In our quest for knowledge, we were lucky enough to speak to Paul Tchinnis, the director of research and development for La Mer, who shed a little light on the realm of marine skincare. According to Paul, Dr Max Huber (who was the founder of La Mer) turned to the sea for inspiration because he wanted to heal his own skin. He did thousands of experiments trying to cure his own chemical facial burns using sea kelp. “The healing properties were tremendous. This was the heart and soul of the La Mer brand,” explains Paul. La Mer specifically uses sea kelp as a key ingredient, but other skin heroes include seaweed, specifically algae, for their soothing properties and a high amount of trace minerals. Seaweed has found its place as an extremely potent antioxidant, and works to reduce inflammation. Algae has even been discovered to reduce tumors in mice in a study undertaken by the University of Ohio. Certain oceanic ingredients are very healing on the skin as they have an affinity with our own biology, as Paul explains, “we know today that he knew the minerals in sea water are very similar to the minerals in our blood plasma.” La Mer uses a mineral blend that is composed of sea water with the salt removed. As Paul explains, the minerals left behind are in their natural state, and are of a huge benefit to the skin as they mimic the natural composition of the body.
While scientists are still working out ways to harness their powers when it comes to aging, there’s no doubt that marine ingredients including kelp, seaweed and algae contain extraordinarily high amounts of trace elements, minerals, and possess a variety of soothing and moisturizing properties that are excellent for the skin. Here, four marine-inspired skincare finds we love.
Eloise
I’ve always wanted to try La Mer- my sister says it’s amazing.