a sea salt scrub hydrate skin?
We found no trial on a sea salt scrub. Sodium chloride crystals projected in dermabrasion increased hydration at 24 hours and 7 days in 8 participants, with a temporary rise in water loss3. The result does not carry over to a cosmetic scrub.
Is sea salt suitable for sensitive skin?
We have no tolerance data specific to sea salt. CosIng recognizes an abrasive function2: grain size and the share of salt in the formula decide how gentle it is, and are validated by tests on the finished product.
Can you use sea salt on the scalp?
It goes into scalp scrubs, as in our catalog. We found no peer-reviewed study on this point: use is a matter of formulation.
Sea salt or Dead Sea salt?
The strongest data concern a magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt, in a bath4. It is a different mineral mixture from ordinary sea salt: do not carry over its results.
Can you manufacture a sea salt scrub for my brand?
Our ISO 22716 certified laboratory offers 2 formulas with sea salt (dry body scrub, scalp scrub) to customize, or a custom formula. Free samples are included.

Sources

Peer-reviewed studies and official regulatory sources, checked on November 3, 2026.

  1. European Commission. CosIng, entry MARIS SAL (inorganic salts from seawater). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing
  2. European Commission. CosIng, entry SEA SALT (CAS 7647-14-5, EC 231-598-3). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing
  3. Rajan P, Grimes PE. Skin barrier changes induced by aluminum oxide and sodium chloride microdermabrasion Dermatol Surg. 2002;28(5):390-393. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.2002.01239.x
  4. Proksch E, Nissen HP, Bremgartner M, Urquhart C. Bathing in a magnesium-rich Dead Sea salt solution improves skin barrier function, enhances skin hydration, and reduces inflammation in atopic dry skin Int J Dermatol. 2005;44(2):151-157. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2005.02079.x
  5. Antonelli M, Donelli D. A narrative review of thalassotherapy and the health benefits of seawater and coastal climates Int J Biometeorol. 2025;69(3):517-526. doi:10.1007/s00484-024-02840-0
  6. Kanwal S, Osman EY, Khiari I. Comprehensive review of dermatological and cosmeceutical manifestations of thermal water and future insights Int J Biometeorol. 2025;69(8):1783-1817. doi:10.1007/s00484-025-02937-0
  7. European Commission. CosIng, entry MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE (CAS 7786-30-3, EC 232-094-6). ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing
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