True Stories
From the ocean to the skin: meet Oceanwell
Dr. Inez Linke, co-founder and Managing Partner of oceanBASIS
Dr. Inez Linke is co-founder and Managing Partner of oceanBASIS GmbH, a company founded in 2001 in Kiel, Germany. oceanBASIS specializes in making active ingredients from the sea available for health and beauty applications, all while protecting and preserving the marine ecosystem. Together with her team, Dr. Linke, an expert marine biologist, developed and launched the maritime natural cosmetics brand Oceanwell in 2001.
NATRUE: What is the idea behind Oceanwell?
Inez Linke: Initially, marine biologists looked into the cultivation of native seaweed and found that such aquaculture has a positive effect on the marine environment, improving water quality and protecting the habitat “algae forest”. The algae grew very well in the marine farm, and we had the idea to develop products for health and beauty from it. By means of a specially developed fermentation process, oceanBASIS obtained the valuable ingredients of the algae, and this active ingredient extract became the basis for the natural cosmetics of Oceanwell. But Oceanwell are more than just natural cosmetics: our brand is an authentic ambassador for responsible use of marine resources.
NATRUE: What is the “star ingredient” of Oceanwell’s products? What makes this ingredient special?
Inez Linke: The most important ingredient of Oceanwell is its own fermented seaweed extract. Seaweeds absorb minerals and trace elements directly from seawater over their entire surface, and store them in very high concentrations. This is why they have the highest nutrient density of all plants. For instance, one kilogram of fresh algae contains marine active ingredients from around 10,000 litres of seawater. Algae contain all the trace elements that the human body needs. At the same time, they are organically bound so that the body can use them well. More than 80 different substances can be detected in algae. The various groups of substances work synergistically together and thus moisturize the skin effectively, supply the cells with energy, activate cell metabolism and promote regeneration and cell renewal.
NATRUE: How does Oceanwell see the new “blue beauty” trend? And how do you contribute to it?
Inez Linke: “Blue Beauty” should not be just a trend, but a fundamental attitude, because the “health” of the oceans is very important everywhere in the world. That is the cornerstone of Oceanwell, which is one of the first brands to be NATRUE certified. With its various synergistic ingredients, seaweed shows great potential for cosmetics. In addition, the cultivation of seaweed has a positive effect on the marine environment and, since it binds CO2, also a positive effect on the climate.
The topic of packaging is also very important to Oceanwell. We use recyclable packaging with high product safety and a good CO2 balance. We are constantly researching into new plastic-free materials that are suitable for cosmetic packaging. In addition, we actively support marine conservation with our “Protect the Ocean” initiative: we have supported the protection of sea turtles in Ivory Coast since 2015. At the end of 2020, the Ivorian government announced the establishment of the first marine protected area, located where “our” protected area is. We are incredibly proud of this achievement! We also support the association “One Earth – One Ocean” (OEOO) in the recovery of ghost nets in the Baltic Sea. Ghost nets are abandoned fishing nets that can become death traps for marine mammals, fish, seabirds and molluscs, and also decompose into microplastics over time.
NATRUE: What role does innovation play in Oceanwell’s products?
Inez Linke: Innovation is a very important aspect for us. That’s why we are also involved in various research projects on the subject of marine active ingredients. For example, we have recently been able to incorporate innovative oceanic collagen in our OceanCollagen series. We are also currently developing a sunscreen made from algae.
NATRUE: What would you say to brands that want to join NATRUE? And to consumers that look for truly natural and organic cosmetic products?
Inez Linke: I would say that NATRUE is a great international, transparent standard for true natural cosmetics – Come and join the community! If consumers want true natural cosmetics, they should buy products with the NATRUE Label. Many customers still ask us if our products contain substances like parabens, silicones, microplastics, etc. These substances are not allowed in the NATRUE Standard. When they see the NATRUE seal, consumers can be reassured that no petrochemical substances are present in the product.
For more information about Oceanwell, visit https://www.oceanwell.de/
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