Healing crystals, the latest wellness trend popularised by Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle empire Goop and numerous mom-and-pop shops alike, have grown into a multimillion-dollar industry. But where do these stones originate?

Ethics are often difficult to discern; thus, we enlisted experts’ insight in order to untangle this complex web of obligations. Here is their verdict.

Benefits

Crystals have long been believed to promote good energy, purify the body and mind, support physical healing as well as emotional. While scientific proof for these claims remains limited, many celebrities swear by them: Adele has one in her hand while performing; Victoria Beckham keeps one in her purse while Miranda Kerr even keeps an amethyst point tucked under her bra.

These sellers provide crystals sourced ethically and with care from partners and vendors worldwide to guarantee fair wages and safe working conditions for employees. In addition to offering an array of shapes and colors, these shops also teach their customers how to cleanse and charge the stones to maximize their benefits – try placing a clear quartz on an issue area to clear away negative energies, or using chakra stones with pointed ends to shift negative ones away from your body.

Origins

Modern crystal healing draws its inspiration from many ancient traditions, particularly Chinese notions of life-energy (chi or qi) and Hindu or Buddhist chakras – vortices of energy that connect physical with spiritual elements of the body – respectively. Ancient cultures also associated various stones with certain benefits – for instance amethyst was thought to prevent drunkenness and hangovers while red hued hematite stones were associated with Aries, the warrior god.

At the Renaissance era, alchemists and scholars explored ancient healing practices associated with gemstones – associating gems with astrological and metaphysical concepts – before authors such as Edgar Cayce, Katrina Raphaell, and Melody helped mainstream these stones more widely in the 1980s.

Ethically sourced crystals are at the core of this shop, launched in 2016 by two longtime crystal enthusiasts. Their impressive selection ranges from amethyst and clear quartz to rare minerals like moldavite and blue aragonite; following eight guidelines for ethical sourcing (tracing each piece back to its mine and keeping a do-not-buy list for problematic areas), searching by stone color chakra or zodiac can help customers quickly find exactly what they are searching for.

Meanings

People believe crystals possess metaphysical properties which facilitate physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Others use crystals to aid sleep quality or manifest goals faster or add an element of healing into reiki sessions.

Many crystals carry distinct meanings based on their color, shape and mineral content. Rose quartz, for instance, has long been associated with love and inner peace while encouraging heart healing. Tiger’s eye promotes personal power and abundance while amethyst points are said to help dispel negative energy while increasing self-love.

Though the scientific community doesn’t support crystal healing (studies have only shown a placebo effect), incorporating some into your life can only bring good things. Just be sure to cleanse them first before placing near your skin, as per experts. Emily Rekstis, an NY City beauty and lifestyle writer who has written for Greatist, Racked, and Self, writes on these subjects extensively.

Care

Crystals are natural mineral formations believed to possess healing properties that promote emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. Though there’s no scientific proof for these claims, proponents maintain that crystals help boost low energy, protect against bad energy and release any blocked energies preventing personal goals from being reached.

Finding the appropriate crystals for your needs requires trusting in yourself and choosing stones that resonate with you, according to Randazzo. When selecting crystals that truly meet these criteria, the right ones may catch your eye, feel great in your hand or simply speak volumes, according to Randazzo.

Once you’ve selected your stones, be sure to cleanse them regularly so as to rid them of any negative energy accumulated over time. You can do this by submerging them in salt water, placing them under sunlight or moonlight (although moonlight may fade certain colored crystals), smudging with lavender, rosemary or mugwort to clear out negative energies from both your space and crystal. Also storing your stones with some dried herbs keeps them free from dust and moisture build-up.