Is Magnesium the New Botox?

When my facialist — impossibly serene, with a voice like an angel and skin that could launch a thousand TikToks — casually mentioned magnesium as her go-to for softening fine lines instead of Botox, I took note. Then I did my research.

Long touted as wellness’s most in-demand mineral — a go-to for sleep, stress, sore muscles and hormonal havoc — magnesium is hardly under the radar. The mineral du jour when you can’t switch off on a Sunday night, it’s now quietly making moves in the beauty world, and might just be the missing link in your skincare routine.

Magnesium may not be headline material in the skin longevity stakes, lacking the marketing muscle of retinol or the gravitas of peptides, but what it misses in glamour, it more than makes up for in quiet efficacy. Found in everything from leafy greens to high-end face mists, it’s now emerging as a quiet hero in the world of skin health, with a growing body of research (and facialist lore) to back it up.

An essential mineral involved in over 300 bodily processes, magnesium regulates everything from nerve function to mood to hormonal balance. For me, it’s a non-negotiable during an endometriosis flare-up, taken via tablet form to allay cramps, reduce inflammation and support my nervous system when it’s in crisis mode. I’ve also been known to bathe in it to an almost obsessive degree — long, borderline scalding soaks that feel both deliciously indulgent and vaguely alchemical. 

While it won’t freeze your frown lines like Botox, magnesium can help reduce the kind of low-grade stress and inflammation that quietly accelerates the ageing process.

While magnesium doesn’t directly create collagen the way, say, vitamin C does, it plays a powerful supporting role. For one, it helps to regulate stress, which in turn reduces the amount of cortisol in your system — a hormone that breaks down collagen and accelerates ageing. Less cortisol = more collagen = softer, bouncier skin.

It also has anti-inflammatory properties, which means it calms the kind of low-grade, chronic inflammation that quietly chips away at your skin’s resilience. The result? A calmer complexion, reduced redness, and skin that looks noticeably more well-rested.

Not all magnesium is created equal. Here’s your beauty editor-approved cheat sheet to finding the right one for your skin (and sanity).

The holy grail for skin via stress reduction. It’s deeply calming, promotes better sleep, and helps regulate hormones, which is excellent news if your fine lines tend to arrive with your period.

The gut health champion. Not directly beauty-related, but when your digestion is thriving, your skin tends to follow suit. The skin–gut axis is real, and this is your daily nudge toward smoother digestion, reduced inflammation, and a certified g-l-o-w. 

The topical one. Found in sprays and soaks, it’s highly absorbable and perfect for soothing tight, inflamed, or sensitive skin.

Magnesium doesn’t only come in capsule or mist form — it’s also hidden in plain sight on your plate. Leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all rich in the mineral and come with the added bonus of supporting everything from hormone health to hydration. Cherries, too, are packed with skin-loving vitamins and magnesium, helping to stimulate cell repair and guard against premature ageing. Delicious and derm-approved.

Magnesium works quietly but studiously behind the scenes. It helps fortify the skin’s lipid barrier, reducing transepidermal water loss and increasing hydration. It promotes deeper sleep — essential for overnight repair and that elusive lit-from-within glow.

It supports hormonal balance, which is particularly useful if you experience cyclical breakouts or skin swings to match your mood (me!), and it eases muscular tension, which means less jaw clenching, fewer expression lines, and softer features over time.

Magnesium may be the darling of derms and nutritionists, but it’s not entirely without caveats, particularly when taken internally. Certain forms, notably magnesium citrate, are osmotic laxatives by design. Great for sluggish digestion, less so if it leads to, let’s say, digestive enthusiasm. And if you’re combining multiple forms — i.e. soaking nightly in magnesium chloride and popping a glycinate before bed — take note of how your body responds. More isn’t always more. 

As always, if you’re dealing with chronic skin issues, hormonal imbalances, or complex health conditions (hello, endo!), a quick check-in with your GP, dermatologist, or functional medicine expert is always advised.

Let’s be realistic: magnesium won’t paralyse a wrinkle or freeze your forehead into oblivion. But it will support the kind of foundational skin health that prevents fine lines from becoming deep grooves. It’s for the beauty minimalist, the wellness obsessive, and anyone looking to stretch the time between tweakments.