Osea- Ocean in a Bottle

Jun 20, 2011 by HHNSTAFF

By: Andrea Ervin, HHN staff

It wasn’t until seasoned spa veteran Jenefer Palmer sat in a fresh algae bath at a Buenos Aires hotel spa that she made a skin-transforming discovery. By the time she returned to her room after the treatment, she found her skin was glowing, and she felt incredibly relaxed and recharged. It was this discovery that led her on a quest to find the origin of this bath.

Her quest took her to the Sea of Patagonia where she discovered the Gigartina algae species, a plant containing high levels of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids. Her most amazing discovery was that the algae absorbed and cleansed the pollutants and toxins from the environment around it. Jenefer knew she had found something special and OSEA was born.

OSEA is a naturally derived, environmentally responsible brand of skin care products based in Malibu, California. Jenefer sourced the Patagonian algae and began mixing and measuring ingredients in her kitchen sink. “I wanted to create skincare with really pure, active ingredients and nutrients from the sea, like 100 percent certified organic seaweed and algae that were free of synthetic fragrances, GMOs, petrochemicals, parabens and sulfates. My goal was to make the cleanest, greenest skincare I could, inspired by the ocean,” she said.

Living in Malibu, Jenefer had the ocean on her doorstep and used it as a constant source of inspiration while creating her skincare line. She said “The ocean is the source of life, and it has a powerful therapeutic effect on mind, body, and spirit. I see it, hear it, and breathe it every day from every window in my house. I wanted to harness the pull of the ocean's energy, and the healing power of the sea, to restore beauty, health and well-being.” This is exactly what she has done with her seaweed-based body scrubs, face-masks and skin creams.

One of the most popular OSEA products is the Salts of the Earth Body Scrub. As soon as the lid is removed, the rich, earthy aroma soothes the senses. When scrubbed gently over the skin, it creates a refreshing glow and over-whelming sense of calmness. It’s great for detoxifying the body by sloughing off dead skin cells. It leaves the skin with a fresh scent and slightly lubricated baby soft feel.

To revitalize and refresh facial skin, OSEA Red Algae Skin Mask is a popular choice. The small bottle is packed with naturally derived ingredients from the ocean that sooths tired skin, making it feel smoother and tighter. The mask is easily and cleanly applied thanks to a pump built into the bottle, and washes off just as cleanly. It leaves the skin feeling fresh, tight and silky to the touch.

OSEA uses only “natural derived” ingredients in all of its products. Natural derived is an honest classification, not synthetic or chemical but not completely natural either. The only possible truly “natural” products are powders and oils (without any water), and things like an avocado mask that you make in your kitchen, but it will have the same shelf life as guacamole.

Many natural cosmetic ingredients, such as; vitamins, amino acids, botanical extracts, emulsifiers, thickening agents and preservation systems are often labeled as “natural”, but they have been synthesized in a laboratory. The reason is that single compounds almost never exist in nature. When human intervention is introduced the finished product ceases to be “natural” and instead is “natural derived”. This distinction is imperative to understanding the debates and confusion surrounding natural products.

In 2002, OSEA became the first company to sign the Compact for Global Production of Safe Health and Beauty products, making the product and packaging as green as the seaweed it is derived from. OSEA products are 100 percent free of synthetic, chemical and genetically modified ingredients. They are all vegan, biodegradable and environmentally friendly.