BUZZY BEAUTY INGREDIENT OF THE MOMENT: SEA MOSS

Welcome to our “buzzy beauty ingredient of the moment” series, the premise of which is pretty straightforward: In each section, we’ll explore an ingredient that’s currently trending in the industry, appearing present in a wide variety of products. beauty aisle. We’ll consult the experts to learn the science behind it — and why it’s having such a big moment right now.

As of 2023, the Superfoods Industry Complex™ is a multi-billion dollar business — $166 billion to be exact. Hailed as the shortcut to pristine health, these humble, industrious ingredients like goji berries, maca powder, green majik, and medicinal mushrooms aren’t just ubiquitous in our supplement aisles. Erewhon; They are also starting to appear in beauty products.

As an example of the current superfood, a wrinkled red algae known as sea moss (or Irish moss, the reasons for which will be detailed later), grows year-round in tidal pools and inlets along cliffs of the Atlantic coast, from the Caribbean to Northern Europe. It’s been dubbed a “superfood” for good reason: Red algae — often served in a thick, gelatinous gel form — is packed in gills with nutrients, containing 92 of the 102 minerals that the body’s body. may be required to function and is supposed to be processed only. about everything: acne, inflammation, mood, low energy, you name it.

Although it is only just beginning to be industrialized, orthodox health care, sea moss (also known by its official species name, Chondrus crispus) has been a staple ingredient in traditional medicine for centuries century. In the beauty world, Lesley Thornton, founder of the “eco-inclusive” botanical skincare brand Klur, explains that sea moss is being touted as a natural alternative to synthetic ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and collagen, is said to improve the texture and overall appearance of the skin. appearance.