That’s a navel idea!
Health care fanatics on social media are dousing their belly buttons and armpits with a supplement spray they believe relieves stress, improves sleep and eases muscle soreness.
“I cannot emphasize the importance of using a magnesium spray every single day,” Mandana Zarghami, a Miami influencer, said of one of her wellness must-haves.
“During the day I’ll spray it under my arms and in my belly button,” Zarghami explained in a TikTok video about health tips, which got over 109,000 views.
She repeats the practice at night, when she also puts it on the bottom of her feet.
Magnesium is an electrolyte that boosts energy and bone health and supports neurological, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal functions, according to doctors. It also reduces anxiety, headaches, and depression, and improves premenstrual syndrome and postmenopausal symptoms.
While eating foods packed with magnesium is the best way to get more of it — it is found in nuts and seeds, legumes and leafy greens — taking it as a supplement has recently skyrocketed in popularity.
Zarghami previously popped magnesium pills but turned to the spray after feeling nauseous from them.
“Magnesium spray has so many incredible benefits,” she said.
And she’s not alone.
Amalia Falck, owner of an online herbal wellness products business, also lathers her belly button with the oil and says it helps with gut health, migraines, menstrual cramps and body odor, too.
She sells the spray, which also contains patchouli and lavender, for $40.
Fitness influencer Kaylee Ullom said in a TikTok video last year that she has special sleeping shorts for when she oils her navel.
“If you know me, you know I can’t live without my magnesium spray [and] castor oil in my belly button,” she said.
Using castor oil for navel oiling — or “pulling” — gained popularity in recent years and is said to help with bloating and digestion.
The oils are commonly applied to the navel, armpits and soles of the feet because those areas are believed to be more vascular and therefore contribute to enhanced absorption, according to Dr. Jennifer Habashy, assistant medical director for telehealth provider Claya.
But she and other experts warn that magnesium oil might not be so magnificent after all — and could be a snake oil in disguise.
“While oral magnesium supplementation is well-documented, the effectiveness of transdermal absorption is still debated,” Habashy told The Post.
Users should also beware of skin irritation, itching or tingling from the oil, she said.
“Despite the hype around magnesium sprays and oils, there’s actually limited research that supports their use,” said workplace wellness consultant Anouska Shenn.
“This is because magnesium ions struggle to pass through the protective barrier of the outermost layer of our skin,” Shenn said.
“Some people do report feeling more relaxed after using these sprays … but this could be the placebo effect.”
