Depending on exactly how they’re formed and the trace minerals they contain, their shape and color can differ. And while the differences in color are mostly cosmetic, just like with workhorse salts (see section A), the shape can have an effect on their quality. Below are some of the most popular finishing salts.

Fleur de sel: French for “flower of salt,” this is made up of irregular, delicate crystals that are mineral-rich. It’s gray and moist with large crystals that give it a pronounced crunch.
Sel gris: French for “gray salt”, it’s sometimes known as Celtic sea salt. It’s unrefined and coarser than fleur de sel, and it has a satisfying crunch. This can also be a cooking salt if you’re willing to spend more money, but it’s a great finishing salt as well. It has an almost soft consistency and it’s still moist too.
Flake salt: Its delicate flakes or pyramidal shapes break into thin, irregular fragments. It’s a punchier finishing salt than fleur de sel since the large flakes can provide a substantial crunch and vibrant bursts of saltiness.
Himalayan salt: This is a pink salt with a subtly sweet flavor. All Himalayan salt is excavated from a single mine in Pakistan instead of evaporated from water like other salts on this list.
Kala namak: Also known as “Himalayan black salt,” it’s mined in India. It contains sulfurous compounds, which makes it taste a little like overcooked boiled eggs. It varies in color from copper to deep caramel to black when it’s in large chunks. When ground though, it can have a lighter purple shade or a soft red tone.
Black lava salt: Also known as Hawaiian salt or volcanic salt, this salt, unlike French sea salts, isn’t moist but totally dried and has a smoky taste. It can also be brick-red depending on how it was produced.

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