7 Signs You Have A Fake Himalayan Salt Lamp

We have an updated version of this article here: How To Spot Fake Himalayan Salt Lamp.

With its growing popularity, sales of Himalayan salt lamps have skyrocketed. 

Unfortunately, this increase in demand has also created an excellent opportunity for less-than-honest people to profit by selling cheap, fake salt lamps.

Although not always obvious, there are simple ways to determine if your Himalayan salt lamp is fake.

Read on for seven signs to look out for to make sure you get your money’s worth: a genuine Himalayan pink salt lamp with all the health benefits that come with it.

1. Its Pink Himalayan Salt Lamp Is Very Bright

Himalayan salt crystals usually range in color from medium pink to dark orange.

Also, since salt is full of different minerals, the lamp’s light will be weak and uneven.

For these reasons, the average salt lamp emits only a soft, warm glow. If your lamp is small but emits enough light to illuminate the room entirely it is in; it is a good sign that your Himalayan salt lamp is a fake.

2. Its Lamp Has A White Glass, But It Was Not Too Expensive

As mentioned above, Himalayan salt crystals usually have a warm pink-orange hue.

Although white Himalayan salt exists, it is rare and in high demand. Thus, authentic white Himalayan salt lamps will be much more expensive than the usual colored varieties.

If you find a lamp with a white salt crystal, but its price is not much higher than other Himalayan pink salt lamps, it is another sign that the product is not authentic Himalayan pink salt.

3. Is Exceptionally Resistant To Moisture

Himalayan pink salt lamps purify the air by absorbing moisture and adhering air particles and then evaporate pure water into the environment.

This process, called hygroscopy, is the cause of one of the most common authentic Himalayan pink salt lamps: sweating.

Therefore, if you live in a particularly humid area and your lamp never does, it is a good sign that your Himalayan pink salt lamp is fake.

4. Your Himalayan Pink Salt Lamp Is Extremely Durable

Another major problem inherent in authentic Himalayan pink salt lamps is that they are often quite fragile.

It is not uncommon for lamps to be damaged during shipping due to inadequate packaging or mishandling.

Accidentally dropping an HPS lamp or hitting it against another solid object is a sure way to break salt crystal pieces.

If you did any of these things (or anything else that could damage the fragile piece of pink Himalayan salt) and your lamp held up exceptionally well, that’s another good indication that it could be a fake.

5. The Manufacturer Or Supplier Has A Poor Return Policy

Genuine Himalayan pink salt suppliers know that Himalayan pink salt is a fragile material.

Therefore, genuine HPS salt lamp suppliers usually offer a flexible and convenient return policy.

If you want to buy a new lamp and the supplier is very strict with the return policy, you should be careful as a buyer. 

If they sell fake Himalayan salt lamps, they probably hope you will not discover the truth until it is too late to return the product.

As mentioned above, genuine Himalayan pink salt lamps do not even survive transportation in some cases due to the fragility of the materials.

Even if they sell genuine HPS salt lamps, be wary of any retailer that is not flexible about returns or exchanges.

6. Does Not Give Any Health Benefits

Despite all the research and testimonials about how Himalayan pink salt lamps have improved people’s lives around the world, there are still many skeptics.

From relieving asthma and allergy symptoms to boosting energy to fighting seasonal depression, the science of HPS lamps has it all.

You can read all about it in “10 reasons to have a Himalayan salt lamp in every room of your home.”

If you have followed the sizing instructions (listed at the end of the article above), but your bulb does not seem to provide the medical benefits it should, your bulb may be wrong.

7. The Country Of Origin Of The Salt Crystal Is Not Pakistan

The authentic Himalayan pink salt is extracted in the depths of the mines of Hevra (Pakistan).

Hevra is located at the Himalayan Mountains’ western end and is the only place where you can find authentic pink Himalayan salt. 

Therefore, if you are unsure of your lamp’s authenticity, you can always find out the country of origin of the salt crystal to determine if your lamp is fake or authentic.