From snail cream to bee venom, the beauty industry certainly has an obsession with obscure ingredients. However, sometimes it’s the simple things that pack the mightiest punch. Take the humble seaweed, for example. This marine algae is currently making waves in the beauty world thanks to a flurry of new skincare launches singing its praises.
While slimy seaweed may get a bad rep at the beach, this nutrient-rich plant gives kale a run for its money in the superfood stakes. One of the hardiest crops on our planet, seaweed is packed full of magnesium, manganese, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, phosphorus and zinc. Not to mention that it's bursting with natural vitamins – in particular A, B, C, D and E – proven to boost immunity, improve heart health, and regulate hormones. And, of course, it will help your skin.
If you don’t fancy piling your plate with seaweed for breakfast, lunch and dinner, you can still reap its skin benefits via the products in your bathroom cabinet. Thanks to the alginates (acids that lock in moisture) in seaweed, it is excellent at soothing, hydrating and detoxifying the skin.
"The alginates work in the same way when it comes to skin and help to prevent it from drying out. They nourish, hydrate, and soften skin and soothe dryness, acne, psoriasis and eczema flare-ups, as well as removing toxins and cleansing pores, encouraging firmer skin tone and improving overall skin elasticity," explained Mark Sullivan of Living Sea Therapy, a Cornish brand pioneering skincare created with hand-harvested seaweed.
Whether you opt for a seaweed-infused soak, exfoliating scrub or detoxifying mask, getting your fix of this underwater algae couldn’t be easier. Click through to see our picks.
The closest thing to a dip in the Cornish sea without leaving your house, these bath salts are enriched with Living Sea Therapy’s unique Living Sea Complex® – a trio of sustainably hand-harvested seaweed varieties and a mineral-rich elixir sourced from the shores of the Lizard Peninsula. Not only will they hydrate and heal the skin, the mix of sage, chamomile and lavender essential oils will instantly calm a frazzled mind.
Living Sea Therapy Bath Salts, £18, available at Living Sea Therapy
Inspired by the ancient Greek tradition of thalassotherapy (using marine-based treatments to revitalise the body and mind), Margate-based brand Haeckels decided to make the most of the abundance of seaweed just offshore. Incorporating it sustainably throughout its cult range, our standout choice is the cleanser. Combining seaweed with parsley seed, this gentle gel formula cleanses without stripping the skin.
Haeckels Seaweed Cleanser, £25, available at Haeckels
For an exfoliator that buffs and hydrates in equal measure, look no further than Sea In A Scrub from Plant Apothecary, a Brooklyn-based social enterprise creating chemical-free, environmentally friendly bath and body products. Combining mineral-rich sea kelp and healing sea buckthorn with a gently exfoliating sea salt, this luxurious scrub leaves limbs significantly smoother.
Plant Apothecary Sea In A Scrub, £32, available at Content Beauty & Wellbeing
Harnessing the power of Atlantic kelp extract (otherwise known as large seaweed), this hydrating shower gel is a shortcut to soft skin. Blended with a cocktail of energising and awakening essential oils, including sage, rosemary, geranium and cypress, this is the ultimate Monday-morning shower option.
Ren Atlantic Kelp And Magnesium Anti-Fatigue Body Wash, £20, available at Ren
Enriched with Atlantic seaweed extract, this body gel-cream will hydrate skin and lock in moisture. Super-lightweight in consistency, it sinks in speedily, making it an ideal option for rushed mornings.
The Body Shop Spa Of The World Atlantic Seaweed Cream, £25, available at The Body Shop
Not just a great hydrator, seaweed can also work a treat on spot-prone skin. This 100% natural clarifying mask uses seaweed, green clay and rosehip to help balance oil levels and reduce spot-causing congestion. Use all over as a mask if you suffer from oily skin and congestion, or on specific areas as a spot-busting treatment.
Idil Botanics Detoxing Green Clay Mask, £33, available at Content Beauty & Wellbeing
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