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What is Selenite? How To Tell If Selenite Is Real.
So, you may be wondering-how to tell if Selenite is real? I love Selenite, and post about it often. It’s a very popular and common stone for manifesting and healing. Also called Desert rose, Selenite comes from the Greek word for the moon.
However, it’s often mixed up with another very similar and more abundant mineral Satin Spar, or faked with cheaper quartz, glass or plastic.
How to tell if Selenite is real is easier in person because once you know what to look for it will be more obvious. Chances are if you were shopping online for Selenite, you were looking at Satin Spar or some other material.
When I first bought Selenite Towers and Wands they were actually Satin Spar and I didn’t know how to tell if selenite is real. That is because Selenite is more rare, and shaped flat like a window. Satin Spar typically looks better in a tower or wand shape.
And while Satin Spar and Selenite are both a variety of Gypsum, they are not the same thing and have different healing qualities.
Here are the easiest, and main tests you can do to make sure you can know how to tell if Selenite is real and not something else like Satin Spar (although it’s a great stone, you it’s understandable to want to know what you are buying!):
Fingernail Test for How To Tell If Selenite is Real
By far the most common and reliable way for how to tell if Selenite is the real deal- your fingernail! Selenite is so soft that you can easily scratch it with your nails. You can’t do that with other minerals, quartz, glass or plastic. It has a very small hardness-just 2 from 10 on the Mohs scale. You cannot scratch another material like you can Selenite.
Temperature
The next test is if it’s warm to the touch. The chemical make up of Selenite makes it warm. However, plastic can be warm too. The difference is real Selenite will be warm and can be scratched- plastic can’t be scratched up with just your fingernail.
If your Selenite has a protective laminate over it and is polished, you may not be able to scratch it. How to test it then? Simply heat up a needle or pin and poke at the mineral. If it melts, and smells like burned plastic, well, it’s plastic. Selenite won’t react to it at all.
Shape
You can also look at the shape of your mineral. Selenite is typically seen in a flat plate or window. If you see it as a wand, or tower, it’s likely the more common and similar Satin Spar (more about that later).
Imperfections
Finally, you will want to examine your Selenite for tiny imperfections. Real Selenite will usually have some kind of clay, sand or oil specks in it. This is because when Selenite is formed, these substances can stuck inside it.
Those are the three main things to look for- Scratchable, warm, and tiny imperfections.
Other Ways to Tell If It’s Not Real Selenite
- Too much color saturation like red, blue or purple.
- Too transparent crystals, with a beige, white or honey yellow tint
- Rainbow effect
- Too bright or vivid in color
Satin Spar Vs Selenite
If it’s not true Selenite, it could be quartz, glass or plastic. It’s more likely though Satin Spar. They are both made out of Gypsum, with the same compound of CaSO4·2H2O. However, they are not the same.
Satin Spar is more common and therefore less expensive. It’s so commonly mistaken for Selenite crystal, that many crystal shops will sell it as Selenite because people just expect it to be.
However, they have different healing and manifesting qualities in addition to looking different.
Selenite crystal is usually more a flat, window like shape. Satin Spar is more commonly seen in Selenite towers and wands. It has a cat eye effect, whereas Selenite looks more like Moonstone (although they are not the same!
Healing and Manifesting Properties of Selenite Vs Satin Spar
Once you know how to tell if Selenite is real, you are probably wondering whether you want it or Satin Spar instead. Maybe you bought Satin Spar by accident, or you are drawn to it more than Selenite.
Either way, one of the most common questions I get is what is the metaphysical difference if they are both basially gypsum?
Great question! They are both great stones for manifesting, so if you like Satin Spar it’s ok! The point of this post is just to make sure you know what you are buying.
Satin Spar is less expensive, and also has a lot of great qualities. While Selenite is more powerful they are both are very similar. Some will say they have the same metaphysical qualities, but I’d disagree. There are a few differences.
Selenite Uses
Clarity, focus, visualization, and meditation
Energy block clearing, negativity shield
Crown Chakra
Calming and grounding
Satin Spar Uses
Calming and grounding
Hormone Regulating
Sacral and Solar Plexus Chakra
Psychic abilities
Healing of skin, repairing body after injury, surgeries
Where to Buy
You can find Selenite in a lot of places, but my favorite crystal shop is My Little Magic Shop. Their crystals are affordable, and they have always been very reliable with great customer service.
I also just love their website- so much free and amazing information on it!
If you want to check them out, you can so here.
Final Thoughts For How to Tell if Selenite is Real
Selenite is an amazing mineral and healing stone for manifesting. However, it’s a commonly misunderstood and faked mineral. Now that you know how to tell if Selenite is real, share your stories below in the comments.
Have you ever bought Satin Spar or some other material and thought it was Selenite? Do you like Satin Spar or Selenite better? Do you feel like you know how to tell if Selenite is real now?
