Skin at Sea

As the mineral-rich sea moss trends across serums, supplements and vanity shelves, experts caution a closer look at what it can truly deliver and what it can be harmful for

- KONKANA RAY

Your skin called. It wants something gentler.

Enter sea moss: the ocean-grown, red-coloured multitasker quietly taking over vanities, vitamin cabinets, and your Instagram FYP. Long revered in Caribbean folk remedies and Traditional Chinese medicine for its cooling, restorative vibe, this nutrient-dense red algae is having a full-blown wellness renaissance. Its naturally slimy, gelatinous texture can feel a little sci-fi. But that goo is packed with skin-loving compounds that promise hydration, barrier repair, and a calm-down moment for overstimulated complexions.

For 34-year-old Raina Malhotra, a swimming instructor in Pune, sea moss wasn't a Insta-impulse but a sacred ritual. After trying its serum, she noticed her skin felt less reactive post-pool. "It didn't change my skin dramatically," she says, "but it made it feel healthier." And sometimes, that's the glow-up.

What exactly is sea moss?