Pink Himalayan salt is chemically similar to table salt. It contains up to 98 percent sodium chloride. The rest of the salt consists of trace minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These give the salt its light pink tint. These minerals also explain why Himalayan salt tastes different from regular table salt. How is it used? People use this type of salt and common table salt in the same way: As part of cooking, to season meals, and to preserve food. Blocks of pink salt sometimes become serving dishes, cooking surfaces, and cutting boards. Some people also use pink Himalayan salt in place of bath salts. It is also possible to buy lamps and candleholders made of pink salt.