Himalayan salt lamps are made from pure, food grade, Himalaya Salt Crystal Lamps and can even be powdered to use as salt in recipes if needed. The importance of negative ions. Salt lamps are natural negative ion generators. At any given time, there are both positive and negative ions in the air. As a flashback to freshman science :

• “An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving the atom a net positive or negative electrical charge.”
• Negative ions occur more often in nature and they are often created by things like lightening storms, sunlight, waterfalls, and ocean waves. This is one of the reasons people often report feeling renewed or refreshed after a storm or at the beach.

• Positive ions are often created by electronic devices like computers, TVs, microwaves, and even vacuum cleaners and can often exacerbate problems like allergies, stress and sleep trouble. Negative ions can neutralize positive ions (they bond together) and help cleanse the air.

The unique combination of salt and a light source in salt lamps are what cause the negative ions. Salt is hygroscopic, meaning that it attracts water to its surface and this water evaporates quickly due to the small amount of heat from the light source (this is also why salt lamps tend to sweat.