Here in coastal Alaska seaweed is prolific, abundant, and carpets the beaches of our many miles of coastline. It’s used to fertilize soil in our garden beds, as a delicious and nutritious food source, and as a nourishing and moisturizing ingredient in natural skincare! 

Let’s dive into three reasons you should add this super-ingredient into your natural skincare lineup:

1. It soothes and moisturizes

I like to think of seaweeds like kelp and bladderwrack as the “aloes of the sea”. These seaweeds contain a thick, clear, gel-like substance called Algin - a polysaccharide similar to the gel found in aloe.

Algin helps seaweeds to retain water when exposed to air at low tides, and to remain flexible and bendy as they sway with the ever-changing currents of the ocean.

Applied topically, algin can offer these same benefits to your skin - helping to draw and retain moisture so your skin remains healthy, happy, and flexible to the swaying currents of everyday life!

2. It delivers antioxidants and marine nutrients to nourish and restore

Alaska’s seaweeds contain a rich profile of nutrients derived from the marine environment of our wild coastlines. Compounds like fucoidan and polyphenols found in seaweeds help protect our bodies from inflammation and cellular damage, and support our skin and body’s natural abilities to repair and protect. 

3. It can help fight climate change

As a demand for seaweed-based skincare, food, and other products grows, so does the opportunity to cultivate seaweeds as a crop through regenerative ocean farming. 

Seaweeds like kelp grow at an astonishing rate during the long daylight hours of our Alaskan summers; and they require nothing more than an anchor point, sunlight, and seawater to grow up to 2 ft. in length per day. 

Kelp and other seaweeds take in carbon as they grow, working to sequester some of the excess carbon that our planet’s oceans absorb from the Earth’s atmosphere; posing a unique opportunity to help reverse some negative impacts of climate change. 

How to incorporate seaweed into your skincare:

Mask, suds, or soak in the nourishing benefits of kelp hand-harvested from Alaska’s wild Pacific Ocean with our favorite seaweed-infused skincare:

Deep Blue Sea Face Mask: Made with kelp and clay to draw out impurities, replenish nutrients, soften, and restore brightness to your skin. Mix with water and apply for a luxurious at-home seaweed facial treatment.

Mermud Soap: A super-moisturizing blend of organic oils mixed with bits of kelp and French green clay to gently exfoliate and nourish your skin while you cleanse. Wash with this bar from head to toe and enjoy soft, moisturized skin when you step out of the shower.

Deep Blue Sea Bath Soak: A soothing, relaxing blend of epsom salt and sea salts with flakes of Alaskan kelp and peppermint to soften your skin and transport your senses to the awe and tranquility of the moody blue Pacific Ocean.