Here's the deal:
Seaweed is an anti-inflammatory, meaning that it (surprise!) helps decrease inflammation in the skin. This means more than what you think. Just because your face isn't a blotchy red mess doesn't mean that your face isn't inflamed. Have a fresh acne scar? Does it look uber pink, even red? Yes? That's inflammation.
Seaweed is also a lovely detoxifier, pulling all of the gross sh** outta your skin. It's nice to use a detoxifying facial mask every once in a while (like, week or two) because your face, being that it is constantly exposed to the environment, is inevitably going to get built up with crap. Duh.
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So, I was way excited when the good ol InstaNatural guys sent me a huge (and I mean, huge) container of their own seaweed powder.
Here's what they had to say about it:
Seaweed Kelp Powder is an excellent way to improve skin tone and texture while enjoying a luxurious spa treatment in the privacy and comfort of your own home. Our 100% natural and freshly harvested seaweed contains a high concentration of vitamins, minerals and iodine that remove impurities from your skin while relieving aches and pains.
Most commonly it can be used for a body wrap treatment to reduce the appearance of cellulite and create a slimming effect. By absorbing excess water and detoxifying the skin, our Seaweed Powder will help to make your body appear more toned, tightened and firmer. When used as a facial mask or scrub, the seaweed will extract toxins and tackle acne and other blemishes, leaving you with a softer and clearer complexion.
Ingredients:
Certified Organic, 100% Natural & Kosher Certified Seaweed Powder (Ascophyllum nodosum)
How much do you love that the ingredients are so freaking SIMPLE!? Ugh. It's refreshing, actually.
The Nitty Gritty:
Okay, so I knew that this was going to smell bad. So, I was a little reluctant to use the stuff. Also, since its a powder and I have experience making messes with clay powder masks and the like, I knew that this was going to be a huge mess. So, I got prepared with a plastic bowl and a facial spatula (to help mix and apply). I knew I was going to get dirty.
I decided to use this as a mask first because, well... you need space. And lots of plastic. To do an actual body wrap. So, during a glorious bath soak, I decided to get down with the face mask. InstaNatural put some fun little recipes on the container, which included mixing the powder with some aloe vera and raw honey. Luckily, I had both of these in the house (even though my cats have a vendetta against my aloe plant and I have NO IDEA how it survived after the cats knocked the huge thing on the bedroom floor).
I mixed and applied.. and it smelled awful, of course (to avoid the scent, keep reading!)
But, believe it or not? I loved the smell, more than when I was in esthetics school. Is it because it smelled different? No, not at all.. but, since esthetics school, this girl has spent a few months on a magical Mexican island uninhibited (mostly) by tourists and filled with plenty of seaweed. It smelled just like my beautiful adventures of this island. I became reminiscent as I applied the seaweed all over my skin.. ahhh, the Caribbean.
**A side note about the smell, for real though: No, it isn't pleasant. In fact, that's probably the #1 reason why people avoid using seaweed masks. However, this is where essential oils become your best friend. If you don't own any, buy some, like, now. Any scent will do, but lavender is always good, as it is a mild anti-bacterial and very soothing as well. Citruses, like orange, are more astringent and better for acneic skin, but I would stick with orange, as any others (lime, grapefruit, lemon) can be too acidic and irritate the skin**
Still, the mask was clumpy as hell. I mixed and mashed the crap out of this thing, and it was still clumpy. It was almost like the seaweed had a sponge-like effect, as all of these clumps weren't in it before. It's like the dried seaweed absorbed the water and sprang to life.
Clump clump clump.. I got used to it. After all, this is a natural product. To make it all perfect and smooth would mean processing it more and therefore means that it wouldn't work as well. I didn't want that. I wanted it to work well.
After leaving it on my skin for 10 minutes or so, I removed it with a sponge. I'd def recommend a sponge or a gentle facial spatula, especially because I really wouldn't want this stuff to go down the drain- the clumps and all. It took a while, but I did finally manage to get it all off.
So? What'd I think?!
I'm happy with this and I promise it's not only because it reminds me of tropic land. My face looked brighter and more smooth. As a detoxifier.. well, facts are facts, but its not like I rinsed it off and all of my blackheads were immediately gone.
I really dig this stuff. I'm also super excited to try it as a body wrap, since people seem to rave about it as a cellulite treatment.
The best thing about this? It comes in a huge container- 32 oz, to be exact. And it's cheap. Totally worth it. You can purchase InstaNaturals' seaweed mask on sale on amazon for $21.95. It will literally last you foreverrrrrrr, so I'd recommend you bask in the magical smelly seaweed that it is. But hey, don't forget the essential oils.
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