The starfish is an amazing creature that has a unique capacity to regenerate. itself. They have the ability to regrow limbs lost in a predator attack, in fact their regeneration ability is so amazing that an entire starfish can be grown from a lost limb. They do not have blood but circulate seawater through canals in their bodies. It is this fluid that is collected in a non-harmful way and is refined and concentrated and then used in our skincare products.
The story of how the starfish’s coelomic fluid is collected is a great example of responsible stewardship. Starfish are often seen a nuisance species, especially with mussel growing operations, where they attack the lines. These invaders cost the growers lost revenues through the damage they do. Now, the mussel farmers are paid for the starfish they collect and instead become a revenue generator. The starfish are milked by briefly hanging over a tank where the fluid is collected. No harm is done to starfish and when the process is completed, they are returned to the same areas they were collected. A great win-win for the starfish, the mussel growers and of course the skincare consumer where they benefit from this powerful regenerating fluid.
Clinical studies have shown the starfish coelomic fluid promotes collagen production with long-lasting anti-wrinkle benefits along with a strong improvement in skin firmness, elasticity and moisture retention. The studies compared this extract with retinol and it performed equally well, if not better, without having any of the negative side effects.