Nah, we're all cool here, Hazel.
I should have been more clear in my statement about the difference between Epsom salts and other salts. I don't have anything against Epsom salt. In fact I love it(!) mixed in bath salts or as is for a muscle soak especially for my old wrist injury. My only concern with it in a scrub is that it is a medium grain salt, and for someone like Melissa or her gift recipients who have probably never used a salt scrub before, it might be too abrasive not knowing how much pressure to exert. You know your scrub because of your research so you knew to wet it a little bit before scrubbing and to use a little less pressure scrubbing, whereas most people would just scoop it up straight from the jar and start rubbing. I know I did this the first time I tried a salt scrub. (I know, dumb!) That's why I was suggesting that Melissa try it first to see if she likes it in her recipe, otherwise she can always make bath salts or bath bombs (great idea!) which are oh so relaxing and spa-like!
Yes, I love sugar scrubs! And no more sting!
Barquentine has a great point about water hardness. We have hard water here where I live and adding epsom salt to my bath salt mix for me makes the water seem "softer" and to hold the fragrance better too, just like dendritic salt does.