My journey began in the middle of lockdown when I started to suffer from a really bad hormonal acne. I was looking for a natural remedy and skincare that was suitable for my over-sensitive skin. Intensive research led to trying loads of different brands who claimed to help.
I invested in all sorts of products but I found myself being unsatisfied and constantly spending money on skincare products that didn't work. That brought me back into the vicious circle of frustration and low confidence.
I’ve always been fascinated by medicinal plants and natural remedies. I was aware of the nutritional value of seaweed before, but it was only once I moved to Dorset and began walking at low and high tide did I experience the true nature of seaweed firsthand. I was surprised to see how it could go from dry and brittle (almost dead-looking), to plump, juicy and full of life. I asked myself, could this property perhaps be transported to a skincare?
I felt an urge to put the Aloe Vera-like gel that seaweed produces on my breakouts. Immediately it felt incredibly soothing and I could sense that the swelling became less inflamed. And then my journey of developing a remedy made of seaweed started.
I shared my first seaweed infusion with several friends and family and I was so pleased to receive positive feedback. It encouraged me to develop and refine the recipes. And the rest is history! The most rewarding aspect for me is hearing how our skincare helps others with skin issues.
I can really relate and empathise how difficult it is to live with skin issues and my goal is helping people to regain their confidence through natural skincare which is sourced mainly from the British coastline.
During lockdown I was working from home, behind a screen for most of my time. I felt somewhat isolated and static like many others.
Without necessarily knowing it myself, I was hungry for an activity that brought me closer to interacting with the natural world.
It was only when I started swimming with a local group that my story with seaweed began. I had grown up by the sea but seaweed had always been that thing that tickled your feet and smelt rotten on the beach.
One of the swimmers in the group was a garden designer, and she would always leave with a bag full of washed up seaweed for the garden, explaining how good it was for the soil.
I began doing the same and started to notice all the different species. my curiosity was sparked and I began pressing them in order to study the species further.
The very process of pressing seaweed became that link to my immediate environment. It is also a very mediative process since it requires a lot of focus. This did wonders for my mental health, being connected to the sea on a more fundamental level.