Human beings have always consumed the products that the sea gave them, and now they also make use of them for body care
And it is that seaweed is an ingredient loaded with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins, which can be used to exfoliate our skin or to hydrate it.
According to experts, seaweed is the most beneficial and abundant natural ingredient available for skin care on the planet.
Its high concentration of seawater and its ability to absorb minerals make it possible for them to have a high presence of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins and lipids, all of which are beneficial for the skin (Bedoux, Hardouin, Burlot and Bourgougnon, 2015).
WAY TO APPLY ALGAE
In aesthetic centers where thalassotherapy treatments are carried out, plasters and poultices made with seawater and algae are applied.
They are very expensive treatments, but there are more affordable home alternatives that we can turn to. How can we do it?
- The cheapest version of these thalassotherapy treatments in beauty centers consists of rehydrating a handful of seaweed (preferably Focus or Laminarias) in a little hot water and, when they are softened, applying them (still warm) to the skin (Hunt, Fate and Dods, 2011). To keep warm, they are wrapped in a terry cloth and covered with a cloth.
They can even be put in a hot water bottle. In this way, several applications can be made before disposal.
If the seaweed is too small to spread comfortably on the skin, it can be further shredded and put in a small cloth bag to be soaked in hot water before applying it to the skin. This bag can also be used as a massage glove in the bathtub.
- Another option is to throw the glove bag into the bathtub while it is being filled with hot water and, in this way, the body will be immersed directly in a therapeutic water bath which, depending on the algae used, can take on a certain blue color, tonality. emerald or amber.
The important thing is to relax and stay submerged for at least 20 minutes. If the water cools down, add hot water, but not too much as this would also compromise the effectiveness of the algae.
Finally, and after taking the algae bath, you should not take a shower as is normally done after a foam bath.
Neither do you have to towel yourself dry, but rather let the algae continue its action: it is best to wrap yourself in a bathrobe and rest well covered for 20 minutes in bed or on the sofa.
An algae bath not only has an aesthetic application, but it is also useful to relax and get rid of the stresses of the day. In addition, it has revitalizing properties, nourishes the skin and helps maintain the water balance (Bourgougnon, Bedoux, Sangiardi and Stiger, 2011).
It is advisable to integrate baths, plasters and anti-cellulite massages from seaweed with the intake of seaweed tablets (chlorela, astaxanthin, spirulina, …) or with seaweed incorporated into the diet (salads, smoothies, soups, …).
In the case of people who have impurities on the skin (blackheads, pimples, acne, for example) or suffer from dermatitis, psoriasis or eczema, they should supplement the diet with algae or microalgae to support the effect of the baths and masks.
All this will also result in the health of the nails, teeth and hair.
THREE COSMETIC RECIPES TO PREPARE AT HOME
We are going to propose three plasters that we can make at home, quickly and with excellent results.
Obviously, there are many more possibilities. In short, in the Algamania team we are going to test the Astaxanthin mask (the MOST POWERFUL antioxidant that there is today, and about which we are writing different articles, given its interest in health and due to its “miraculous properties”).
As soon as we have verified the best preparation and its results (which we foresee very beneficial), we will add the recipe so that you can also try it. For now, we suggest the following three (Alcalde, 2008; González-Minero and Bravo Díaz, 2018).
CHORELLA or SPIRULINA mask
- It is suitable for all skin types, as it is a natural product that purifies, nourishes and regenerates the outer layer of the epidermis. 1 tablet is enough to make a face mask. If you want to also extend to the neck and hands (which is always advisable), you should use 3 tablets.
- To prepare a toning mask, crush the tablet (either Chlorella or Spirulina) in a mortar or in a coffee grinder to reduce it to a powder and mix with water to obtain a uniform paste of an intense emerald green. It is left on the skin until it dries, and then it is removed with water, first warm and then cold.
- If you want to prepare a nourishing mask, mix the powder with an egg yolk. This preparation takes more time to dry than the previous one, so it is a great idea to treat yourself to at least 15 minutes in a relaxed position.
The algae are mixed with as much amount of bran as necessary until a smooth but consistent paste is formed. The resulting mixture is introduced into small cotton cloth bags.- Once the sachets are well closed, they are immersed in water that is not too hot (around 40 ºC) and applied to the skin for 20 or 30 minutes in the areas where cellulite plaques have formed.
- If after application the sachets are hung in a ventilated place and allowed to dry, they can be used again the next day, for the second time.
KOMBU Refreshing After-Sun Wrap
- Fresh algae are placed on the skin (if they are dry, they must first be immersed in fresh water). It is recommended to use KOMBU seaweed or another algae with a long or homogeneous frond, since it can be spread more easily, as if it were a series of aligned bandages.
- If we use smaller algae, it can be mashed with the mixer in a little fresh water. Thus, the combination becomes a mud that will spread on the skin reddened by the sun. If the mixture is too liquid, it can be thickened with rice starch, potato starch, oat flakes or even clay.
In short, it is clear that the sea is a source of life, health, relaxation … and beauty. And this is so, there is no contradiction. Simply, research indicates that algae have many active principles that are tremendously beneficial for our skin and our body. Large laboratories know this, and for this reason they have been including algae extracts in the formulas of their products for some time, to which they add marine pigments, antioxidants from algae, as well as the mineral vitamins and trace elements that characterize them.
References
Mayor, M.T. (2008). Natural and ecological cosmetics. OFFARM, 27 (9), 96-102.
Amit, G., Ashawat, MS., Shailendra, S. and Swarnlata, S. (2007). Phytosome: A novel Approach Towards Functional Cosmetics. J Plan Sci., 2 (6), 644-649.
Bedoux, A., Hardouin, K., Burlot, A.S. and Bourgougnon, N. (2015). Bioactive components from seaweeds: Cosmetic applications and future development. Adv Botan Res. 71 (1), 345-378.
Bourgougnon, N., Bedoux, G., Sangiardi, H. and Stiger, V. (2011). Algae: nutritional potential and cosmetic applications. In CETMAR Foundation (Ed.), Algae as a resource. Valorization. Industrial applications and trends. pp. 79-84. Vigo: Technological Center of the Sea of Galicia.
Cheong, KL., Qiu, HM., Du, H., Liu, Y. and Khan, B. (2018). Oligosaccharides Derived from Red Seaweed: Production, Properties, and Potential Health and Cosmetic Applications. Molecules, 23 (10), pii: E2451. DOI: 10.3390 / molecules23102451.
Gonzalez-Minero, F.J. and Bravo Díaz, L. (2018). Botanical and pharmaceutical study of products with application in cosmetics and skin care. Ars Pharmaceutica, 58 (4), 175-191. DOI: 10.4321 / S2340-98942017000400005.
Hunt, K.A., Fate, J. and Dods, B. (2011). Cultural and social influences on the perception of beauty: a case analysis of the cosmetics industry. J Business Case Studies, 7 (1), 1-10.
