Hey, nice to see you again!
Let me begin this post with a question: Have you ever used algae to improve your skin?
These are marvelous green beings that live in water. Not only are algae edible but also they belong to the superfood, which is a group of food products having numerous health benefits and are incredibly nutrient-dense. Obviously, I’m not going to talk about the role algae play in cooking, but I’ll bring you closer to the role algae play in skincare. Being a kind of do-it-all, algae can be applied to skin, hair and basically to the entire body. Go on reading to learn how many outstanding properties algae can offer you.
Fun fact!
By far, scientists have discovered and described as much as 33,000 species of algae. Impressive, isn’t it? Firstly, these marine beings were used for medicinal purposes, later they were introduced to the food industry to finally find their place in the beauty industry. Brown algae, red algae and green algae are the ones used the most commonly. What’s also interesting is that algae are proven to absorb heavy metals, therefore before being converted into a cosmetic ingredient, they have to be processed first. Another surprising info is that the majority of producers make sure that the algae used in their cosmetics are fished out during a particular season. It gets weirder when you find out that some algae is extracted from the sea only during an equinox. That’s mind-blowing! I’ve heard that this is the time when algae brim with nutrients and minerals.
Composition of algae
Firstly, algae contain a heavy load of carbohydrates, minerals and polysaccharides. Okay, but these things can be found in other food products, right? What you can’t find anywhere else are: alginic acid, potassium, sodium and magnesium salts, agar, laminarin, carrageenan, fucoidan and mannitol. Whoa, sounds exotic. Let me just tell you that these substances are antiseptic and are able to bind water inside the skin or hair, which means that they are able to maintain hydration levels.
As you assume correctly, the list of beneficial substances hidden in algae is definitely longer. Do you consider vitamins important for skin? Well, that’s great because algae contains vitamins: A, B, C and E which are proven to be essential for skin to remain healthy. Moreover, algae are a rich source of metabolites such as porphyrins, chlorophylls, cytochromes, polyamines. All of them are potent antioxidants ready to combat free radicals, delay skin ageing and repair the damage caused by external aggressors (wind, cool temperature, the Sun).
Algae in skin care
There are some algae containing glycoproteins that are anti-inflammatory. They activate immunologic processes, lower blood pressure along with cholesterol levels as well as combat the adverse effects of UV rays. Moreover, microalgae erases acne, replenishes skin with water and leaves it more supple. With time skin becomes tauter, the walls of capillaries are stronger and skin’s pH is balanced.
Polysaccharides, which I’ve mentioned above, protect the skin from sun exposure, moisturize, improve skin’s density and are able to repair both the skin and the hair. Chlorophyll, which is a pigment naturally occurring in algae, kills fungi, delays ageing and has an antioxidative effect. I need to add that algae are good at leaving skin brighter and balancing sebum production.
That being said, incorporating algae-enriched skincare products into the daily beauty ritual will bring you nothing but benefits. Of course, try to find the cosmetics where algae is enumerated as one of the first ingredients in the INCI. Luckily, algae isn’t hard to find since they are added to night and day face creams and products designed for sensitive and over-reactive skin. Also, you can find them in various anti-cellulite creams and oils.
Skin type and algae
Algae face masks and creams can be used no matter the skin type. Their strong antioxidative effect makes them perfect day products, especially for the skin living in urban areas. Algae are a powerful weapon against smog and other pollution that the air is filled with. I personally like boosting algae by combining them with moisturizing and anti-ageing substances such as vitamin C and hyaluronic acid.
Would I recommend algae for daily use? You bet, I would! Their constituents are incredibly beneficial and the best thing about them is that they don’t trigger any allergic reactions! It’s really hard for me to compare algae with something that would have as many benefits as algae do. Again, nature proved that it has no equal.
