How to Use Magnesium Oil
The most common questions I get are simple ones: how much, where, and how often. Here’s what I actually tell people.
Start with a soak
The easiest way to use magnesium oil, especially if you’re new to it, is a soak. A bathtub works, or a small bucket for just your feet. About 2 ounces, roughly a double shot glass, is a good amount for a full soak. It’s hard to overdo it this way, and it’s the method I point most people toward first.
Applying it directly
For a specific spot, like a cramping calf in the middle of the night, a sore lower back after a long day, or your temples when a migraine is starting, a small amount rubbed directly onto the skin works fast. It goes on clean, too, with no sticky residue left behind.
How much, and how often
For a bath or foot soak, use about 2 ounces, two to three times a week. For an active cramp or a migraine coming on, you can use it as needed. There’s no strict limit; just watch how your skin responds. If you’re brand new to it, start with less than you think you need and build up over a week or two rather than going in at full strength on day one.
Do a patch test first
If you’ve never used magnesium oil before, or you know you have sensitive skin, try a small amount on your inner forearm and wait a few minutes before using it anywhere else. That tells you right away whether you should dilute it before applying it somewhere larger, like your legs or back.
If your skin reacts
Some people notice a burning feeling when they apply it at full strength. That doesn’t mean you’re allergic. It means it’s too concentrated for your skin right then. Dilute it, either by mixing it into a soak instead of applying it directly or by cutting it with a little water, and the irritation goes away.
Make it your own
I add a few drops of an essential oil I like, lavender especially, straight into the mix. I started doing that mostly because I didn’t want to build out a whole separate scented product, and it means you get a little relaxation along with the magnesium. That helps if the reason you’re using it is stress or a migraine coming on.
One thing to check before you buy any magnesium oil, not just mine
Look at how it’s packaged. A lot of magnesium oil comes in spray bottles, and most spray pumps rely on a small metal spring. I found out the hard way that those springs can rust after sitting in magnesium oil for a while, and once that happens, you don’t want that oil going on your skin. That’s why I use flip-top containers and glass dropper bottles instead, so the oil never touches metal.
Storing it
Keep it somewhere you’ll actually see it and use it. That’s honestly half the reason our bedside container works so well for us. It doesn’t need refrigeration. Just keep the cap or top closed tight so it doesn’t evaporate or pick up anything from the air.
For the why behind all of this, see Magnesium Oil Benefits. And if a bar of soap fits your routine better than an oil, see How to Use Magnesium Soap.
About the Author
Dr. Linda Robins, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN and long-practicing homeopathic physician with more than 40 years of clinical experience and the founder of Dr. Linda’s. She writes and personally reviews every post on this blog from her own clinical experience.
