FAQs

When we have an active promotion, unless it’s limited to a particular group or private, you will typically find those details on a banner along the bottom of your screen, and posted here on our promotions page.  Coupons cannot be combined, and we do not offer free shipping to Canadian addresses.

At SoWellMade, our goal is to expedite your order as quickly as possible; therefore, once your order is placed it cannot be cancelled or changed in the vast majority of cases. If you have questions about making a return once received please refer to our return policy or contact Customer Service.

We have been designing our beautiful So Well salt lamps and importing our Himalayan salt from Pakistan since 2004.  We have a relationship with a single partner producer that has been in place since 2004.  That allows us to rely on that relationship to ensure fair trade production principles and provide the best quality available.  We believe in and support fair trade principles, and focus on hand made, small batch and domestic, wherever possible. Our products are authentic, high quality and unique to the market.

Your salt lamps will require regular replacement of bulbs, occasional replacement of cords, and regular cleaning (dust or wipe with a damp cloth.)  They won’t diminish in size or require replacement. They last forever, are energy efficient and will change the air quality, your health and energy in every room of your house and office.

Each fair trade salt lamp is original with its own distinctive organic shape and color. So Well lamps are beautifully crafted with a goal for the best “shaping” (no lopsided, dirty rocks as many companies sell) and handpicked for you. The images on our website are So Well lamps from our stock, and yours will be similar yet different. Each lamp is 100% unique and will have striations, fissures, cracks – none of which interferes with the physical structure of the lamps. Each lamp is hand crafted from start to finish, and will vary.  Our images are offered to show examples of our quality and selection.  

Salt lamps are hygroscopic, meaning that they absorb moisture from the air.  It is important that your lamp stays on as much as possible so that it is warmed by the heat from the bulb. If you do not leave your lamps on for long periods of time (we recommend 24/7) your lamps can begin to “sweat” and leak salt.  Always make sure your lamps are slightly warm to the touch – it doesn’t have to be much, and doesn’t have to be hot. If your lamps are not getting warm, you are either not leaving them on long enough or you need a higher wattage bulb depending on the size of your lamp.

All So Well salt lamps come with a 15 watt bulb. You can use up to 40 watts (“candelabra” “refrigerator lights” or “night lights”) for larger lamps.  They are found on our website in the Bulbs & Cords section, or many local stores.  If you’re buying locally, measure the bulb or take it with you to ensure the replacement bulb you buy will fit.

The larger the lamp, the higher wattage you can use. Small lamps can get very hot, so be careful about the bulbs that you use.  Darker lamps retain more heat.  Whether it’s a darker amber, or a dark grey, when the light energy is retained inside the cavity it produces more heat.

Our UL certified dimmer cords are rated for up to 40 watts.  For larger lamps, LED light bulbs are not recommended as they do not warm the lamp. Our LED bulbs produce some heat, and are fine for small to large lamps as a heat and light source.  They are very bright.  Your salt lamp should be lit most of the time and kept warm for best affects.

Our amber lamps and our grey lamps are recommended at night and because of the spectrum of colors in the orange, reds, yellows- do not interfere with melatonin production.  This allows you to get the full benefits of the ions and EMF protection while sleeping.  In larger rooms you have the option to strategically place lamps where the direct light is minimized, or use smaller lamps in more than one area to lower the total light output.

When paired with a dimmer cord, the light output on any So Well lamp can be further adjusted.  Every person is different when it comes to sleep habits and preferences – you should decide what is best for your sleeping area taking into account your particular preferences and your bedroom.

Simply put, nothing. Our salt lamps come from the same source and will always perform similarly, no matter the shape.  We provide products that bring out the inherent beauty and wellness aspect of the natural materials they from which they are created. If your interior does not lend itself to our more roughhewn shapes, we do offer gently smoothed lamps that fit nicely into a more polished interior space. We also choose a select group of seasonal or specialty products from time to time, so be sure to watch the seasonal menu to see what’s new and / or limited.

Crystal salt is one of the few minerals whose atomic structure is bound electrically, not molecularly. This characteristic of the mineral structure enables the crystal to change back and forth from crystalline to liquid state. The gentle heat of the lamp in the salt crystal creates a higher surface temperature than the surrounding air. This attracts the water molecules in the cooler surrounding air. The natural humidity in the air condenses on the crystal’s surface. This enables the electrically bound sodium chloride mineral to split into independent (positive) sodium and (negative) chloride ions.

This natural ionization creates an electric charge. After the water molecules evaporate again, the sodium and chloride ions turn back into their crystalline mineral form. When the sun heats up our largest natural salt solutions, the oceans, it generates the natural energy vibration of which our entire global environment consists. Salt crystal creates exactly the same natural energy field. Scientifically speaking, this natural ionization process takes place millions of times, invisible to the eye, and without any influence to the quality of the crystal.

The atomic structure of crystal salt contains more negative, chloride ions than positive, sodium ions which result in the emission of negative ions during the natural ionization process. Negative ions become dust collectors, attaching themselves to positively charged dust particles and cigarette smoke, purifying the circulating indoors air from dust, bacteria and pollutants.

We recommend at least one or two salt lamps per room- but you can have as many as you like- the more lamps, the better results! The smaller the lamp, the closer you should keep your lamp to you. The more lamps or the larger lamps, the farther you can put them. Think about your space and how you use it, and then you can decide where and how many lamps to place.

Lifespan for a typical incandescent home use bulb is around 1,000 hours, but usually ranges between 700 and 2000 hours. Heat, vibration, mechanical shock, over voltage conditions, and on/off cycles are all a factor in bulb life.  If you leave your lamp on 24/7, that is about 700 hours in a typical month.  So if you’re getting a couple of months or more out of your bulbs, that’s pretty good indeed.

There are bulbs for high heat applications (oven bulbs) and/or or applications that experience vibration or mechanical shock (fan bulbs), but they are more expensive by a multiple. Most people will not need these special application bulbs, and so we’ve found that the inexpensive bulbs we sell are the best value for your salt lamp.  Now that you understand the issues, you can experiment with more costly bulbs for different applications if you feel that you would benefit from that extra expense.

The incandescent bulbs used in Himalayan salt lamps are meant to be in a stationary position. If they are moved suddenly or are exposed to vibration, they can blow or have a diminished life  Consider what happens to a flashlight bulb when the flashlight is dropped? (many now use LED bulbs to combat this type of failure)

High humidity can also cause bulbs to blow.  This happens by creating corrosion on the contacts, which then creates higher resistance in the circuit, causing them to blow or wear out prematurely. All of this is also a factor in your dimmer or on/off cord circuits and bulb holder that is part of the power supply cord.

Power spikes or surges through your circuits in your home or office occur constantly.  Your electric items are manufactured to tolerate this to some degree.  But spikes mean problems for any electric item, and the cords & bulbs used in Himalayan salt lamps are sensitive to this as well.

If you have bulbs popping or blowing regularly, here are some things to take into consideration:

• The bulb is not quite screwed in firmly enough to touch both contacts. This causes more resistance which can wear the bulb & cord out prematurely.
• There is condensation on the bulb or electrics of the dimmer causing them to corrode and create higher resistance.
• The bulb is touching the inside surface of the lamp, or after a bulb has been changed, the cord and bulb has been pushed too far to the top of lamp and is touching the salt. This creates hot spots that concentrate too much heat on the bulb.
• The lamp is moved while or after the lamp has been on long enough to heat it.
• There is a large current drawing appliance on the same circuit that is turned on/off and there is a momentary power spike or fluctuation that reaches the bulb and dimmer cord electric components.
• There is excessive ‘micro vibration’ nearby ie: too close to a TV, refrigerators, etc.
• If the lamp has been turned off and sweated, salt may have leaked onto the bulb which will cause it to blow.

It would be difficult to say in any particular case, considering all the factors that are involved. Sometimes a visual inspection can reveal damage or wear to parts of the cord or dimmer components itself and it’s worthwhile to take a look the cord in detail if you suspect there is a problem.

The dimmers we sell are an electronic item – they incorporate a printed circuit board as well as mechanical controls to tell the electronic circuit board to vary the voltage supplied to the bulb.  The electronics essentially turn the light on and off very rapidly by cutting the voltage, and you adjust the level of that activity with the rotary knob.  Those electronics can be damaged by excess resistance and voltage spikes (even small spikes), just like bulbs.  The current passes through the dimmer by traveling through a silicone semiconductor and these can be quickly affected by overloads (spikes) in the ordinary course of use.

Dimmers can also be affected by constant high voltage conditions – meaning your electricity is flowing in your environment above the standard 120 volts.  This is more common that you might think, although not typical.  It creates wear on the parts prematurely, and enough of it can create quick failures.

Over time, the dimmers can be subjected to lots of small spikes, or one very large one.  They could subjected to high resistance loads or fluctuations because the bulb or socket has corrosion, or the filament on the bulb has failed.

It could also be something as simple as being pinched, stepped on, or spilled on.

The dimmers we offer are a value product – i.e., they could be engineered to tolerate all kinds of conditions, but the very vast majority of people will not need this, and we can’t justify incorporating that super engineered cost into the lamps, or the replacement cord products we offer.  Out of 1000 lamps, we typically hear from 2 to 3 people that have a problem with their cord.  We offer reasonably priced replacement cords for those that need them, and we replace them at no charge if they fail in the first 6 months.

No. USB Lamps have a very small LED light bulb in them which does not produce heat. It is the heat from a bulb that which produces negative ions to purify the air when the salt is warmed. So, USB lamps are more for balancing EMF from computers, color therapy, metaphysical purposes – or just plain enjoyment.

Himalayan mineral salt (Halite) is a crystal.  Its metaphysical properties include protection from negative energies and surroundings – which salt is commonly known for. For many centuries, many cultures have used salt to cleanse and protect.

Salt also vibrates at a similar frequency as our own bodies, so it helps protect us against the EMF (electromagnetic radiation) given off from a computer, TV, cellphone etc. Because of this similar vibration, having Himalayan Salt near you can instill a sense of wellness and security within ourselves to help us face the challenges of everyday life.

*If you want a Salt Lamp to purify the air, you need a Lamp with an electrical cord and a bulb sufficient to warm the crystal salt.

All of the colors of So Well Himalayan crystal salt contain minerals and when consumed offer health benefits. The darker the red and orange tones, the more iron is present within the crystal salt. The grey lamps and candle holder products have a higher concentration of sulfur which makes them appear grey.  White salt lamps have a lack of several minerals that make the amber or pinkish colors. All of our salt is the same when it comes to salt lamps – it comes from the same mines, and is crafted into products at the same facility. White and grey are particularly rare colors, and hence more exclusive and more expensive.  They have different tastes, but otherwise the colors perform the same as candles and lamps.

Sure.  A  tiny little bit.  A single salt lamp, run at full strength and not dimmed, will consume about 1/3 of a kilowatt a day.  A typical cost per kilowatt would be between .10¢ to .15¢, so about 1/3 of that amount.

Every morning, take one teaspoon of brine mixed in a glass of good quality artesian or spring water. Drink this on an empty stomach before taking breakfast. The amount of water is up to you, but you only need one teaspoon of sole for your daily intake.

It’s not necessary to shake or stir.  Always use a wooden or hard plastic spoon to take your sole. Inorganic matter will settle to the bottom.

The Sole will never go bad and you just need to add more water and more fair trade Himalayan salt crystal stones so there is always visible salt in your glass sole jar. Leave on counter with lid. You do not need to refrigerate.

Yes, you can take the sole at night, some people experience deeper sleep, some get more energy.

Sole is safe for kids and pets but use much smaller amounts.

One teaspoon of Himalayan Sole contains approximately 411 mg of sodium. This very small amount of salt has an incredibly positive effect on your whole body, and normally, does not cause any danger even when taken regularly. But be careful about using commercial table salt. The USDA recommends a daily intake of no more than 2,500 mg of sodium depending on your body weight. Himalayan crystal salt can be more readily metabolized by the body than refined table salt. This is the reason that it should also be used for seasoning your food and for all your cooking and baking needs.

The sole can be kept indefinitely. It will never go bad. It can be kept anywhere. It doesn’t have to be refrigerated nor kept in the dark. However, it is recommended to keep it in a closed container to keep it free from dust and other airborne particles.

The recommended one teaspoon of sole solution per day is a general guideline for adults which can be adjusted a bit according to one’s own feeling. It’s not a question of “more is better,” but rather the intake of the frequency pattern of the sole that is important. With the teaspoon, you will also cover all the necessary minerals and trace elements. For children, a few drops are sufficient.

Yes.  Animals need salt in their bodies too. Salt licks for animals are a common product because it can be hard for animals to consistently consume salt.  Just as with humans, the natural crystal salt will have its positive effect on the animal body. If you put a few drops into the food, it will increase the vitality and strengthen the immune system of your pet or animal.

The benefits of the Sole therapy are realized best when taken on an empty stomach. You can also do the Sole therapy in the evening, but you should keep this rhythm so your body may experience a consistent schedule.

Yes, all the products we offer you are 100% natural, homeopathic, safe, organic and earth friendly. Our products are recommended by health practitioners, Feng Shui experts, alternative doctors, + many others.

Visit our shipping page.

Yes, read more on our returns policy page.

No, our retail store has been closed for some time and we focus on serving our retail customers through our website, as well as by supplying retail partners across the country.

Yes, find out more information on our wholesale page.

Yes, please visit the affiliate program page for more information.