Magnesium lotion is one of the simplest things in my routine.

I put it on.

Usually my feet, sometimes my legs, stomach, shoulders or underarms.

And move on.

No capsules to remember. No elaborate protocol. Just magnesium chloride delivered through the skin in a format that also happens to be really nice body care.

What is magnesium lotion?

Magnesium lotion is a topical moisturizer containing a dissolved magnesium salt — in our case, magnesium chloride.

Magnesium chloride on its own is usually dissolved in water and sold as “magnesium oil,” which is funny because it isn't actually an oil.

It's a concentrated mineral brine.

Putting that magnesium brine into a lotion lets us combine it with fats and oils so it spreads easily, feels good on the skin and doesn't leave you feeling like you just coated yourself in seawater.

Same mineral.

Much nicer delivery system.

Why topical magnesium?

Magnesium is involved in hundreds of biochemical reactions throughout the body.

Energy production.

Nerve signalling.

Muscle function.

Electrolyte balance.

Vitamin D metabolism.

The list gets long very quickly.

And one reason I've always liked topical magnesium is how easy it is to work into daily life.

Especially for people who don't tolerate oral magnesium particularly well.

You don't have to swallow anything.

You don't have to remember another supplement.

You just put it on your skin.

Our FATSKN magnesium philosophy has always been straightforward: magnesium chloride is one of our favourite forms, and topical application gives us another route to support magnesium intake without relying solely on the digestive tract.

Where should you apply magnesium lotion?

Anywhere you tolerate it well.

But I especially love:

• feet
• calves
• legs
• shoulders
• abdomen
• underarms

And if you're new to topical magnesium, I'd probably start with your feet.

Why the feet?

The soles of the feet are absolutely packed with eccrine sweat glands — among the highest densities anywhere on the body.

That's one reason I've always found the feet such an interesting interface with the environment in general.

They're also where we naturally make contact with the ground.

From a FATSKN/quantum-biology perspective, I think there is likely more significance to the feet than modern life gives them credit for.

And anecdotally?

Feet work.

I've seen it in my own experience and I've heard it repeatedly from customers and friends.

Magnesium on.

Socks on.

Bed.

Very simple.

That doesn't mean magnesium is somehow useless everywhere else.

Far from it.

Legs and calves

Another favourite.

Especially because you can cover a large amount of skin quickly.

Massage it in, let it absorb and carry on.

Shoulders and neck

Also great.

Partly because topical magnesium belongs beautifully in a massage routine.

Your skin gets the magnesium.

Your muscles get the massage.

Your nervous system gets a few minutes where you're not staring at a screen.

I'll take all three.

Abdomen

Absolutely.

Again, I don't think every application site needs a completely separate mystical explanation.

There is a lot of skin there.

Use it.

Underarms

Magnesium is also one of my favourite tools for body odour.

That deserves its own conversation, but the short version is that I originally became interested in magnesium deodorant because topical magnesium changed my own underarm odour dramatically.

That's ultimately how we ended up making a magnesium-based deodorant.

How much should you use?

Enough to cover the area.

You don't need to whitewash yourself in it.

A normal layer is plenty.

If you're new to topical magnesium, start small and see how your skin responds.

When should you use it?

Whenever it fits your life.

I love it at night because:

magnesium lotion

feet

socks

bed

is about as complicated as I want a nighttime protocol to get.

But there is nothing wrong with using it in the morning or middle of the day.

I use magnesium when I want magnesium.

Why lotion instead of straight magnesium oil?

Because magnesium chloride is a brine.

Straight brine can be sticky, drying and stingy.

Putting it into a proper lotion means we can pair it with fats that keep the skin soft and comfortable.

Which matters when you're using something every day.

This is basically the entire FATSKN formulation philosophy:

the active part matters, but so does the experience of living in your skin afterward.

My favourite way to use it

Feet after a bath or before bed.

Socks on.

Done.

You can make magnesium extraordinarily complicated.

I don't.

The one we make is our Magnesium Body Lotion. More: Why Does Magnesium Lotion Sting? and Can You Use Magnesium Lotion Every Day?