Dead Sea Minerals

In a world full of beautiful and fascinating locations the Dead Sea is one of the more intriguing.

Sitting astride the East Africa Rift valley at over 400 meters below sea level it is the lowest point on the planet’s surface. It is fed by the River Jordan from the north, is bordered to the east and west by the Moab and Judean Mountains and lacks any natural outlet to the south. It is these geographic features that dictate the very character of the Dead Sea which is the most saline large natural body of water in the world. This notorious salinity is caused by the vast quantities of water lost through evaporation to the hot and bone dry air of the valley.

But whilst these arresting statistics alone would make for a truly engaging location, they are not the primary reason for the exceptional, possibly unique, nature of the Dead Sea. It is the rare combination, composition and concentrations of specific salts and minerals, resulting from the accident of geology and geography, and the presence of thermal springs bordering the western shores of the sea, that make up both the sea and the famed black mineral mud that have led directly to the long recognised therapeutic renown of the Dead Sea.

Today we recognise that skincare and cosmetic products from the Dead Sea can play a significant role in helping to manage a range of skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis. It is estimated that approximately 5% of the world’s population may suffer from psoriasis and many of those people are seeking a more natural method of relief from this condition by using skincare products made from the minerals found in and around the Dead Sea.

This recognition and celebration of the Dead Sea, however, dates back at least to the Roman Empire, as is evidenced by the remains of roman spas found in the region. But it was not leisure alone that attracted the practical and economically minded Romans. The region provided significant economic benefits in the form of salt, asphalt that rose naturally to the surface of the sea, and the rare ingredients for medicines and cosmetics obtained from the plants and trees that grew abundantly in the oases of the region. So important were these benefits to the empire that Mark Anthony fought a war of conquest. But it is also nice to think the economics may not have been the only reason that Mark Anthony fought, because historians believe that Cleopatra valued the Dead Sea as an invaluable source of natural skincare products.