Product Focus
Seagreen Insights will focus on a product category made from seaweed. Our goal is to highlight the multiple applications of seaweed in everyday products, whether they be food products, packaging, cosmetics or any other of the number of new innovations using seaweed.
Pacific and Atlantic Kelp and Brown Seaweed in Skin Care Products
There is an increase of skin care products on the market specifically featuring kelp and other brown algae.
With a Seaweed Forward marketing approach, there are more brands successfully highlighting the benefits of seaweed on the skin and for the planet to their consumer base.
The products featured below use Pacific and/or Atlantic brown seaweed, are vegan, and have good reviews.
La Mer’s bestselling serum features its unique trademarked Miracle Broth containing Giant Sea Kelp to which they refer to as sea kelp. La Mer also has a “Blue Fund” to protect the ocean.
Serums and facial oils are very popular in skin care routine. Both of these products highlight how kelp has been accepted in the skin care industry and proven to provide anti-aging skin benefits, including moisturizing, soothing and hydrating the skin.
SeaFlora gathers their seaweed through wild harvesting (see below Seagreen Insights’ June/July’ feature on wild harvesting) off the coast of Vancouver Island.
OSEA has multiple products containing brown, green, and red seaweed, while educating the consumer of the differences on their website. Their bestseller is the Undaria Algae Body Oil, which is one of six products containing this specific seaweed.
Planet Botanicals’ seaweed comes from the coast of Maine and the owner is a member of the Maine Seaweed Council.
St. Ives uses the term kelp and sources its Giant Bull Kelp from the Pacific ocean in the United States and Canada.
Wild Harvested Seaweed
Here in Northern California, wild harvest and foraging occurs in the summer months when the tides are at their lowest. Harvesting is usually conducted by commercial entities that hold a license with the California Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. These seaweeds mainly harvested include wakame, kombu, and nori. In other global locations, including Europe , Ireland, and the U.K., wild harvesting is also occurring.
Bodega Bay, California
Summer offers the lowest tides (negative tides), warmer waters, longer days for seaweed to regenerate, and hotter temperatures to dry the cut seaweed.
It is important to read the tidal chart and know when the tide is at its lowest. It will allow one hour prior to lowest point and one hour after lowest point for foraging in tide pools.
Nori/Gim/Laver
Use scissors to cut long pieces of the nori/gim/laver off the rocks
Be careful not to pull or rip as it will take fragments of rock or shell with it.
Nori requires three rinses in a tub in order to remove all shells and isopods.
Drying
After washing, then spin dry in a salad spinner.
Sun dry in small piles, allowing pieces to touch, on a clean screen or large baking rack and place in sun.
Recreational harvesting allows up to 10 pounds of wet seaweed per person. For this excursion, it was for a commercially licensed farmer.
California Department of Wildlife and Fisheries details the requirements for recreational and commercial harvesting, as well as, listing all Marine Protected Areas.
Wakame & Kombu
Tide pools found on the same coast, just miles apart, have different varieties of seaweed. There are specific tide pools that have wakame and others that have kombu. These seaweeds do best in the deeper sections and require being at least thigh deep in the waters (at lowest negative tide) to cut the largest blades. It is important to cut bigger blades and leave 75% of the blades for regenerative growth.
Drying
After washing the seaweed, wakame and kombu are placed on long screens, not touching blades and away from any metal edges, to dry in the sun. It can take just a few hours for the seaweed to be completely dry and ready for dry storage.
There are other ways to dry wild seaweed. Some producers use commercial dryers; for some regions, there is not enough sunshine and warmth to dry sufficiently.
Wild Harvested Seaweed Products
ALGAMAR US, Spain & USA
Strong Arm Farm, California, USA
Mara Seaweed is sold via House of Seaweed and Amazon UK.
House of Seaweed, Scotland, U.K. They harvest a variety of local seaweeds.