Seaweed and our unique seaweed extract is the cornerstone of ishga’s range of natural and organic skincare. We know it is an amazing skincare ingredient, but does the life cycle of the plant and the environment in which it grows affect it in any way? 

Like all plants, seaweed has a yearly life cycle. Depending on when we harvest, the seaweed extract can vary which then leads to variations in our products. As a natural substance, it’s impossible to guarantee the uniformity of a products texture or scent as there are external factors that can influence the seaweed seasonally. 

Season 

The time of year that the seaweed is harvested can affect it. Changes in season affect the life cycle of plants. As a marine plant/algae, seaweed also has a specific life cycle where certain periods of growth can result in a higher nutrient content and changes in colour and texture. Each seaweed species will have different life cycles and the variety of active ingredients are varied in concentration depending on what time of the year it is.  

Climate  

Changes in temperature and varying levels of exposure to sunlight can all affect how the seaweed grows. You could have two groups of seaweed growing next to each other, but one may have more exposure to sunlight and will grow stronger as a result.  

Natural ingredient 

Using such natural ingredients that have had no chemical intervention in their manufacture means that the product is likely to alter slightly from batch to batch. These ingredients have come from nature and are used in their most pure, unaltered form.