Seaweed for the Skin

Exploring the tidepools has always been a favorite activity since I was little. The best is exploring the tidepools with my nieces and nephews. I really cherish those opportunities.

In the tidepools on the west coast, there is typically a bunch of kelp that gathers. I was chatting with one of my nephews recently about kelp and how he has learned how beneficial it can be for the body and skin. He is so right. Kelp/seaweed is full of humectants (great for hydration), amino acids (give plumpness to the skin), natural minerals (help protect the skin from the elements), and antioxidants (help to heal the skin and balance out skin tone).

I tend to use seaweed in my home skincare recipes more during the summer because of its hydrating benefits. I also use it whenever I feel like my skin is too oily. It helps to cleanse out the pores and balance out the skin tone.

If I feel like I have had too much sun and my skin needs some hydration, I put some nori seaweed sheets that have been soaked in lukewarm water on my face (avoiding the eye area). I leave it on for about 10 minutes and then I remove them and give my face a rinse with warm water.

The other recipe that I use if I feel like my skin needs a quick, nourishing cleanse is I take 1 tsp of kelp pwder and mix it with warm water until a paste forms. I then put it on my face and leave it on for about 10 minutes. Once I feel the mask starting to harden up, I rinse from my face with warm water. The benefit of this mask over the nori sheet mask is that because the kelp is in powder form, you will see more exfoliating benefits with this one than you would with the nori sheet mask.

These are really simple recipes to make and they don’t cost very much to create. For both recipes, it’s just essentially kelp and water. Your skin will thank you!