Emerald Healing Arts & Apothecary
There are times when our bodies feel overwhelmed — overwhelmed with pain, stress, PTSD, life, worry about the state of… well, anything. Often we don’t even know where to start to get relief. And honestly, as a massage therapist and the formulator behind Practicality Skincare, even I forget what to do for myself, even when the solution is right in front of me.
So let’s talk about something that can help with all of the above issues. My number one go-to is Magnesium Chloride, a topical form of magnesium.
Magnesium, as a mineral, cannot be taken on its own. Oral forms must be bound to carriers (like glycinate or citrate) to be stable, absorbable, and gentle on the digestive system. Those supplements have to move through the entire digestive tract before they can be used — which can take time and sometimes cause stomach upset. Topical Magnesium Chloride bypasses all of that. You absorb it transdermally, directly through the skin. This allows you to target specific areas of pain or simply soak in it for overall relief.
Benefits of Magnesium Chloride
Let’s start with the big one: pain relief.
Magnesium Chloride acts as a topical muscle relaxer. Anyone who lives with chronic or acute pain knows how exhausting a “silent” issue can be. The pain follows you through the day, into the night, and there is only so much Advil or other oral pain relievers your body can tolerate. By applying Magnesium Chloride directly to areas of tension, pain, or inflammation, you can target the first point of discomfort — and often the relief comes quickly. You may notice decreased pain, reduced inflammation, and an improved range of motion.
And frankly, many of us are so magnesium deficient that using it topically throughout the day is both safe and beneficial. Social media has made Magnesium Oil wildly popular, and for good reason — it’s effective. At Practicality Skincare, we also make Magnesium Gel, Magnesium + Arnica Gel, and pure Magnesium Flakes that you can soak in before bed (this is our personal “absolute reset”).
How Magnesium Chloride Helps With Stress, Anxiety, and Overwhelm
Magnesium Chloride calms the sympathetic nervous system (your fight-or-flight mode), supports the parasympathetic system (rest, digest, heal), and helps regulate cortisol, your primary stress hormone.
When we have adequate magnesium, muscles stop clenching, nerves stop overreacting, and the stress response settles. When we are deficient, we feel tightness, trigger points, restless legs, jaw clenching, and that internal “buzz” that comes from chronic stress. When those symptoms soften, the body naturally relaxes, sleep improves, and emotions become easier to process.
Why Topical Works So Well
Transdermal Magnesium absorbs through sweat ducts, hair follicles, and the skin barrier. There’s no waiting for digestion — it enters circulation and begins supporting tissues quickly. When you apply it directly to an area of pain, you get localized relief and the nervous system benefits at the same time.
Personally, as I got older, I found that I simply couldn’t swallow those huge magnesium pills anymore. I also knew I desperately needed magnesium — I was in chronic pain and needed quick relief. Topical Magnesium Chloride solved every one of those issues for me.
As a massage therapist, I see people arrive in pain, stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. When I pair massage with Magnesium Chloride, my clients often feel a level of relief they haven’t experienced in a long time. And it’s safe enough to use daily or even multiple times a day.
Quality Matters
The quality of Magnesium Chloride is incredibly important — purity, potency, and sourcing all make a difference. But whew! We’ve already covered a lot, so let’s save that for another article.
