7 Fathoms: Diving Deep into the Power of Seaweed for Skincare Innovation

At the Canadian Cosmetic Cluster, we are passionate about uncovering the stories behind innovative brands in the blue economy space. Today, we are thrilled to spotlight 7 Fathoms, a marine-based skincare brand rooted in resilience and discovery. Co-founded by Courtney and Terrence Howell, 7 Fathoms began as a personal journey to find relief from severe contact dermatitis and evolved into a mission to harness the incredible power of seaweed for skin health and sustainability. Join us as we delve into the inspiration behind 7 Fathoms, the transformative benefits of their seaweed-based formulations, and their dedication to environmental stewardship. From the challenges of introducing seaweed to Western skincare markets to their vision for expanding into North America, this brand is redefining what it means to innovate responsibly in beauty.

1. What inspired you to create 7 Fathoms, and how did the idea of using seaweed in skincare come about?

7 Fathoms Co-founder Terrence Howell was in a two plus year battle with severe contact dermatitis on his abdomen that originated from an allergy to plastic in his ostomy flanges and medical adhesive tape.   After a winter storm, Terrence “discovered” a brown seaweed with an oozing gel washed up on the beach in Grates Cove where we live and work. He applied this raw extract onto his very red, raw skin and was very quickly met with a sense of calm on his skin that he had not felt in a very long time.  The next day his skin was less red and in less than a week of applying the raw extract, it was obvious that he was finally on a path of skin repair, recovery, and improved quality of life. The experience was undeniable and led us to question, What is this?  Why does this work?  What else can it do?  We then pursued seaweed extraction.  We were mindful to use gentle green methods that would protect the bioactives in the seaweed as we extracted while also producing an extract that replicated Terrence’s initial experience.  From that point we started developing high bioactive skin care products.  

2. Can you tell us about the specific benefits of seaweed for skin health and what makes it such a powerful ingredient in your products?

We do not fully understand how the synergistic properties of seaweed work, but we know through our own experience, our analysis and our research of scientific literature, that seaweed has multiple roles and functions that aid in health and homeostasis both in and on the body.  The types of brown macro algae seaweed species that we work with have been evolving for over a billion years.  While other parts of the world have been embracing and trusting seaweed to aid in overall health for over a thousand years, in the west we are just starting this embrace.  We can point to the multiple bioactive compounds and nutrients in brown macro algae.  One compound that we specifically point to is the bioactive fucoidan. It has so many functions in and outside of the body.  In cosmetic formulations it hydrates, moisturizes and calms the skin.  It also helps build the outer layer of the skin.  This is only the beginning of what this bioactive compound can do, especially if it and other compounds are protected during extraction and formulated to produce highly bioactive skincare.  

3. Sustainability is a significant focus in today’s beauty industry. How does 7 Fathoms prioritize environmental responsibility in both product sourcing and packaging?
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We sustainably wild harvest species  Laminaria digitata and Fucus vesiculosus (Bladderwrack).  As 7 Fathoms grows, we also strive to farm or work with farmers to grow these species in our cold, turbulent waters off the coast of Newfoundland.  We need a relatively small amount of seaweed to produce a relatively large quantity of highly bioactive extract.  Our presence and our impact in the wild is minimal.  
When we look for packaging, we consider recycled materials, refillable packaging, ocean bound plastics, bioplastics and also the distance for shipping packaging.  Currently, we are using a tube with 45% ocean bound plastic that was manufactured in Montreal, Canada.  We also use aluminum tubes and refillable bottles.  As we grow and have more capital to access different types of packaging, we will choose packaging made with 80 plus percent ocean bound plastic and/or packaging made with bioplastics.  We will also look for this type of packaging that is manufactured within Canada or the nearest location to us. We look for support oils that are effective for skin barrier health and, when possible, can be sourced in Canada or from a relatively close distance to us.  We are also starting to test emulsifiers that are made from seaweed.

4. What challenges have you faced bringing a marine-based skincare line to the market, and how have they shaped your brand’s journey?

Educating people about seaweed and its benefits is a continual part of our journey.  Seaweed is the main ingredient in our formulas, so we have to embrace it and talk about it and help people understand why it is so important.  It has taken time to help consumers get past preconceived ideas about seaweed being a nuisance, that it smells funny and that it is kind of icky.  Just in the few years that we have been working with seaweed, we can see the tide changing on this.  Consumers are starting to understand and embrace the power of seaweed and that it can be an effective, sustainable part of our future.

5. As you expand into the North American market, what are you most excited about sharing with new customers, and what can they expect from 7 Fathoms in the future?
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Our current product line is made with our extract from Laminaria digitata.  It has served so many of our customers who are in need of skin barrier renewal.  This product line has allowed us to connect with men, women and children who are experiencing different types of skin barrier concerns.  At the same time, we have been developing our extract with bladderwrack and coming to know its unique properties as compared to Laminaria digitata.  We have combined the two extracts to make a hybrid extract that we feel can aid in skin barrier health in new ways.  We are so excited about our upcoming formulations made with our hybrid extract made with highly bioactive Laminaria digitata and Bladderwack.  Our customers can expect the launch of our hybrid lotion, hair cleanser and deodorant in 2025.