6 Ways Self-Love Will Help You Crush Your Goals
From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
Bath Salts Drug No Relation to Legitimate Spa Salts; Beauty Manufacturers Address Customer Concerns
Some foot soak companies have had problems because of the misleading name of this illegal drug.
June 21, 2012
The illegal stimulant drug known as “bath salts” is sometimes packaged as a legitimate bath salt in an attempt to allude police, but is generally sold in much smaller packages than legitimate spa bath salts. Photo courtesy of DEA.
3 min to read
The illegal stimulant drug known as “bath salts” is sometimes packaged as a legitimate bath salt in an attempt to allude police, but is generally sold in much smaller packages than legitimate spa bath salts. Photo courtesy of DEA.
There is a new drug fad on the market that many are confused about because it goes by the well-publicized street name of “bath salts.” Rest assured, this new chemical is not the same as the spa product that is used in manicure and pedicure soaks; however, some spa manufacturers are having to address consumer concerns about their products.
The drug, which became illegal under the U.S. Drug Enforcement Association (DEA) on October 21, 2011, is a dangerous combination of mephedrone, MDPV, and methylone. None of those ingredients are in reputable spa bath salts. Indeed, according to the DEA, it is illegal to be in possession of or sell any of the three ingredients in the drug.
In a recent press release, Mark Zoske, founder and CEO of SaltWorks Inc., helps set the record straight that spa salts, including those his company sells, are not the same as the drug. “SaltWorks’ bath salts are made of essential oils and sea salt,” Zoske said. “They are absolutely not intended for smoking, snorting, or injecting.”
To make matters worse for legitimate spa salt providers, the illegal drug is sometimes packaged as a spa bath salt in an attempt to allude police. According to Barbara Carreno, a spokesperson for the DEA, the drug is sometimes packaged with labels calling it bath salts, going so far as to include text on the packaging with directions to “add to warm water” or stating “not for human consumption” in an effort to disguise it. “That’s a ruse,” Carreno told NAILS. “Everything about that product is a lie.”
Wayne Miller, owner of legitimate spa salts company Maxim LLC, said one way to separate legitimate spa salts from the drug is that the drug is typically sold in small convenience stores and corner markets, not in larger stores where legitimate bath salt products are sold. The DEA’s Carreno adds that the illegal drug is typically sold by the gram or microgram and is fairly expensive for its size versus spa bath salts, which are available in up to large back-bar sizes.
Maxim LLC’s Miller told NAILS he has heard a few comments on the subject of illegal bath salts and even had a distributer in Nevada that required his company to certify that none of the illegal chemicals were in Maxim’s bath salts. However, he hasn’t had any calls from concerned customers.
“I think a lot of people are intelligent enough now to know that it’s a totally different thing,” Miller said. “I think a lot of people see through it.”
Carreno said the drug used to be sold out in the open on retailer’s shelves (sometimes the retailer didn’t even know what it was being used for) before it became illegal. Now, shop owners typically place it behind the counter (out of the view of the police). According to the DEA, this drug is commonly sold over the Internet, in convenience stores, and in gas stations. It usually comes in white, off-white, or yellow powder form as well as tablet, capsule, and injection forms.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Wellness
The Invisible Hazard in Every Nail Salon and How to Fight It
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Nail Safety Council Warns Holiday Shoppers About Toxic 'Magic' Gel Polish Removers
Products marketed as 'magic' or 'burst' gel removers may contain methylene chloride, a federally banned, highly toxic chemical.
How Beauty Pros Can Prevent Pain: Somatic Movement for Career Longevity
Working in beauty doesn’t have to hurt. Learn how Somatic Movement helps hairstylists, lash artists, and other beauty pros release tension, improve posture, and extend their careers.
Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks
As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.
Federal Research on Nail Salon Safety Concludes Due to Budget Reductions
A federal initiative aimed at studying chemical exposure in nail salons has ended due to staffing and budget changes. Here’s what the project set out to do—and what its conclusion means for salon professionals.
by Anne Moratto
Opinion: What You Need to Know About Pedicure Safety
For many people, a pedicure is a relaxing beauty ritual. But what most don’t realize is that this simple service, if done without proper hygiene and sanitation, can cause serious infections and long-term health issues.
Onycholysis: What Nail Pros Should Know About Nail Separation
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. While it may look painful, it typically isn’t—at least not at first. But without proper care, this common nail disorder can lead to infections, deformities, and long-term damage.
What to Say--or Not Say--to Someone Grieving
Mckenzie Kool, Psychologist, MC, RPsych provides us with guidance on what may or not be helpful in speaking with someone who has suffered a significant loss.
Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections
Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).
Beauty Professionals, It's Time to Take the Green Pledge
As Earth Day approaches, The Green Beauty Community Foundation and the Green Spa Network invite beauty pros to step forward and embrace sustainability through the Green Pledge--a powerful initiative designed by and for beauty industry leaders.
How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine's Day
Don’t cancel Valentine’s Day altogether, urges Jill Palmquist. Instead, think of it as a (frilly, flowery, Champagne-bubbly) wake-up call to fall deeply in love with your own life.
Temporary Burnout or Time to Hang Up the Shears?
Life coach and Culture Ambassador of Sam Villa, Andrew Carruthers, outlines how to tell if your burnout is temporary - or if it's time to make a bigger career change.
Nail Care and Cancer Treatment: 6 Tips for a Safe Nail Service
Cancer treatment can create very specific challenges for your guest when it comes to hair, skin, and also nails. Here are some tips for working with your salon client who is going through cancer treatment to help you provide a relaxing, enjoyable, and also safe experience.
Sun Patch Protects Hands from Sun Damage
For those clients concerned about exposure from UV lamps, the Sun Patch might be a solution. Sun Patches are waterproof, reusable (up to 10 wears) block 98% of UVA/UVB rays, and maintain their UPF 50+ rating all day long.
by Anne Moratto
The Nail Doctor: Onycholysis, or Nail Separation, Has Different Varieties
One of the most common conditions that affects the nail is onycholysis, which is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. Onycholysis occurs as a result of or along with a great variety of nail traumas and disorders. Probably the most common cause of onycholysis is a fungal infection of the nail.
Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity
Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.