Irish Moss as a Gelling Agent (Plus an Easy Hydrogel Face Mask Recipe!)

The ocean has a (beauty) secret. Irish moss has a long history of traditional use in Ireland and other coastal communities. It’s been harvested for various purposes over the years, including a food source, a remedy for respiratory ailments and a thickening agent in culinary and medicinal preparations. It also happens to be a terrific choice for water-based skincare formulations where a gel-like texture is desired. Thanks to its high mucilage content, Irish moss is a top-notch natural gelling agent capable of adding texture and viscosity to skincare formulations — without the need for added gums!

“All the Lipids” Facial Oil with Sea Buckthorn

Awhile back, I was given a sample of Skin Active’s Every Lipid Serum to try out and really liked it. So of course, I immediately set out to make my own version. It started out as a pretty solid dupe, but true to form, I ended up going a bit rogue. (*squirrel!* *shiny ball!* *herbs!*)