Seaweed’s benefits for skin and body

August 24, 2023Seaweed’s benefits for skin and body

Familiar to us for washing ashore on beaches as well as a component of sushi dishes, seaweed is a mysterious plant that has multiple benefits for our bodies and our skin. Seaweed appeared on the Earth’s surface long before man’s existence.

Having extraordinary resistance to whatever changes the planet imposes, it is the most adaptable plant on Earth¹. Without roots, without leaves and without flowers, these aquatic chlorophyllous plants only need carbon dioxide, water, light and mineral salts to survive².

Is seaweed good for the skin?

seaweed benefits for skin ATTITUDE Oceanly

Seaweed is composed of trace elements like copper, zinc, iron and potassium, as well as vitamins C, D and E, and lipids and polysaccharides which are natural carbohydrates. One of seaweed’s many benefits is its ability to hydrate skin.

It’s while in the water that seaweed gains these trace elements and minerals, which are necessary for it to survive on Earth³.

But what is it about seaweed that makes it so good for skin that it is used in many cosmetic products, including serums and moisturizers?

True or false: Seaweed has much in common with skin.

It’s true! Skin and seaweed share many burdens and traumas:

Tides (dehydrate skin)
Sun’s radiation
Heat
Oxidation (aging of the skin)
Bacteria (humidity)
Rocky beachfronts (scarring)

These similarities between skin and seaweed mean seaweed-based products are more easily penetrated by the epidermis and facilitate the products’ optimal diffusion and tolerance by the skin⁴. However, not all seaweed provides benefits for the skin.

5 types of seaweed that are good for your skin

Each type of seaweed has different and complementary benefits: Brown and red seaweed are most often used, but there is also blue and green seaweed^5,6.

Brown seaweed

Among the best-known variants of brown seaweed are kelp, sugar kelp, Ecklonia cava and bladderwrack.

Ideal for sensitive skin, they can be remineralizing, moisturizing, protective and emollient, and are ideal for sensitive skin.

1. Ecklonia cava increases skin’s elasticity and prevents wrinkles from forming as it is a seaweed rich in polyphenols⁷.

ATTITUDE™ recommends Anti-Aging Solid Eye Cream: Infused with Ecklonia cava extract and hydrating phytoglycogen to help reduce wrinkles from appearing around the eyes.

2. Knotted wrack or Ascophyllum nodosum is a brown seaweed with an olive-green color, measuring between 1 and 2 meters and resembling a knotted rope. Not particularly well known, it nevertheless has many benefits for dry skin. Its high concentration of minerals, vitamins and polyphenols make it a key ingredient in moisturizers⁸.

ATTITUDE™ suggests dry face oil with knotted wrack and argan oil to improve dry skin’s appearance and nourish all skin types.

3. Kelp or Laminaria digitata is a brown seaweed that grows in cold waters and can measure up to 4 meters in length⁹. Acting as a shield for sensitive skin, it nourishes, moisturizes, detoxifies and remineralizes¹⁰. Kelp is an excellent ingredient for nourishing skin due to Its ability to retain water.

ATTITUDE™ counsels using facial cleanser with finger kelp extract with a glycerin and peptide base to remove dirt without irritating the skin.

4. Bladderwrack is a brown seaweed which has multiple benefits for skin. Traditionally used for medicinal purposes, it is used in cosmetics because of its antioxidant properties. Rich in trace elements and vitamins, it acts as a lubricant on the surface of the skin, giving it a soft and smooth appearance. Its revitalizing action improves the skin’s appearance and restores skin’s suppleness¹¹.

ATTITUDE™ proposes a purifying mask with a bladderwrack extract base to revitalize and purify skin (the result of the blue clay present in the formula).

Red seaweed

5. Among the red seaweeds there’s palmate seaweed extract, a purple-red leafy seaweed with a coppery texture. Also called “small seaweed,” this palmate sea bass is rich in vitamin A and B12 and can reach up to 50 cm in length. Ideal for revitalizing the epidermis and keeping it in good condition, it is suitable for dry and dehydrated skin.

ATTITUDE™ recommends using solid face cream with vitamin C. Vitamin C improves the complexion’s radiance, while the phytoglycogen present in the formula provides hydration for the skin. All PHYTO-GLOW products in the Oceanly™ line are infused with dulse extract to restore skin suppleness, and vitamin C to provide a luminous effect on the face¹².

Green / Blue seaweed

Ideal for all skin types, this seaweed is often linked to skincare. Green seaweed is rich in magnesium and has nourishing properties, while blue seaweed is used to limit the appearance of aging signs. Chlorella is a green seaweed rich in vitamins and fatty acids: It reduces dark circles around the eyes due to its restructuring of collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity¹³.

Now that you have become familiarized with seaweed’s benefits for skin, you might be asking yourself “what are the benefits of seaweed for health, and especially in food?”¹⁴?

Is seaweed good for your health?

Vegan cuisine has made great inroads in the past few years, and using seaweed in the kitchen is becoming more and more popular. The heart of Japanese cooking, edible seaweed has many benefits for the body as it is rich in vitamins B12 and iodine¹⁵.

Be sure to monitor your intake or consult with your doctor if you have iodine sensitivities or thyroid disorders.

Vitamin B12 is essential for the body’s well-being, as it contributes to the functioning of the immune system and helps reduce fatigue. It is generally found in foods of animal origin like meat or poultry.

Seaweed therefore is an excellent option for people who eat little to no meat daily. It is also a low-calorie food, yet rich in dietary fiber and trace elements¹⁶.

For example, the red seaweed known as dulse seaweed contains three times more potassium than do dried fruits (7019 mg per 100 g on average).

Not all seaweed is edible, and it is recommended not to pick it yourself. Types of edible seaweed include:¹⁷:

Brown seaweed: Sea beans, wakame and fucus.
Red seaweed: Dulse and nori, which is often used for sushi.
Green seaweed: Sea lettuce.

Whether in flakes, tartars, or soups… cooked or raw… seaweed can be eaten in many forms.

And where does spirulina fit it? Popular for many years for its blue-green color, this seaweed is used as a base for smoothies or in acai bowls. Considered to be a superfood, it turns out it is not part of the algae family despite its color, rather it’s a member of the cyanobacteria family that grows in freshwater lakes in India and Mexico. Rich in protein, it has many health benefits.

Spirulina contains twice as much protein than does a steak. Like seaweed, spirulina is made up of trace elements such as copper, zinc and magnesium and is rich in vitamin B12, which helps to reduce fatigue¹⁸.

Whether it’s pertaining to your skin or to your body, seaweed is a great ally. If you want to learn more about the seaweed used in our product line, please consult our glossary.

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Written by Team ATTITUDE