Ingredience

Fucus Vesiculosus (sušená chaluha pihovatá)

Fucus vesiculosus

Dried doesn’t mean withered! Bladderwrack seaweed rehydrates and gets soft again once reunited with its beloved water.

What is a bladderwrack exactly?

Bladderwrack is a seaweed, named for the air-filled vesicles that cover its fronds (its botanical name is, in fact, Fucus vesiculosus). Abundant on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and in the North and Baltic Seas, the algae thrives particularly well on Great Britain’s seashores. 

What are the benefits of bladderwrack for the skin and hair?

This seaweed is packed with iodine, a chemical compound that helps keep the skin and scalp healthy and soothed. Iodine is on the World Health Organization's (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines because of its role in the proper functioning of the thyroid but also for its antiseptic properties found in a disinfectant called povidone-iodine, widely used in surgery.

Where do we purchase this seaweed?

Lush UK* purchases various seaweeds from Carraig Fhada, a small business on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. They harvest seaweed by hand on the five hectares of submerged land they own, including a place called Long Rock, ‘Carraig Fhada’ in Gaelic.

Most of the harvest occurs during the summer when seaweeds are at their best and when the climate is gentler. It takes place a little further out in the water than the shore, meaning workers rely heavily on good tides. Once cut, the seaweeds are taken to Carraig Fhada's facilities to be dried. It’s a straightforward but effective set-up: in a partially enclosed shelter, they are first spread out on a metal racking to allow for a natural and wind-powdered initial drying phase. Then, they’re taken inside and put in multiple drying rooms with fans and dehumidifiers.

*With seven manufacturing sites across the globe, this information may vary depending on where your Lush products were made.

Learn more about the use of seaweeds in Lush products here.