This post is sponsored by Walmart
Are you on the salt lamp train? Admittedly, at first I thought, “are these the new lava lamps…orrrr?” And then Chris reminded me that he switched to cooking with only Himalayan salt years ago due to all the benefits. So, I’m here today to shout from the rooftops that, okay, it was Chris’s idea first and that, no they are NOT relatable to the lava lamps of yesteryear at. all. Sure they look cool–really beautiful actually–but they also claim to pass on so many benefits to your home. A friend of mine swears by them so much she has given one to everyone she loves for a birthday gift in the past couple years.
We now have three different salt lamps around our home (here’s the white one in our kitchen!) and not only do we get so many questions and compliments on them, but they also help your home become a better place. Some claim Himalayan salt lamps help diminish respiratory issues (need all the help during the winter!), soothe allergies, boost your mood, help you sleep and clean the air in your home by producing negative ions that act as neutralizers to positive ions in the air (mold, allergens and bacteria), which results in a cleansing effect on the air in a room. And even if you are skeptical of all that, I mean, they look really cool while doing it.
In addition to the white one in the kitchen, we added a more traditionally pink one in our bedroom on my nightstand:
And, my favorite, this little night light salt lamp for the girls room. They treat it like the most precious gem and I tell them it’s a magic crystal that helps them fall asleep.
Salt lamps fall under this new umbrella of decor popping up that I really appreciate–wellness decor. Our homes should really be sanctuary and I love that there is a focus on making pieces for your home that look good and enhance your wellness. Think crystals, salt lamps, oil diffusers! Also, it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg or require a trip to a specialty store. Walmart has so many different shapes and sizes on their website (including all the ones I shared in the photos of our home!), along with really beautiful crystals and oil diffusers. I linked a few of my favorites (just click right on the product and it will take you to the page!) below and nothing is over $40, plus there’s always free shipping on orders over $35–no membership required.
Are you into wellness decor? Tried salt lamps yet? Anything special you swear by that makes your home feel more like a sanctuary?
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What do you think?
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I love this article. I will forward it to all my buddies that ask me about the salt lamp on my desk and the ones all over my house. I love them and the soft light gives such a beautiful glow!
Thanks for sharing.
I received a salt lamp as a Christmas gift in 2017 and I have been obsessed with it ever since. I keep it in our living room and one of the first things I do when I get home is turn it on. I will have to add a white one to my home!
Salt lamps look stunning and give any room a calm feeling. Thanks for sharing Julia and Chris!
They’re pretty as lights. That all they do. Especially since most of them aren’t actually even salt, so they would be able to do any of those purported benefits.
I think it would be helpful to also discuss what to look for when trying to at least find a real salt lamp. There are quite a few boxes one has to check for authenticity.
Yes, this is a question I have. I’ve been interested in these for a while but hesitant to pull the trigger because I’m not sure if there are quality or authenticity issues to consider.
Hi there.. I am on-board! I bought 3 in early January. I put one in my basement where it gets dusty, and we have lots of electronics (i read that the dalt lamps help counteract some of the electromagnetics from TVs, games, etc.)
I put one in my bedroom and I swear i have been sleeping better and the third in the main room to help with air purification.
I’m a foot Zoner and started using square salt bricks on the foot I’m not zoning. I can not believe how people’s feet sweat on the Himalayan salt bricks. I have so many clients that have bought a pair for themselves and use them daily for detoxing. I’ve literally had to mop the floor after some people leave even though there’s two towels under them! I instruct for a zoning school and after my experience with them, the school just introduced them to the other instructors and students. The stories coming in a incredible!! Real salt is so beautifully healing!
I think the wellness part of the lamps as far as respiratory stuff is probably bull but I looove the glow so if that makes me feel good, then why not?
We’ve had one in our room for close to 8 years and love it as a dimmable nightlight! Have you had any issues with your lamps “sweating?” Ours forms almost like a salty puddle underneath sometimes that sticks to the nightstand :-/
We live in a really dry climate so we haven’t had any of those issues. I wonder if humidity has anything to do with it?
Ours sweats so bad that we need to leave it on 24/7. But love it! While ours is a table top size and really too small to get the full benefits, relaxing in salt caves clear up my allergies instantly.
Salt lamps have been AMAZING for my houseplants. If you have a plant that isn’t thriving, put it next to a salt lamp!!
Thank you!!!!
Wow, gotta give this a try! Thanks for the tip!
That is so random I saw this comment, because my succulent was not doing well.. I stuck it next to the salt lamo and it has been reborn!
Just a PSA – if your home is very humid, salt lamps absorb moisture from the air which can result in a salt water puddle underneath. Damaged my beautiful walnut nightstand this way. I’d recommend putting something underneath.
Are diatomite mats popular in the states? They are really popular in Japan now as a replacement for bath mats and coasters. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, I think they would look great with salt lamps.
Love these lamps! Also, I love your fruit bowl… Can you share where you got it? Thank you!
It was a gift from Montes Doggett
They are pretty, but I’m uneasy about all of the claims about health and wellness benefits, especially considering what snopes has to say about Salt Lamps: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/salt-lamps-cure-everything/
I don’t believe salt lamps cure everything, but I do believe in each person doing what they can to increase their sense of well-being in their own homes. If someone believes that a salt lamp makes them happy–it does! If someone believes that a salt lamp has made their home have positive energy–it already has.
Yes, we have a tabletop plus 2 night light versions. We will probably get more from the collection you are sharing. Thanks so much for this post.
P.S. In addition, we have one succulent and are awaiting a snake plant to provide even better air quality benefits.
We just got one for Christmas, and I love the warm glow so much. My husband has only tasted it a couple of times…
Oh, so ionization is what these are all about! My parents had an (ugly) ionizer in their bedroom when I was growing up. I am pretty darn crunchy when it comes to health but mostly appreciate diffusers, salt lamps and such for their nice addition to ambiance and consider any additional possible benefits as a bonus. That said, ambience is important when you love creating a wonderful home as much as I do! My hubby’s eyes would def roll so hard if I ever got a salt lamp and told him it was supposed to improve health in any way – he is such a black and white skeptic and can’t believe I use essential oils even just for nice smells. Doesn’t stop me from doing it ;-)
I will have to give these a try I could use an energy boost. Love your fruit bowl can you source it?
It was a gift from Montes Doggett
I think it’s also good to remind folks with pets to be really careful with diffusers and the kinds of oils they use. Cats especially, can get really really ill from diffused oils. I’m all aboard the salt lamp train tho!
I love salt lamps! I have 3 night lights and 3 lamps and they make me extraordinarily happy!
Which one is the one in your kitchen?
This one!
Salt lamps are pretty, but there is no scientific evidence that they do anything other than boost your mood by looking nice. Great for relaxation due to the great mood lighting they cast, but I wish people would be more skeptical of stuff like this.
Boosting your mood is a +2 in my book.
Came here to put the same comment as Jenn above – it’s misleading and false to push this narrative that salt lamps are anything other than pretty. Being a pretty decor item is totally fine, but I think we’re trying to advocate for accurate and true information about ‘benefits.’ There is no way that putting a light bulb in a block of sodium chloride is going to generate ions and there is actual science to back that up. I don’t think I’ve ever left a comment on here before, and I genuinely love the message that you guys typically have, but this post just made me sad – and I hope I haven’t come off as aggressive.
On another note – cooking/ingesting with Himalayan salt has no health benefits either. It’s pink because of impurities in it, where pure sodium chloride is white. The concept of ‘trace minerals’ in the salt is greatly overblown and patently false.
Source on Himalayan salt used in cooking: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/pink-himalayan-sea-salt-an-update/
Source on Himalayan salt lamps/negative ions: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/salt-lamps-cure-everything/ (Disclaimer – I would not typically use Snopes as a source, but in this case they cited multiple studies and concisely reviewed each claimed benefit.)
I don’t believe salt lamps cure everything, but I do believe in each person doing what they can to increase their sense of well-being in their own homes. If someone believes that a salt lamp makes them happy–it does! If someone believes that a salt lamp has made their home have positive energy–it already has.
How long have you been using these or did you just get them? I’m bad, I haven’t spotted them before, lol
Piling on (sorry)…. Yes they’re pretty, but please say no to the woo.
Thank you! Every time I see the pseudoscience about salt lamps being pedaled I do a hard facepalm.
They are beautiful, make a nice light that adds to the ambiance and totally worth having in your home, but they aren’t cleaning the air.
I have a couple of these around the house (and a USB one at my work desk!) and absolutely love them. I don’t know if I’ve noticed in health differences since I added them a few years ago, but the ambiance is top notch.
Also, they make the perfect holiday gift exchange gift!
My son requested to put our salt lamp in his bedroom. Sure! Little did I know a few weeks later that I’d catch him up and out of bed LICKING the lamp when he was supposed to be sleeping! ahhhhh! So PSA– explicitly tell your children not to lick these lamps, and that lamps are not food. Never thought those words would have to come out of my mouth… lol
Ha! This is exactly why I have not bought one. My 3 year old LOVES salt and I actually have to hide the salt cellar from him because he will seriously eat straight salt out of it. I figured if I got one of these, he would be licking it.
I think they are pretty and I hope they are still around when he gets past the licking stage. But I also have very fond memories of my grandmother’s lava lamp. I spent many hours lying on her shag carpeting staring at that thing. I doubt the salt lamps are doing anything but looking pretty, but that’s fine. It’s not like they are potentially dangerous like those Amber teething necklaces or even subject to misuse like essential oils.