Alga Maris
Laboratoires de Biarritz were created in 2010 by Muriel and Jean Marc Dubois. A project that emerged thank to personal, family, and environmental concerns, and that aims at creating organic and innovative solar products with a high quality.
Laboratoires de Biarritz launched their first product line, Algamaris, certified organic sun protection products that hit the market in spring 2012.
This alternative and passionate approach continues with the development of their skin care line in 2013. Prevention is based on cytoprotection, prevention rather than cure for skin damage, because at any age, healthy skin is beautiful skin.
Laboratoires de Biarritz carry out research on especies of algae that are plentiful and not endangered. In compliance with the Ecocert organic certification, the formulation selects only those ingredients that are necessary. Each of these ingredients is derived from a natural source, and in so far as possible, they are organically grown.
Are mineral sunscreens toxic to marine ecosystems?
Several studies were conducted to evaluate the toxicological potential of TiO2 and ZnO minerals towards marine life. Most of the results did not reveal any toxicity on the studied organisms. Only nanoparticles with sizes below 30 nm and without coating did show moderate effect on micro-algae growth, however with concentrations too high to be representative of an environmental context.
Results show that toxicity, if any, is inversely correlated to the size of particles. No study to our knowledge did reveal any toxicity of ZnO and TiO2 with sizes superior to 150 nm like the one we use.
Interestingly, the same experiments revealed that particles naturally aggregate when dispersed in aqueous media and rapidly sediment. It is worth noting that TiO2 is a common mineral that is entering composition of sand. ZnO, although less common, is also a mineral found in nature.
Do you use products from animals ? Do you test the products on animals ?
Since the creation, Les Laboratoires de Biarritz have always been opposed to animal testing and does not test on animals in compliance with EU regulations. We use alternative methods to test our compounds and our finished products. We use natural ingredients and possibly biological : our products consist of more than 99.5% of natural origin. Moreover, we don’t use animal ingredients except the organic beeswax in SPF50 + stick ALGAMARIS , fluid moisturizer METEOLOGIC hands and moisturizer METEOLOGIC hands .
How does Alga-gorria work?
Alga-gorria is an active principle composed of a group of molecules with powerful antioxidants.
Alga-gorria captures free radicals very effectively, with an antioxidant power that is 13 times higher than a group of antioxidant molecules found on the cosmetics market. This exceptional power is related to the capacity to protect against UV rays developed by Gelidium sesquipedale throughout its evolution.
What is the difference between a chemical filter and a mineral filter?
Mineral filters form a thin protective layer on the skin that intercepts the sun’s rays. Chemical filters react on the skin and with the skin.
Mineral screens are very fine powders with a high coverage level. Their action is therefore purely physical. These pigmentation powders are composed of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These pigments are very well tolerated and present not only the advantage of not causing side effects related to tolerance or toxicity, but also of being non-polluting. These natural filters protect against the whole range of UV rays and they are active from the moment they are applied, because they reflect the UV rays that hit the skin.
Chemical filters penetrate the epidermis and create a filtering layer that absorbs the UV rays. They are often compared to sponges. These filters are not activated until 20 to 30 minutes after application. In addition, they are suspected of changing the hormonal balance in men and polluting the environment (ex.: bleaching of coral).
What protection does Algamaris provide against UVA rays?
Afssaps (the French health and safety agency for health products) recommends a maximum ratio of 3 between UVB/UVA or in other words between SPF/PPD*. Algamaris can claim an excellent protection against UVA rays because it obtains a ratio of 1 to 2, a much better rating that the recommended limit.
*PPD = Persistent Pigment Darkening: measures the skin’s reaction to UVA rays
Why is Algamaris recommended for daily use? What are the benefits of regular use for my skin?
UV rays play a very important role in the phenomenon of ageing skin cells because they cause changes to the cells’ DNA, which can have very serious consequences for our health. You do not need to wait until you are at the beach or in situations of extreme sun exposure to use the sunscreen cream because the skin is subjected to the sun’s rays even when it is cloudy and all year round.
Effective protection is therefore indispensable to diminish the penetration of UV rays into the skin. The cream must provide very good protection against UVA rays. Algamaris has demonstrated this excellent protection. Be careful, this is not the case with day creams that only have an protection factor against UVB rays.
Moreover, Algamaris provides true prevention and also helps limit the amount of repairs. Most anti-ageing treatments promise to repair sun damage. Algamaris is positioned upstream and promises to avoid sun damage by frequent use all year round.
For your children, Algamaris presents a unique opportunity. In fact, it is during the first 18 years of life that we get the greatest amount of exposure to the sun’s rays. Taking this into account along with the fragility of a small child’s skin, the prevention offered by Algamaris gives you the best chance of preserving your child’s natural defence against the sun’s rays. This is why we recommend frequent use especially for your children.
Written: in April, 2016.
Information Source: http://www.laboratoires-biarritz.fr
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Alga Maris SPF50+ sunscreen cream for children, 100ml
Regular Price: €24.90
Special Price Excl. VAT: €4.17 Incl. VAT: €5.00