The Anti-Aging Miracle from the Sea: Meet Sea Samphire

Have you ever heard of sea samphire, also known as sea fennel, rock fennel, crest marine or just ‘samphire’? If we want to be fancy, sea samphire’s scientific name is actually Crithmum maritimum. If you haven’t heard of it, you have now! Sea Samphire is a marine plant from coasts all over the world that has some insane health benefits that you should know about.

Recently, you might have seen something called “bakuchiol” popping up in the latest skincare trends. Bakuchiol is a natural retinol replacement, so, it’s great for its anti-aging effects, but it’s actually endangered. Luckily, sea samphire has the same effects and is a lot more plentiful! 

Where Does Sea Samphire Come From?

Sea samphire loves to grow in rocks, cliffs, rocky shores, etc. (you get the idea) and thrives in the sun in the sandy soil of the beach as it starts to grow in Spring and blossom in Summer. (Sounds like we’d get along really well!) It’s also a succulent plant whose closest relatives are carrots and parsley.  

Sea samphire is famous for being found in the Mediterranean; the Black sea; along the coast from the Canary Islands to Northern France; and in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Norway. But sea samphire is not just a European plant, it can be found all over the world—including along the East coast of the United States. 

In fact, Ali, CEO of Earth Harbor, used to pick sea samphire on her marsh adventures just down the street from where she grew up in St. Simons, Georgia to eat as a crunchy, salty snack! 

So basically sea samphire loves the beach and is historically healthy and an avid traveler. In other words, it fits right into the Earth Harbor family!

What Does Sea Samphire Do?

Because sea samphire is so plentiful, it is also sustainable in the use of food, herbal medicine, and even skincare! (Keep reading for some awesome news!)

Historically, sea samphire has been used in salads, as an asparagus-like vegetable, and even as a tea! It’s great for your digestive system and contains a healthy dose of iodine, flavonoids, and Vitamin C. Sea samphire was even used to treat scurvy at one point!

Being the superhero that it is, sea samphire also has healing effects on skin! 

Just like retinol—which is a derivative of Vitamin A (a fat-soluble, synthesized vitamin) that is found in many anti-aging non-natural skincare products—sea samphire has anti-aging properties that help skin elasticity, reduce redness to improve tone, and soothe skin as inflammation is reduced. Even with its healthy skin rejuvenation powers, retinol can cause irritation and skin sensitivity and isn’t suggested for those who are pregnant or have sensitive skin. However, sea samphire is a natural skin-soothing substance that is safe for all skin types and friendly for those who are pregnant for a win all-around. It's important to understand that sea samphire has no structural resemblance to retinoids and is not a sea-version of retinol, but rather a botanical active that functions as an anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, potent form of non-synthetic Vitamin A, and more.

While aging skin is natural, your daily routine can affect the health of your skin as you age. For example, overexposure to the sun, work stress, sleep deprivation, or a diet rich in sugar and fats can cause uneven skin tones, inflammation, redness, and other negative effects. The purpose of skincare is to take care of our body’s biggest organ because it protects us from disease and injury. The fact is that it can only continue to protect us if we take care of it. Studies have shown that natural skincare solutions and especially those that incorporate marine life such as sea samphire can reverse some of those effects by regenerating proteins and healthy skin cells to help you feel more comfortable in your own skin. 

Our New Serum

So how can you get a piece of this anti-aging, inflammation fighter without having to scavenge along the nearest coast? Because sea samphire is such a natural at repairing skin and loves the beach as much as we do, we decided to make it part of our family.

Meet Samphire, the first sea-retinol serum ever created!

Our newest skincare gem is non-irritating, non-photosensitizing, and filled with phyto-Vitamin A & C. With daily application, and through biomimicry, she naturally regenerates healthy skin cells to give your skin a hydrated, glowing look so that your natural beauty can shine through! Because sea samphire, unlike other retinol-like products, is so plentiful, you don’t have to feel guilty for endangering such a gem of a species. Sensitive skinned merbabes can also relax because Samphire promises to treat all skin with the utmost care. 

Another bonus of this gem is that she is also known to block blue light! (You know, the skin-damaging light from your digital screens that reflects off of your face all day?) 

Samphire is here to keep your skin happy, healthy, and youthful while she treats you like the queen that you are. You don’t deserve anything less.

Check her out and learn more here.

Written By: Alexis Inouye

Sources:

https://www.herbal-supplement-resource.com/rock-samphire-herb-uses.html

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.12528

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24471735

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1473-2165.2011.00584.x?casa_token=2ptRqQWE2TkAAAAA%3AhuzfFDVn1FH7MIAMqtzw4Kdjd1WhZp4ALE0hgiALIycWLFxKBmI7DIV42adSQIFP2RCwEaT2YwQzCwE

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6791161/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6148055/

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If pregnant, we always recommend checking with your doctor.