Research & Development

How I started developing my seaweed skincare products

My PhD research was concerned with making a synthetic copy of a protein found in seaweed. This protein was an enzyme that could grab useful minerals from the sea. Seaweed is clever stuff.

While reading studies on seaweed including how it may be used in carbon fixing and nutrition I discovered the incredible cosmetic benefits that seaweed has within its little cells. It is my goal to capture the healing properties of the sea and seaweed for you to enjoy at home.

The rich blend of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, amino acids, and anti-oxidants in seaweed makes it the ideal main ingredient for detoxifying, re-balancing, hydrating, anti-aging and renewing benefits. If you would like to read a scientific review on this click here.

I have been testing methods for extracting the most beneficial lipids (fatty acids) from seaweeds and this is what I will be using in some of the future handmade skincare products.

What I am working on now

To compliment my Kelpie Shampoo Bars I am working on a conditioner to detangle and nourish hair. I have been trialing several kinds of emollients (moisturising treatments applied directly to the hair to soothe and hydrate it), fatty alcohols (for the slippery soft feel), and emulsifiers (to prevent the water-based and oil-based ingredients from separating).

Deodorant is another product I am working on. Soon deodorant will be even more essential in my house once my boys become teenagers. I have tried several natural deodorants over the past 10 years and I use natural deodorant because I want to avoid putting aluminum on my armpits. Why avoid aluminum in deodorant? Well, it does a great job of reducing sweat and smells but there are some serious negative side effects. Several scientific studies show a link between using aluminum-based deodorants and breast cancer. If you’re interested in reading more about this click here.

If you wish to stock my products please contact me for more details.