If you live or have ever been to the Pacific Northwest, you’ll have noticed a particular kind of seaweed that grows in abundance. Covering the rocks on so many of our coastlines is the genus Fucus, otherwise known as rockweed or bladderwrack.

The brown algae grows from the low-tide lines all the way to the upper zone rocks, where the water only reaches during high tides where it’s too dry for other seaweed to live. Bladderwrack, with its olive-green coloured stems with claw-shaped bladders at each end, turns almost black after hours of baking in the summer sun.

Those little balloons on the end of the fronds are the reproductive part of seaweed. When these tips are popped or dry out under the hot sun, it causes contraction that shoots sperm or eggs into the water. When the tide rushes in, the sperm and eggs are washed into the ocean. The eggs release a chemical that attracts the sperm, then the egg falls to the bottom of the ocean and starts the growth cycle.

That thick gel substance inside those tips has been used by Northwest Coast tribes as a natural medicine for centuries. It is also used for cattle fodder, garden mulch, and a protective cover for many smaller organisms to hide from predators. It is also where eggs are laid by the sharpnose sculpin, a species of tiny fish you’re likely to find in the Pacific Northwest’s tidal pools.

It is also used in many skincare products in the Sealuxe Organics line, as it has myriad benefits unrivalled in both the natural and chemical ingredient world. Research shows that the fucoidan in bladder wrack can promote collagen synthesis in the skin. This, in turn, helps eliminate cellulite, increase skin dealing, and delay skin aging. As is the case with most seaweeds, bladderwrack contains polysaccharides which are long chains of sugar molecules that help hydrate and soothe the skin.

Sealuxe considers bladderwrack to be one of our rockstar ingredients. We are so proud to offer you natural and high-quality skincare products that harness the power of this nutrient-rich seaweed to enhance the health and beauty of your skin!