This article was originally published in the Cosmetics Business Skin Care Trend Report. Receive your copy here.
Maintaining a healthy skin barrier remains one of the biggest trends in skin care in 2024, with brands devoting new innovations to repairing and restoring compromised skin.
So it is little wonder that seaweed, with its myriad of healing and anti-inflammatory benefits, is moving further into the spotlight as a hero ingredient.
Seaweed baths, a traditional practice used for hundreds of years in Ireland for its therapeutic benefits, were in fact listed as one of the top three trending spa treatments in 2024 by SpaSeekers.
The spa booking agency notes a 53% increase over the past year in the popularity of seaweed baths, which its says can help lower stress levels and improve skin appearance, thanks to the nutrients within seaweed which promote collagen production.
And while seaweed-infused skin care is hardly new, with brands from La Mer to REN having used kelp extracts in their formulations for many years, and specialist seaweed brands including Isgha, Voya and Osea becoming increasingly popular, what is evolving is the rising level of interest in the different types of seaweed and their potential to deliver a range of potent, clinically-backed benefits.