Get to Know: Rí na Mara Irish Seaweed Cosmetics
Ireland-based company Rí na Mara Skincare creates a variety of all-natural skincare products from eye cream and facial serums to foaming bath. Here, their founder shares a bit of info on how she and her husband discovered the sea’s healing properties and how they can be beneficial to your skincare routine.
CIG: Rí na Mara is known for amazing skincare products. Tell us a bit about what makes these products so special.
Rí na Mara founder Deirdre Ui Chathmhaoil: Each product contains rich natural sea algae from the Connemara coast. I had always been passionate about natural skincare, researching natural treatments for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis when I worked as a staff nurse in a dermatology unit in London. I then studied cosmetic science, graduating as a member of the Society for Cosmetic Scientists, but it was only when I looked to the pristine Atlantic Ocean that lapped the shores near my home in Galway that I discovered the route to naturally beautiful, healthy skin lay in seaweed. Equipped with my dermatological experience, my husband’s knowledge of aquaculture and seaweed, and the wealth of mineral rich seaweed close to our home, we launched the Rí na Mara skincare range in 2004.
CIG: That is interesting. How did you discover this seaweed was beneficial?
Deirdre Ui Chathmhaoil: In the early 20th century scientists discovered a clear similarity between our blood plasma and sea water, in their respective compositions and concentrations. Our body requires certain trace elements, vitamins and minerals which are vital for our health and well being. All of the aforementioned can be found in marine algae, which are the main active ingredients in our products.
Can you tell us a bit about the harvesting process?
Deirdre Ui Chathmhaoil: Sure. Rí na Mara carefully selects a variety of organic seaweed species which are hand harvested by local cutters in Connemara using traditional, sustainable harvesting techniques. Cutting only the upper section of seaweed species and leaving the lower portion intact allows it to regenerate quickly—ensuring there is no negative impact on the West of Ireland coastline. From there, the seaweed is dried, purified and then infused with other botanical extracts to form the basis of our products.
CIG: Are all the ingredients in your products natural?
Deirdre Ui Chathmhaoil: They are completely natural. They are packed with the benefits of seaweed, including vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, proteins, amino acids, and a rich collection of minerals, iron, calcium, and iodine. These are complemented by a range of carefully selected natural botanical extracts. Rí na Mara cosmetics contain no harsh chemicals, parabens, GMOs, or animal derivatives.
Shop our selection of Rí na Mara skincare HERE.