Written by OSEA Staff | Updated April 21, 2025
Sustainability is a part of our DNA. Our founder and mom, Jenefer, likes to say that we were “green when it was just a color.” Being “green,” or sustainable, is more than a philosophy; it’s our way of life. This commitment extends beyond our beautiful seaweed-based ingredients and our dark green logo. Since 1996, our family has put our values into every product we make and everything we do. For over 29 years, we’ve been on a mission to change the beauty landscape, and the earth, for the better.
What’s in a Name?
In our case, a whole lot. OSEA stands for Ocean, Sun, Earth and Atmosphere. These are nature’s elements and represent a promise that every decision, every product is made with consideration of our impact on our planet and our collective well-being.
Sustainability & Packaging
At OSEA, we’ve always been guided by the belief that sustainability is our only viable future. That’s why when we launched our business back in the ’90s, we chose to prioritize widely recyclable packaging materials, like glass.
As part of our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we are minimizing the use of virgin plastic by transitioning to product pumps and lids made from post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials, with a goal of increasing PCR content to at least 50% across all plastic components. We are minimizing our paper use by resizing our shipper boxes to use less cardboard and transitioning to smaller shippers. We are also proud to be increasing the percentage of PCR material in our product unit boxes so we can rely less on virgin paper and have discontinued printed insert cards in an effort to decrease unnecessary paper use.
We’re excited to have partnered with TerraCycle® to provide a recycling program for skincare packaging at our flagship Venice Skincare Studio in L.A. Learn more about how to recycle your skincare products here.
Climate Responsible
As a brand inspired by the ocean, we have a distinct duty to protect the elements that we draw from. We know that the world needs to meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which is why, in 2020, we became one of the first The Climate Label Certified brands. Each year we measure our cradle-to-customer emissions, implement action plans to reduce emissions, and invest in high quality, verified carbon credits to help compensate for our emissions.
Ocean Responsible
As a seaweed-based skincare brand, we also know that healthy oceans are crucial to the protection of our planet. That’s why in 2022 we began partnering with SeaTrees to support coastal restoration projects that sequester (“suck”) carbon from the atmosphere. Our current projects include:
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Southern Cardamom REDD+ Project
We’re working to help protect 497,000 hectares of coastal forests, wetlands and mangroves. -
Mida Creek, Kenya Project
We’re helping to plant 1.5 million mangrove trees to revive Mida Creek and support coastal communities.
Vegan & Cruelty Free
We believe that animal rights matter, which is why we have always used vegan and cruelty-free ingredients. In 2000 we became vegan certified by PETA. We’re also proud to be Cruelty Free-certified by Leaping Bunny since 2000.
Sustainable Partnerships
Since 1996, we have partnered with organizations that share our goals in creating sustainable solutions for our planet. Recent partnerships include SeaTrees, Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation.