Getting your greens takes on new meaning when we start talking seaweed skin benefits. You know your skin feels great after a day at the beach. Salt water and humidity have a way of doing that. Now for reaping the skin loving benefits of a plant from under the sea.

Seaweed is making a real name for itself. Pretty much any healthy living guru will tell you it is a nutrient-rich addition to your diet. As with most healthy ingredients, skin loves the superfood, too.

Technically a type of algae, there are three main colors of seaweed — green, red, and brown. Seaweed powders and extracts are added to skincare products, like cleansers, toners, masks, serums, and moisturizers.

One brand that is completely behind seaweed skin benefits and uses them in product formulations is OSEA. Take a look at EcoSalon’s interview with OSEA founder, Jenefer Palmer, to find out why she made seaweed the star of her natural skincare line.

It seems seaweed is making a splash in other areas of personal care, as well. Market research shows the ingredient showed up (usually in the form of brown or red seaweed) in approximately two percent of new body care products launched from January 2011 to October 2015.

7 Seaweed Skin Benefits

1. Detoxifying: Seaweed has many jobs in the ocean and one is to remove pollutants, like heavy metals, from the water. It works similarly on skin, drawing out impurities and detoxing the skin. If you’ve been under stress, ill, or in need of a skin pick-me-up, this potent ingredient is the answer.

2. Anti-Aging: Seaweed is packed with micronutrients and antioxidants, helping to fight free radical damage which can lead to premature aging. Incorporate this healthy ingredient into your skin routine to support youthful skin.

3. Firm & Tighten: Often found in anti-aging serums and moisturizers, seaweed gives skin a firmer appearance and natural radiance. It also has a slight tightening effect, making pores look more refined.

4. Moisturizing: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, seaweed moisturizes, softens, and balances oil production. A highly effective treatment for skin that is dehydrated or rough, it is gentle enough for most skin types.

5. Soothing: Super calming to skin, seaweed is well suited for sensitive skin types and rosacea. Use to reduce redness and irritation.

6. Brightening: Seaweed has natural lightening abilities, diminishing the look of dark spots and evening out skin tone. A summertime must-have.

7. Purifying: Naturally antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, seaweed is an effective solution for treating acne-prone skin. The natural soothing effect also helps to tone down the look of breakouts.

Seaweed Skincare Products for Every Skin Type

Amala Beauty Brightening Corrective Concentrate is a youth-enhancing serum includes algae to boost cell turnover, eliminate dullness, and lessen the look of dark spots.

Dr. Alkaitis Soothing Gel contains red seaweed to soothe, hydrate, and provide antibacterial benefits. Works well on sensitive and acne-prone skin types.

A super calming and revitalizing skin treatment, Source Vital Sea Tonic may be used as a purifying toner, refreshing facial mist, to set makeup, or in combination with a powder mask.

Ready for a superfood skin treat? Lilfox Chlorophyll + Tourmaline Brightening Mask is packed with sea clay, seaweed, green tea, and tourmaline crystals to improve circulation and fight free radicals.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

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Clean beauty is all about finding power in nature, but there aren’t many people within the world of natural skincare that connect with the ocean in the same way as the brains behind OSEA Malibu.

Born from a love of the sea, this range of skin loving concoctions harnesses the unique benefits of marine botanicals, alongside the usual plant-based beauty heroes. This is no brand hopping onto a trend; OSEA has been in the game for more than twenty years and counting, and hasn’t stopped making waves the whole time.

Sustainability is also high on the priority list at OSEA, which is oh-so-important when you’re working with ingredients from such a fragile source. We chatted with founder Jenefer Palmer to find out more about the story behind the products, how our beauty regimes affect the ocean, and why there’s more to seaweed than meets the eye.

EcoSalon: Where did your personal connection with the ocean begin, and why was it important to you that it was core to OSEA’s ethos?

Jenefer Palmer: I’ve always been drawn to the ocean. I come from a long line of women connected to the sea. My grandmother, Elsa Reuschle, one of the first female chiropractors in the U.S., swam daily in the frigid Long Island Sound (outside of NYC) until her mid-nineties. Through her mentorship, I learned about the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals and trace elements present in seaweed and the incredible healing benefits they have on skin.

In the late ’80s, as a spa director in southern California, it was nearly impossible to find skin care for our clients that weren’t loaded with toxic synthetic chemicals. OSEA was born in 1996 from my desire to create natural luxury seaweed-based skin care. Products that not only were free of toxic synthetic ingredients but actually delivered powerful, age-defying results. As my grandmother taught me and chemistry confirmed, seaweed is a nutrient-dense superfood. Seaweed, the star ingredient in OSEA products, contains powerful bioavailable nutrients that are readily absorbed to rejuvenate the skin.

ES: OSEA has been around for over twenty years! How have your products and the natural beauty changed in that time?

JP: OSEA was definitely a pioneer in the natural luxury skin care world. Back in the ’90s, Aveda was one of the only other truly natural brands available. It’s so inspiring to see now in 2017 how the personal care landscape is changing—there are so many more natural options. Natural retail stores such as Credo Beauty, Follain, and The Detox Market are really leading the way. Even with OSEA’s immense growth over the past 21 years, I’m proud to say that we continue to use only the highest quality and most effective plant-based ingredients.

ES: Your formulations feature some beautiful marine ingredients. Can you tell us a bit about them and their unique benefits to skin?

JP:  USDA certified organic Gigartina, Undaria and Macrocystis marine algae are rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, trace elements, and essential fatty acids.

Our seaweed contains bioavailable ingredients, meaning that the active, nutrient-rich compounds are more readily absorbed by your body. Greater absorption of nutrients means better results for your skin! Our seaweed extracts deliver results. They visibly minimize fine lines and wrinkles, plus address hyperpigmentation. Seaweed concentrates also naturally brighten skin, deeply hydrate plus reduce the look and frequency of blemishes, breakouts and that good old “oily shine”.

ES: How do you go about sourcing your ingredients from the ocean sustainably without upsetting the delicate ecosystem?

JP: We source our USDA certified organic seaweed from the Sea of Patagonia, some of the most pristine waters in the world. Many companies pollute the ocean by venturing out on industrial diesel-powered boats to harvest seaweed using invasive methods that damage marine life and the ocean floor. OSEA’s seaweed is eco-responsibly hand-foraged in small batches. Oddly enough, we are actually helping to balance the delicate ecosystem by harvesting Undaria algae, as it is globally one of the most invasive (albeit incredible) species.

ES: What inspires you when it comes to creating new formulations?

JP: I find inspiration to create new formulations in many places: the Malibu farmers market, Zuma beach, my garden, places I travel to and even cookbooks. It’s hard not to be inspired by the transformational power of plants. Some of my best inspiration comes in the kitchen. I love to cook. I love to eat. I find myself thinking, how can I incorporate that persimmon into a product? Pesto body polish anyone?

ES: You also manage to keep your products completely vegan! Has keeping animal ingredients out of your products been a challenge?

JP: There are so many vegan ingredients available now that it’s really very simple to formulate without animal by-products. What’s more challenging, however, is being a plant-based vegan company. A lot of skin care is technically vegan but loaded with toxic synthetic chemicals. Being plant-based vegan takes more thought and creativity.

ES: What is some of the most positive feedback you’ve ever gotten from an OSEA convert?

JP: Our Blemish Balm has frequently been called the “Holy Grail” of lightweight moisturizers for treating blemish-prone skin. Can’t really top that!

ES: Are there any ways conventional beauty products damage the ocean that you think most people are unaware of?

JP: If you live in a coastal region, everything you rinse off your body, i.e. soap, creams, shampoo, etc. ends up going down the drain and into our oceans. So when you apply that toxic petrochemical-laden lotion, you’re not only harming yourself, you’re also polluting our oceans. Oxybenzone, a common ingredient in sunscreen has been directly linked to the death of the coral reefs. This happens when swimmers wear sunscreen! Plastic packaging, especially the soft plastic of your favorite beauty cream continues to clog our oceans, disrupting the delicate ecosystem. Always, always opt for beauty products packaged in glass or hard plastic. Refill items such as soap or shampoo, or better yet, make your own! Ocean health is interconnected to human health.

ES: If you had to pack for a beach vacation, which OSEA products would be a must have for you?

JP: Sea Minerals Mist and Essential Hydrating Oil for serious hydration and soothing after-sun care.

ES: What would your dream sea adventure be?

JP: To be on a small research vessel in Antarctica with scientists working to study and prevent climate change.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon
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Not quite sure seaweed benefits are for you? You might want to think again.

Seaweed is a rich source of iodine and is known to stimulate the thyroid and cleanse the system of toxins, which makes it super beneficial to the diet. Some pinch their noses around it and others fear it is far too exotic and specialized in nature to prepare in the comfort of a home kitchen. However, seaweed is quite easy to work with and there are many different variations that you can experiment with to get the seaweed benefits. The following 5 seaweed types are great for you health and wonderful add-ons to your meals or incredible foundations to a new dish!

1. Agar Agar

Agar agar is a derivative of seaweed that is gelatinous and thus makes for a gelatin substitute that is vegetarian and vegan. Agar agar is a result of cooked and pressed seaweed. It is available as flakes, a powder or as a bar. It takes about one hour to set and does not require refrigeration. Substitute for gelatin using equal amounts.

2. Dulse

Dulse, to me, makes seaweed easy to love. It’s a salty seaweed that can be used as a salt substitute in stews and soups as well as a savory crunch over a salad. I love how it adds a unique texture to dishes and gives me the savory bite without the addition of table salt.

3. Kelp

I find kelp to be incredibly versatile as a seaweed. Kelp is great tossed into a salad, used as a foundation for pasta or added as extra texture in a miso soup.

4. Kombu

Kombu comes in many different variations – fresh, dried, pickled and frozen. Like most other seaweed forms, it is rich in iodine. Kombu is wonderful in a miso soup.

5. Nori

If you eat sushi regularly, you’re likely familiar with nori–the dark thin sheets that wrap around the sushi fillings. It is the most familiar seaweed used in Western cuisine. Don’t just use it for sushi, wrap salads, vegetables and other grain dishes in nori for a tortilla of sorts, only without all the carbohydrates.

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Photo Credit: Jeff Kubina

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Carrageenan is a common food additive that’s recently come under increased scrutiny because of possible health risks.

As a new Paleo eater, I no longer consume much dairy. To cream my coffee or make a nice soup, I turn to non-dairy substitutes like almond and coconut milk. But as I’ve recently discovered, these foods aren’t as safe as they seem. Investigate the label on popular dairy and non-dairy products, and you’re likely to see “carrageenan” listed among the ingredients. This food additive is causing a stir because of possible side effects.

What is carrageenan?

At first glance, carrageenan sounds benign: it’s extracted from edible seaweeds, usually red seaweed (pictured above). Although carrageenan has no flavor or nutritional value, it can be used to substitute fat and to create thickness in non-fat or non-dairy foods. As such, you’re likely to find it on the label of your favorite milk, milk-substitute, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and many prepared foods.

Why should carrageenan be avoided?

Since carrageenan is derived from seaweed, you might be wondering why it’s to be avoided. After all, isn’t a seaweed-based food additive better than a chemical one? Unfortunately, four decades of research suggests the use of carrageenan in common food products could be putting your health at risk.

“The chemical structure of carrageenan–unique chemical bonds not found in other seaweeds or gums–affects the body in several ways. Most notably, it triggers an immune reaction, which leads to inflammation in the gastrointestinal system. Prolonged inflammation is a precursor to more serious diseases, including cancer,” explains the Cornucopia Institute in “Carrageenan: How a “Natural” Food Additive Is Making Us Sick.”

For ethical reasons, most carrageenan research has been carried out with animal test subjects. Consumption has produced intestinal damage, epithelial cell loss, increased intestinal permeability, diarrhea, and ulcers in the colon. Results varied between species of animal however, which makes it even more difficult to isolate the effect on humans. However, as this detailed article from health and nutrition specialist Chris Kresser explains, in vitro studies of carrageenan carried out using human cells support the idea that the food additive creates unnecessary inflammation in the body.

Are you at risk?

The good news is that in most cases, food-grade carrageenan is used in such low concentrations that it probably won’t affect most people. The bad news is that if you follow a vegan or Paleo diet, in which non-dairy substitutes are used more often, you might be increasing your carrageenan intake, and with it, your risk. If you’ve been experiencing chronic digestive issues and can’t figure out why, carrageenan could be the culprit.

“[A]nyone suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms (irritable bowel syndrome/IBS, spastic colon, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, etc.) to consider completely eliminating carrageenan from the diet to determine if carrageenan was a factor in causing the symptoms,” advises the Cornucopia Institute.

Consult this handy shopping guide to avoid organic foods with carrageenan.

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Images: JohnnyMrNinja and Peter Southwood

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Taste summer with every little bite and savor the slow, sweet life.

Nothing says summer like strawberry shortcake. Sure, there’s sand, sunscreen and bikinis. But nothing encapsulates the sweetness, coolness and delightful deliciousness of the season like a bite of this American classic.

On a recent lunchtime picnic in midtown Manhattan, our EcoSalon editor-in-chief gathered with a few friends to simply celebrate and savor the sweet life together. As we lingered over this vegan and gluten-free shortcake—naturally taking many a food porn photo op—time seemed to stand still. We truly tasted the essence of slow food. Three hours later, we seemed to float from our seats, back to our businesses and filled with the joys of good friends and good food. They are, after all, the perfect pairing.

An adventurer’s note:
Making this seasonal treat vegan is like diving into a science lab—but local, fresh and organic. Lucky for you, I’ve conducted all the in-kitchen experiments, so all you need to do is follow along. The most fun and challenging part, you may find, is to create a vegan version of heavy whipping cream. I started with a coconut-based creamer, and then blended in prepared (dissolved, cooled and gelatinized) agar-agar—a red algae based thickening agent. Not only does it give just the right texture, thickness and creaminess to the mix, it’s also reported to provide a healthy dose of minerals and fiber, all the while suppressing the appetite. With those benefits to boot, it’s the perfect complement to a beach time sweet treat.

The Original – Strawberry Shortcake
from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ pounds (6 cups) strawberries—rinsed, hulled and quartered
• 1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons cold (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

The Vegan & Gluten-Free Version – Strawberry Shortcake
Makes approximately 6-8 shortcakes

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ pounds (6 cups) strawberries—rinsed, hulled and quartered (For the fullest flavor, I recommend using local and fresh strawberries.)
• 1 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 cups gluten free flour blend:
• (1 cup sorghum flour)
• (1 cup white rice flour)
• (1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour)
• (1/2 cup potato starch flour, minus 2 tablespoons)
• (2 tablespoons almond flour)
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons cold (1 ½ sticks) unsalted vegan butter, cut into small pieces (I used Earth Balance coconut butter)
• 2 cups coconut cream (I used So Delicious coconut creamer, blended with approximately 3 tablespoons of dissolved agar-agar to thicken)
• 2 egg substitutes (I blended 2 tablespoon ground flax seeds with 6 tablespoons warm water)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F
2. In a medium bowl, toss the prepared strawberries with ¾ cup sugar. (I suggest starting with ½ cup and tasting to see if more sweetness is needed.) Let sit to bring out the juices.
3. In a food processor, pulse together your gluten free flour blend. Add the baking powder, ½ cup sugar and the salt, and pulse until combined. Add the cold butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles course meal with some pea size bits of butter remaining (pulse approximately 10-12 times).
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cream (before the agar agar has been added to thicken) and the egg substitute. Pour over the flour mixture, and pulse until some large clumps begin to form (pulse approximately 20-30 times).
5. Using a half-cup measuring cup, gently pack dough into the cup, invert and tap out on to a lightly buttered or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat to form 6-8 biscuits.
6. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for at least 15 minutes.
7. Beat the remaining 1 ½ cups cream, with the prepared agar-agar mixture, 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy (Note, this will not form peaks like a traditional heavy whipping cream, however, I assure you the taste and texture will not leave you craving cream.)
8. Slice the biscuits horizontally with a serrated knife. Spoon the strawberries and their liquid over the bottom of each biscuit just before serving. Spoon your whipped cream over the strawberries, and top with the other biscuit half.

Enjoy the sweet moments of summer!

Author Jennifer Barckley making her Strawberry Shortcakes for friends in Bryant Park, New York City

Image: Amy DuFault

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