When we think of the Sečovlje Salt Pans, salt is usually the first thing that comes to mind.
The white crystals that have been shaped for centuries by the sea, the sun, the wind, and the work of salt makers. The traditional method of salt production that has been preserved in the Sečovlje Salt Pans to this day and still takes place on petola – a unique biosediment layer covering the bottom of the crystallization ponds.
Yet the journey to these white crystals is also shaped by other natural elements whose story does not end once the salt has crystallized.
If brine is the medium that makes salt crystallization possible and is therefore known as the mother water, salt pan mud has an equally important role to play. It first contributes to the creation of conditions for traditional salt-making and, like brine, continues its journey beyond the crystallization ponds.
Salt Pan Mud
as Part of Traditional Salt-Making
In the Sečovlje Salt Pans, salt pan mud is not a by-product but an essential part of the salt-making environment.
It also plays an important role in the construction and maintenance of dikes, basins, and sluice gates that regulate the flow of water through the salt pans. For centuries, it has helped shape the landscape and create the conditions necessary for traditional salt production.
Although visitors often overlook it, salt pan mud is in fact one of the quiet foundations of the entire salt-pan ecosystem.
Every spring, salt makers use it during conciranje – the renewal of petola, the unique biosediment layer that represents one of the most distinctive features of traditional salt-making in the northern Adriatic. During this process, the bottoms of the crystallization ponds are coated with a thin layer of salt pan mud, stimulating the development and regeneration of the petola for the new harvesting season.
At this very time of year, as preparations for a new salt-harvesting season are underway, salt makers also use fresh salt pan mud to restore the paths between the crystallization ponds. The mud is applied in thin layers and repeatedly compacted, shaped, and watered using paloti – traditional wooden tools unique to the salt pans.
The result is a firm yet comfortable surface that salt makers will walk on throughout the season while harvesting salt and fleur de sel. These paths also help reduce dust and contribute to maintaining the cleanliness of the crystallization ponds.
When Salt Pan Mud Begins a New Chapter
The role of salt pan mud does not end with salt production.
As it matures in contact with brine, part of the mud gradually develops the characteristics that classify it as a marine peloid today.
A peloid is a naturally matured mud composed of mineral and organic substances combined with mineral, seawater, or saline water. Due to its unique properties, it is widely used in spa treatments, thalassotherapy, and cosmetics.
It is this maturation process that represents one of the key differences between ordinary marine mud and a salt-pan peloid. In contact with brine – the mineral-rich mother water – a range of natural processes take place, gradually shaping its composition and unique characteristics.
While the primary role of salt pan mud within the salt pans is to support traditional salt production, its distinctive properties have also been valued for centuries in thalassotherapy and body care.
From the Salt Pans to Skincare
The natural resources of the Sečovlje Salt Pans have long extended beyond the boundaries of salt production.
The Benedictines were among the first to recognize the unique qualities of seawater, brine, and salt pan mud. Later, these natural resources played an important role in the development of the spa tradition in the area of present-day Portorož.
Today, this story continues at Thalasso Spa Lepa Vida, where visitors can experience the natural products of the salt pans firsthand. Among them, salt pan mud holds a special place as a key element of various wellness and relaxation rituals.
With the arrival of June, Thalasso Spa Lepa Vida has once again opened its doors for a new season. Nestled among the salt pans of the Sečovlje Salina Nature Park, it offers unique experiences inspired by the natural treasures of the salt pans – brine, salt pan mud, and salt.
Thanks to its rich mineral composition, salt pan mud is one of the most distinctive natural resources used in thalassotherapy in and around the Sečovlje Salt Pans. Yet its story does not end with mud treatments alone.
Salt Pan Mud in Lepa Vida Cosmetics
The natural resources of the Sečovlje Salt Pans also form the foundation of the Lepa Vida cosmetic line.
Salt pan mud can be found in face masks, face bars, solid shampoos, and a variety of other skincare and haircare products.
Today, interest in salt pan mud is driven not only by tradition but also by modern scientific research.
In 2024, a study conducted at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Ljubljana investigated the effects of salt pan mud on selected skin parameters. The results showed improved skin hydration, a stronger skin barrier, smoother skin texture, and a more balanced sebum production among the volunteers. Participants also reported a more pleasant skin feel and an overall improvement in skin quality.
Among the products featuring salt pan mud, the Enzyme face peeling with salt-pan mud stands out as June’s Product of the Month. It contains 10% salt pan mud from the Sečovlje Salt Pans, combined with fruit enzymes, kaolin, azelaic acid, Centella asiatica extract, and vitamin C. Available at a special price until the end of June.
Salt Pan Mud:
An Integral Part of the Piran Salt Pans Story
If Piran Salt is the most recognizable symbol of the Sečovlje Salt Pans, salt pan mud is one of their less visible, yet equally important foundations.
Its role begins with the preservation of *petola* and the creation of the conditions necessary for traditional salt production. Through its gradual maturation in brine, it then develops the properties that have led people to value it for body care for centuries.
Salt pan mud is far more than a component of traditional salt-making or an ingredient in a cosmetic product. Like salt and brine, it is an integral part of the story of the Piran Salt Pans. It is part of the living heritage of the Sečovlje Salt Pans, where nature, knowledge, and tradition have intertwined for centuries to create something truly unique.
