If you didn’t know, one of the many reasons Carolyn, our Founder and fearless leader, started Copina Co. was actually to help heal her skin. You can read more about her experience treating her acne holistically, but part of that was also looking into all-natural topical remedies she could use. One of our newest obsessions is actually using sea moss topically!
If you are looking for some all-natural face mask ideas, we actually have collected a few:
- How Turmeric Heals Acne Scars
- DIY Anti-Acne Scar Turmeric Face Mask
- DIY Spirulina Face Mask
- 5 Natural Face Mask Recipes
Before we get into how to make a sea moss face mask and what other ingredients you can add to make an even more beneficial face tonic, let’s check out the potential skin and health benefits!
Overall Sea Moss Benefits
Sea moss can be an important source of plant-based collagen support ( if you are eating it!). It is rich in sulfur, which helps it produce a serious beauty boost. You can either consume sea moss gel orally or apply it directly to your face.
Other amazing possible benefits of Irish Sea Moss include gut or digestive health and thyroid support. Sea moss can potentially help with gut health because it has a prebiotic mucilage which is a type of fiber that contains beneficial gut microbes. This can support your gut health.* Sea moss can also provide thyroid support because it has iodine in it. In order for the thyroid to function properly, it needs iodine in order to keep up with creating and using hormones throughout the body. Supporting these two parts of your body’s functions are important to your overall health.*
If you want to learn more about the basics of Irish Sea Moss, check out our blog on the sea plant that took tik tok by storm. If you are more interested in digesting your sea moss, check out our vegan and skin-boosting smoothie recipes. Any would be perfect for a scoop of sea moss!
Sea Moss Skin Benefits
Now that we have gone over the overarching benefits of Sea Moss, let’s dive into how it can help your skin specifically. We have lightly touched on the skin benefits of sea moss gel, but we didn’t get to explore how it can benefit your skin topically.
Sea moss can also have an antibacterial effect which could have the potential to help reduce severe acne in people because of how it interacts with the skin’s bacteria. Some even say if you apply sea moss under your eyes that it can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and diminish dark circles! The nutrient-dense sea plant also is very effective at aiding dehydrated skin.
You can even see the benefits of sea moss as a conditioner as there are claims that it helps nourish and strengthen the hair. Sea moss also as has grown in popularity and has become even more popular as an ingredient in natural skin care products.
So if it benefits my hair… how can it help my skin?
Moisture
Due to its high amount of polysaccharides, the very thick gel can give off a film over the skin that could help keep moisture in.*
Anti-Inflammatory
The gel has a high concentration of zinc and sulfur which gives it powerful anti-inflammatory properties. This could help aid any dry skin concerns you may have. It also has a lot of our essential micronutrients and fatty acids which could aid eczema, psoriasis, and sunburned skin.*
Skin Barrier
As we discussed before, sea moss can leave a film over the skin to help support moisture retainment. The film is similar in molecular structure to your skin’s proteins which is what makes it potentially helpful to protect your skin from outside elements.*
Balance Oil
The levels of sulfur in sea moss also can help skin with excess oil that is due to an overproduction of sebum.* It could help bring balance to your skin due to its moisture and protection benefits.
Maintain Complexion
Another great piece of sea moss is that it is found to be non-comedogenic, which means that the ingredient of sea moss in your skincare or alone will not clog your pores.* The minerals found in sea moss can benefit a healthy complexion. It also has antibacterial properties that have been linked to helping guard your skin health which helps maintain a healthy and glowing complexion for longer. *
Acne
Due to its non-comedogenic and hydrating qualities, sea moss can support keeping acne and blemishes at bay. Its antibacterial qualities can also help keep pores clean and clear. *
Elasticity and Plump-ness
Sea moss can help defend against skin stressors that will help improve your skin’s elasticity and firmness over time.* This is why some choose to go beyond the skincare ingredients and use them in their daily diet. Some find it in gel form or use it in a powder to add to their smoothies or meals.
How to Make A Sea Moss Face Mask
Small note: Doing a patch test when trying a new product or ingredient is always the safest way to go. Some say if you have a sensitive skin type, you might experience some irritation from sea moss, especially if it is in a DIY mask and not a store-bought one.
To be honest, you can reap all the benefits just by using sea moss gel straight on your skin. This can be through a homemade sea moss gel or a store-bought one. If you are using a store-bought gel, make sure to check the ingredients label to ensure it is plain sea moss gel. If you are interested in making your own gel, here is how we have it.
- Remove sea moss from container
- Rinse thoroughly until all salt, sand, or dirt is removed.
- Soak your sea moss overnight in a bowl of warm water, some even soak it for 24 hours. Make sure all sea moss is covered with water when soaking.
- Drain and rinse again
- Place Sea Moss in a blender with equal parts water. Try less water and add water to meet a gel-like consistency.
- Store in refrigerator.
Other ways you can enjoy a sea moss face mask include using other mix-in ingredients with your sea moss gel. Other ingredients could include:
- Kelp Powder
- Spirulina Powder
- White Clay
- Honey
- Turmeric Powder
Anything you add would be to increase any benefits you might want. Turmeric is very anti-inflammatory whereas white clay is incredibly exfoliating. Some of our favorite sea moss gel face mask combinations include:
This mask is especially hydrating! It uses two teaspoons of sea moss gel, one teaspoon of honey, and then ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder. You can either mix this up as is, or if you do not like the consistency you can opt to warm the mask on a low setting on the stove for 3 minutes while stirring. Once the mask isn’t hot, either warm or room temperature, you can let it sit for 20 minutes. Then rinse off.
Aloe Vera is a great addition because it already has a lot of antioxidants and skin-loving benefits. You probably know it as a sunburn soother, but it also can be incredibly hydrating combined with sea moss. You’ll want ¼ cup of aloe vera gel (make sure it is 100% aloe vera gel) with ¼ cup of sea moss gel. Apply the mask to your skin and let it sit for 20 minutes before rinsing off.
This is like taking a dip in the ocean, at least on your face. This mask involves a few more materials and also has exfoliating properties to it. With this one, you’ll want ½ teaspoon of chlorella powder, kelp powder, spirulina powder, turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon of white clay powder, and 2 tablespoons of your sea moss gell. You’’ combine all of them and leave them on your face for around 20 minutes. Then rinse off.
Adding charcoal into your face mask will be helpful if you think your skin needs a good clean-out. You can make your own by mixing two tablespoons of sea moss gel with ¼ of a teaspoon of activated charcoal or a capsule of charcoal. Let sit on your face for around ten minutes. Then rinse off.
As we said earlier, before using any of these masks on your entire face, be sure to patch-test them prior to making sure none of the ingredients (including sea moss) is irritating to your skin.
If you are even more interested in exploring some skin and beauty benefits, take a peek at some of our other blogs that cover ingredients in our vegan collagen support blends.
