There are over 30,000 species of Algae but none have been more infamous in the skincare community than Spirulina plantesis. With the trending Gen Z green aesthetic, Spirulina powder is predicted to be one of the top skincare ingredients for 2022's new skincare product launches. But is Spirulina good for you? Let's discuss the hype, the history and the benefits of Spirulina for your skin.
What caused the spirulina skincare obsession?
The pandemic created the kind of free time that people haven't seen for generations. Whilst work took a huge step back from the majority of our lives, people became more focused on all things health and wellbeing. The self care obsession lead to many looking for the next revolutionary product that would solve all their bodily ailments.
Lo and behold Spirulina.
Spirulina was one of them ingredients that satisfied multiple self care industries; Spirulina supplements, Spirulina drinks, Spirulina smoothie bowls and yep you guessed it... Spirulina skincare. Any form of the ocean friendly skincare ingredient was flying off the shelves as the benefits of Spirulina seemed endless.
Today, Spirulina is an ingredient that satisfies a constant demand in the skin care community; a demand for more natural skincare products to treat skin issues as the clean beauty movement continues to thrive. Spirulina in skincare has been utilised for brightening, antiaging and antiacne products.
The history and origins of spirulina
Spirulina has been known to be in existence on earth for approximately 3.5 billion years with historians speculating its first use being attributed to the Maya civilisation. Recordings from the 16th century Spanish invaders indicate its prevalence in the culture of the Aztecs in the capital of Tenochtitlan. Many women of the time would bake Spirulina cakes known as Dihé as they believed eating Dihé would help protect their unborn children from the eyes of sorcerers. Unfortunately, the majority of the lakes which these Aztecs used to farm spirulina have been lost to history due to urban and agricultural development in Mexico; the only lake left from this culture is Lake Texcoco which bears the last remaining population of this Spirulina.
What are the benefits of spirulina skincare?
Spirulina boasts to posses some of the best natural antioxidants for skin. The benefits of Spirulina can be seen from its nutritional profile. This includes essential fatty acids, lipids, folate, vitamin D, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, chromium, copper, magnesium, selenium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc. This impressive list makes it clear how Spirulina benefits skin and why one would incorporate this super seaweed into their skincare routine.
1. An Anti- Inflammatory skincare ingredient
The antioxidant rich content of Spirulina means it is a great anti-inflammatory skincare ingredient to incorporate into your routine. These anti-inflammatory properties have been linked to help reduce redness, brighten the complexion and fight hyperpigmentation in the skin.
2. A more Natural Acne Treatment
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of Spirulina have the potential to help treat skincare conditions such as acne. What's more, with many antibiotic treatments having a large range of negative side effects like antibiotic resistance, Spirulina for acne could be a more natural skincare treatment than others on the market.
3. Anti- Aging
Phycocyanin is an antioxidant found in Spirulina that is known to cause its iconic Gen Z green colour, but it isn't just great for keeping this algae species looking pretty. This active ingredient in Spirulina can help to regulate the cellular antioxidant activity of our skin. This enables our skin barrier to fight free radicals and prevent skin damage such as wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Check out this study from 2014 which validates these Spirulina anti-aging claims.
4. Supports the body's Collagen production
As mentioned, Spirulina's nutritional profile boasts the contents of essential amino acids. Two of these essential amino acids include glycine and proline which help to maintain a healthy level of collagen production in the skin. This supports the skin by retaining its firmness and can be the reason why Spirulina anti-aging products are trending.
5. Could the use of Spirulina help save our Oceans?
A lot of harmful ingredients in cosmetics that end up in our oceans have been known to be one of the leading reasons for the destruction of our coral reefs. There is a potential that Spirulina mass harvesting can help save endangered coral reefs as more customers demand high quality spirulina powder. Check out what EnerGaia are doing in the Solomon Islands as a part of the Dugong & Seagrass's project SB7 to save the Oceans habitat through the production of spirulina plantesis. EnerGaia are a spirulina products based company who are committed to the harvesting of Spirulina in a sustainable method that encourages marine habitat conservation.
Love the benefits of Spirulina Powder? Pre-order our city cleanse face mask.
This spirulina face mask is formulated with antioxidant rich skincare ingredients like oat and thanaka; it's your perfect go to treatment to brighten skin and fight the effects of pollution.
Want to know more about Spirulina? Visit our Instagram @tanakaskin where we post more digestible content about its benefits and uses.