The Best Magnesium Oil for Sleep, Sore Muscles and More, Ranked
We’ve established that magnesium oil is the one-and-done pre-bedtime ritual that’s helping women sleep. But what’s the best magnesium oil for your sleep needs, as well as a host of other wellness goals ranging from muscle recovery to mood stabilization? We investigated and ranked top brands to determine which is best for your purposes.
What is Magnesium Oil?
Magnesium oil is magnesium chloride (that’s magnesium plus chlorine naturally bound together to form a salt) mixed with water. Magnesium is an abundant mineral in the body (as in, take your vitamins and minerals daily), important because it’s a part of more more 300 enzyme systems that support protein synthesis, healthy muscles and nerves, your blood sugar regulation and the synthesis of DNA, RNA and glutathione. It’s also key to heart health. To make magnesium oil, you simple dissolve magnesium flakes into water. That’s right—there’s actually no oil in simple magnesium oil, but it’s known as oil because the salts dissolved in water have a slippery, oily feel.
Is Magnesium Oil Spray Effective?
If you’re asking TikTok, the answer to this query would be a resounding yes. #WellnessTok has scores of posts about not only how to DIY your own magnesium oil (just dissolve Epsom salts in water, then decant into a mini spray bottle), but also the many ailments that magnesium oil spray is handy to fight. If you ask the National Institutes of Health, the answer is “Reply hazy, ask again.” In an analysis of various studies of transdermal magnesium (i.e., magnesium that’s applied to the skin instead of taken in vitamin form), the NIH acknowledged that while “specialist and lay press as well as on the internet, there are increasing numbers of articles claiming the effectiveness and superiority of transdermal magnesium over an oral application,” their assessment is “transdermal magnesium is scientifically unsupported.” Anecdotal evidence in people’s wellness practices is piling up, however, and if a couple of squirts of magnesium oil help ease your shoulder pain, soothe your period cramps or lessen a headache, who are we to quibble?
Can You Use Too Much Magnesium Oil?
While excessive magnesium can cause diarrhea, cramping and bloating, that’s a rare side effect of ingesting too many oral supplements, not topical ones. (And usually extra magnesium is removed from the bloodstream by the kidneys.) So other than knocking back your magnesium oil as a cocktail, you’re fine to rub it generously on your skin.
RELATED: The Best Wellness Products of 2022
Top 10 Magnesium Oils at a Glance
Best Magnesium Oil Overall: The Nue Co Magnesium Ease
Best Magnesium Oil for Relaxation: Alo Magnesium Reset Spray
Best Magnesium Oil for Sleep: Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil
Best Skin Soothing: Nocturne Magnesium Sleep Oil
Best Value: Health and Wisdom Magnesium Oil
Best for Cramps: Asutra Spray Pain Away Natural Pain Relief
Best Lightweight: Sunfood Magnesium Oil
Best Foot Soak: Life-flo Pure Magnesium Oil for Joint and Muscle Health
Best for Migraines: Seven Minerals Natural Migraines Relief Spray
Best Deodorant: Violets Are Blue Magnesium Deodorant
1. The Nue Co. Magnesium Ease
Best Overall
Magnesium chloride is mixed with arnica (a botanical used to speed healing of bruises and strained muscles) and lavender (ahh, relaxing) in this multi-use formula. “I purchased 3 of these, one for me, my mom who gets leg cramps and one for my father in law who has nerve damage in his back,” says one reviewer. “All three of us LOVE this product. It has an immediate relaxing effect and is great to use before bed.”
2. Alo Magnesium Reset Spray
Best Magnesium Oil for Relaxation
“Ever since I had a masseuse put this on my tight muscles during a massage, I’ve used it to relax my spasming tech neck situation,” says one user, who also loves this Mandarin orange-scented golden fluid. There’s also valerian and antioxidant superberry amla for added soothing.
3. Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil
Best Magnesium Oil for Sleep
Users rave about this highly concentrated magnesium chloride-and-water spray, using it for everything from headaches to anxiety. It’s highly recommended, too, as a sleep aid, since both relaxes muscles and eases symptoms of involuntary muscle movement: “I sprayed my legs from calves to toes before bedtime the last three nights and slept through until morning all three nights ,” one user says. “No leg or foot cramps or even muscle twitches. “
4. Nocturne Magnesium Sleep Oil
Best Skin Soothing
The soothing properties of aloe vera is the key to this non-sticky and hydrating formula. And the faint scent of lavender and sweet oil linger after it is gone. “A few spritzes before bed really help me find a place of calm and Zen, but my favorite use is when my shoulders and neck are tense from working at a computer all day,” says one happy user.
5.Health and Wisdom Magnesum Oil
Best Value
Highly sensitive users will appreciate that you get a full 16-ounce bottle of magnesium chloride and distilled water, no fancy stuff. “I bought this to help with body aches/muscle cramps because I work out a lot and get sore quite easily,” says one reviewer who also treats her eczema with it.
6. Asutra Spray Pain Away Natural Pain Relief
Best for Cramps
TikTok loves this for menstrual cramps—just rub a few pumps into your hurting midsection, and wait for the penetrating action to begin. Bonus: this clean formula contains no formaldehyde, parabens, phthalates or synthetic colors.
7. Sunfood Magnesium Oil
Best Lightweight
“I am using it for better sleep and to help for magnesium intake in my body,” says one reviewer about this quick-absorbing spray. “There is no smell and it feels like an ordinary water.”
8. Life-flo Pure Magnesium Oil for Joint and Muscle Health
Best Foot Soak
The maker recommends adding two ounces of this dye-free oil, crafted using magnesium harvested in the North Seabed of the Netherlands, to a hot footbath. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes, and those fallen arches witll thank you.
9. Seven Minerals Natural Migraine Relief Spray
Best for Migraines
One decades-long migraine sufferer describes his first application of this formula: “I started getting a headache this morning, by 10 it started to turn into a migraine. I then received an email that my oil was delivered, I ran down and grabbed the package, I put the oil on my forehead, temples and back of my head, seriously within half an hour my head felt so much better.” Essential oils (lavender, sweet marjoram, peppermint, rosemary, and basil) are also in this headache-battling spray.
10. Violets Are Blue Magnesium Deodorant
Best Deodorant
We learned of magnesium (here, magnesium hydroxide) as a natural odor-resisting element thanks to TikTok, where natural self-care is always trending. This maker, a breast cancer survivor, developed this clean formula without baking soda, essential oils arrowroot or soy, so that there’s less to interact negatively with users’ natural body chemistry.
RELATED: How to Make Moon Water
PureWow may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was created independently from PureWow's editorial and sales departments.
