Samudra Skin & Sea

I’m still toughing out winter, but thankfully the darkest day of the season has come and gone. I can finally look forward to longer, warmer, and more sunlit days. Even though I live in the Northwest, a region known for its heavy clouds and monochrome days, I’m optimistic about spring’s approach.

Though I’m not a winter enthusiast, I embraced it this year as an opportunity to rest, reflect and adopt self-care practices. I’ve never been a big consumer of beauty or skincare products, but with an outdoor, on the go lifestyle, I began to look for ways to rejuvenate my dry and rough skin. In my search, I found Samudra Skin & Sea.

Samudra Skin & Sea is a socially conscious skincare line based in San Francisco, CA. Samudra, which means ‘ocean in Sanskrit, emphasizes ocean protection and conservation as the heart of their mission. With every purchase of their seaweed suffused products, Samudra’s goal is to bring benefits
to skincare routines, and raise awareness of our impact on the ocean and her creatures.

I got to test Samudra’s Body Butter and Clay Mask. Here’s what I found:

Pros:

• All products are plant based and cruelty-free. Have you ever looked at the ingredients on your makeup products? Most have questionable components that aren’t regulated by the FDA. Samudra’s skincare line uses the regenerative qualities of wild seaweed and simple plant-based ingredients that are full of antioxidants and minerals that nourish the skin.
• The company is woman-owned. With a background in marine science and ocean conservation, founder Shilpi Chhotray took her desire for values-based purchasing and ocean conservation to create this stellar mission-based company. Her lifelong desire to protect our beautiful blue planet is something we support!
• They are guided by an ‘ocean first’ ethos. As part of their mission, they emphasize ocean protection by promoting and partnering with organizations that benefit people and marine life. They also use a local harvester to help them gather seaweed (the core ingredient in their products) safely and responsibly, using a technique called wildcrafting that ensures the plant continues to thrive.
• The packaging is eco-friendly. From product design to packaging to shipping, Samudra strives to keep our oceans and landfills plastic-free. In fact, most products come in a beautiful glass jar that can be reused as a container for an air plant or a candle holder. The products all arrive in boxes that are both recyclable and compostable as well.
• The products work. My skin type is dry and the body butter was the perfect remedy for my parched winter skin. The butter felt weightless, smooth and melted into my skin providing hydration and nourishment. The clay mask felt luxurious and the exfoliation was gentle and polishing. I wore the mask for 15 minutes and my skin felt luminous and renewed after a warm water wash. (*The clay-based formula can also be tailored to any skin type)

 

Cons:

It’s Expensive: The body butter is $42 for a 100 ml jar, and the clay mask rings up at $28 for a 50 ml jar. For comparison, a body butter product similar in size from the Body Shop would cost around $10 and a clay mask about $16.

Products are almost exclusively available online. Most of  Samudra’s stockists are in San Francisco, so if you don’t live there you’ll need to purchase products from the website. Most of us are used to shopping online, but it’s convenient to be able to purchase something right when you need it, and nice to support a local store that carries it.

It can get messy. The clay-based mask is grey loose powder. Apply over the sink and in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty in case some of it gets on you.

 

Takeaways:

Samudra Skin & Sea creates thoughtful products that are great for all skin types. The price is more than average, but you’ll feel good knowing every purchase supports a small, socially conscious and ethical business. And remember, a little goes a long way so you won’t need to restock too quickly.

Samudra Skin & Sea’s mission is to provide pure skincare featuring wild seaweed while respecting the complexity and sanctity of the ocean. Through their core ingredient, they strive to protect ocean health and biodiversity. They partner with marine conservation campaigns that benefit people and marine life.