Seaweed Bath

What’s the deal with seaweed baths? And why are they so good for you?

‍

These are the questions we used to ask ourselves when we first got into our seaweed business. So much so that when we eventually visited Ireland in 2022, we couldn’t help but soak ourselves in Connemara Seaweed bath located in Clifden, Connemara.

‍

We came away feeling refreshed, supremely revitalised and inspired. No doubt we were a little biassed and blindsided by the benefits we knew were being imparted into our skin and bodies. However, it’s important to add that the science does in fact support the activity with numerous articles being published describing the benefits of seaweed baths (1,2,3).

‍

So what are some of the benefits associated with seaweed baths?

‍

1. Skin nourishment and hydration. The naturally occurring oils (algal oil) in seaweed can help to restore the skin's moisture barrier.
2. Detoxifying. Compounds such as alginate can draw out impurities from the skin by binding with toxins and heavy metals.
3. Relaxing. Aside from the straightforward knowledge that soaking in a hot bath can make you feel relaxed, the magnesium present in seaweed may even help with muscle pain (4).
4. Improves circulation. Iodine present in seaweed can help stimulate blood circulation, which aids body health overall (5). 
5. Anti-inflammatory Properties. general redness and swelling can be soothed by the anti inflammatory properties of seaweed. This makes having a seaweed bath a potential game changer for skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne.

‍

Among the benefits mentioned above, there are many more not mentioned. Think about those friends who rave about sea swimming and the benefits ascribed to it. Yes there is the element of cold water which is said to have positive benefits on stress levels, but clean sea swimming also involves swimming in a sea of minerals and vitamins. But for those who do not like the cold water, there is a solution! A hot seaweed bath instead.

‍

_References

_{1 - https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2023.1173225/full}

_{2 - https://spas.ie/blog/seaweed-baths}

_{3 - https://www.soakseaweedbaths.com/benefits/}

_{4 - https://www.verywellhealth.com/magnesium-for-muscle-pain-8426046#:~:text=There%20is%20some%20evidence%20that,need%20to%20take%20extra%20precautions.}

_{5 - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijd.14410}

_‍