By: Ileana Paules-Bronet/Little Things Have you heard of a Himalayan salt lamp before? Until a couple of weeks ago, I hadn’t either.

Himalayan salt is a pinkish color, and many people use it in place of regular table salt. In addition to the food-seasoning use, Himalayan salt is also used for Himalayan salt lamps.

These pinkish-orange Himalayan sea salt lamps are used for their health benefits — but they’re also just beautiful lamps that look nice in any home.

According to Dr. Axe, there are many benefits of Himalayan salt lamps — those include boosting your mood, promoting better sleep, purifying your air, reducing both electromagnetic radiation and airborne infections, soothing asthma symptoms, and reducing allergy symptoms.

Now, I know what you might be thinking: “These Himalayan salt lamp benefits sound like some hippie nonsense.” That’s what I thought at first, too. 

And if you’re wondering why I feel like I have any authority to talk about hippie things, let me just explain that I grew up in Eugene, Oregon, aka Hippie Central.

I’m not joking. Eugene is famous for its tie-dye shirts, VW vans, hemp clothing, natural beauty products, raw/vegan restaurants, and sock-Birkenstocks combo. 

When I left Eugene for college, I swore I would leave all that hippie mumbo jumbo behind.

No more tofu cheesesteaks, no more healing crystals, no more tie-dye toilet paper.

And yet, here I am, six years later, testing out the benefits of a Himalayan salt lamp.

What Is A Himalayan Salt Lamp?

Are Himalayan Salt Lamps Safe?

As reported by the CPSC in early 2017, three types of Himalayan salt lamps, produced by Lumière, were recalled.

According to their recall statement, the hazard was described as such: “The dimmer switch and/or outlet plug can overheat and ignite, posing shock and fire hazards.”

However, according to Natural Living Ideas, as long as you buy your lamp from a reputable seller and it is made entirely of Himalayan sea salt, it should be safe.

If you have a Himalayan salt lamp and are concerned about safety, just make sure to read the instructions and warnings fully before setting it up.

Each lamp and brand is slightly different, so you should make sure to read up on your specific lamp.

Which Lamps Should You Buy? How Long Do They Last?

The lamp I chose to buy was the WBM Himalayan Glow, but there are plenty of great brands out there, including Levoit and WhiteSwade, which are both rated very highly on Amazon.

According to Your Salt Lamps, Himalayan salt lamps should last forever if you care for them correctly.

As long as you do not submerge them in water or expose them to very high amounts of humidity, you should never have to replace them!

What Are The Benefits Of Himalayan Salt Lamps?

My First Impressions

Needless to say, I was skeptical of the lamp’s so-called “benefits.”

There was no way a lamp would be able to clear up my morning stuffiness, help my sleep, and purify my air.

But the more I researched these salt lamps, the more open-minded I became. I read testimonials of people who swore these lamps changed their lives.

With this newfound knowledge under my belt, I was ready to give my Himalayan salt lamp a try.

When I got the box in the mail, I was surprised at how heavy it was. I don’t know what I was expecting, but the weight of the lamp made me sure that it was pure salt.

Once I got home, I unwrapped the lamp and set it on a table.

I wiped it down with a damp paper towel to remove any dust or small salt crystals that were falling off.

Then I put the lamp in my bedroom and turned it on.

First Few Days

The first few days, I was really excited about the potential benefits the Himalayan salt lamp could offer.

I almost always wake up with a stuffy nose in the morning, so I was hoping the lamp might make a difference with that.

My boyfriend, who I live with, has pretty bad seasonal allergies and asthma, so I told him to keep track of whether he felt his symptoms changing at all because of the lamp.

After The First Week

Despite my growing skepticism, I trudged on.

Every night when I got home, I turned the light onto its brightest setting. When I went to sleep, I lowered the brightness but kept it on. 

When a week and a half had passed, I was almost positive this lamp was a complete hoax.

Maybe I was using it wrong?

I turned to the internet for answers. 

So, Do Himalayan Salt Lamps Really Work?

And the research backs up my experience: according to HealthLine, “There is no evidence that Himalayan salt lamps release negative ions or clean the air.”

That said, here’s my official Himalayan salt lamp review:

Would I use this again? As a lamp, sure. But as an air purifier or health enhancer, definitely not. I think I’ll stick to my regular old air purifier.

Would I recommend it to a friend? Probably only as a pretty decor element.

But listen, this clearly works for some people — maybe I’m just not one of them. 

If you’ve had success with natural health enhancing items before, maybe this will work for you!

But if you have bad allergies or a cough, you should never depend on this lamp to relieve your symptoms. Just go to a doctor.

So, my final conclusion about the Himalayan salt lamp? File this under “hippie nonsense.”

Please SHARE if you believe in the powers of Himalayan salt lamps!

Cosmic Scientist / Report a typo