I am always amazed – though not surprised – at how powerful the plant world can be when it comes to supporting our health and beauty needs. One of my absolute favourite ingredients from nature grows in the ocean… the humble seaweed! However, this botanical hero from the sea is definitely not-so-humble when it comes to supporting our hair and skin. I love using it internally as a supplement to support hair health and growth, whilst using it topically in skincare for a radiant, youthful complexion. Let’s take a dive into the science behind how seaweed delivers these ‘beautifying’ benefits, both from the inside and out.

Seaweed for Skin Health 

Whilst working with a leading skin biochemist to formulate the new JSHealth Vitamins Skin range, I was blown away by the research behind seaweed extract as a skincare ingredient. I’ve been using it on my own complexion ever since and am so impressed with the results – my skin has truly never been better. Here’s why it’s such a special topical ingredient:

• It contains a high-purity fucoidan extract and is rich in marine polyphenols, developed specifically to provide high-tech age-defying benefits.
• Derived from Undaria pinnatifida species of seaweed, this unique and 100% natural ingredient has been shown to inhibit many of the key enzymes responsible for skin damage.
• In vitro studies have confirmed that this seaweed inhibits enzymes that lead to wrinkles and reduced skin elasticity, making it an incredibly powerful natural age-defying ingredient.
• Results showed that seaweed extract was able to improve skin’s overall appearance by 60% in just 12 weeks
• In vitro studies have confirmed that its major effects include aiding skin immunity, soothing and protection.

You’ll find our special seaweed extract infused into our signature JSH-V7™ Complex for optimal skin health – and I like to call it our ‘elixir’ of youth’ – which our Balancing Vitamin Cleanser, Pro-Collagen Vitamin Serum and Probiotic Vitamin Moisturiser are all enriched with.

Seaweed for Hair Health

When it comes to taking care of my hair, I can’t go past kelp. This sea vegetable absorbs minerals from ocean water and is an amazing natural source of iodine. Iodine is a trace element that is vital for many important functions of the body and has been shown to support hair health and growth.

Kelp is rich in two special substances, fucoidan and marine polyphenols, that research has also shown offer benefits in hair growth and maintenance:

• In one clinical study, it was found that a supplement containing seaweed extracts helped to promote scalp health.
• Kelp is naturally rich in Iodine which supports hair health and growth when dietary intake is inadequate.

Can’t wait to hear about your results with seaweed!

Love Jess xo

References:

• Fukuta, Kazuhiro, et al. 2008 Induction of hepatocyte growth factor by fucoidan and fucoidan-derived oligosaccharides. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 60(4):499-503.
• Seok, J., et al. 2015 Efficacy of Cistanche Tubulosa and Laminaria Japonica Extracts (MK-R7) Supplement in Preventing Patterned Hair Loss and Promoting Scalp Health. Clin Nutr Res 4(2):124-31.
• Kang, J. I., et al. 2012 Effect of Dieckol, a Component of Ecklonia cava, on the Promotion of Hair Growth. Int J Mol Sci 13(5):6407-23.
• Fitton, J. H., et al. 2015. “Topical Benefits of Two Fucoidan-Rich Extracts from Marine Macroalgae” Cosmetics 2, no. 2: 66-81.