Scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture state that 100 grams of edible sea moss is very nutritious and contains very high amounts of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and iron. It also has magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, copper, iodine, and other trace minerals. [Bradford Angier, Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants, Harrisburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books, 1978.]

Irish moss is extremely soothing whether taken internally or externally. Historically, it has been used for respiratory disorders and as a nutritious food for the elderly and invalids. It is also used to ease the pain of gastric problems.

Drying and reconstituting qualities

Irish moss can be stored for years when it is dried. It maintains its nutritious value and swells up to its original size again when remoistened. This is one of its attributes that make it such a valuable ingredient in cosmetic preparations. I love working with it; it seems almost magical the way it can be stored dry for years and then grow back to its original size.

A natural thickener

Irish moss partially dissolves in water and forms a viscous gel. It reacts with mild protein to form a thick gel. Instead of synthetically derived emollients in thickeners, Irish moss can be used effectively.

It is an emollient and enhances any organic skin care product. I use it in an organic seaweed cleanser, and it works well to help the product feel soothing and wonderful on the skin. It nourishes the skin with all of its precious botanical constituents.

Irish moss is a seaweed that is harvested in shallow water. When my mother was a teenager, she and her brothers and sisters packed it into large burlap sacks. She remembers that they got paid two cents a pound by a company that sold it to a milk processor. The Irish moss kept the chocolate milk in suspension.

Chemical constituents: Five polysaccharide complexes known as carageenans, sulphur, iodine, bromine, and iron.