Look younger with seaweed

Seaweed doesn’t sound very glamorous, but it’s a staple at luxe spas for good reason: Different types of the sea plant offer powerful anti-aging and instant-slimming benefits. And with these DIY recipes, you can turn back the clock on a dime!

Wrinkles?

To diminish lines and achieve freshfaced radiance, whip up a spirulina face mask. The blue-green seaweed is rich in beta-carotene, which stimulates new cell growth for smoother, firmer skin, says Debra Jaliman, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City. And applying the algae twice a day is proven to increase skin hydration levels, a key factor in reducing wrinkles.

To do: In a bowl, mix 1 Tbs. of spirulina powder (like Maju, Walmart.com) with 1 Tbs. of honey. Rub onto skin and let sit for 10 minutes; rinse. Repeat twice a day for results in 30 days.

Thinning hair?

Try a sea kelp hair mask. The magnesium in this brown algae stimulates protein synthesis to fortify strands and speed growth. A perk for those who have hard water: Dr. Jaliman says calcium in hard water can build on the scalp, clogging hair follicles and increasing shedding, but magnesium helps dissolve those deposits.

To do: Form a paste with 3 Tbs. of kelp powder (like Starwest Botanicals, Starwest-Botanicals.com) and 2 Tbs. of water. Rub onto damp scalp and let sit for 15 minutes; rinse. Use three times a week for results in 30 days.

Face and belly bloat?

Eliminate it with a bladder-wrack bath. Salty summer treats, fizzy drinks and hot weather can all lead to water retention that leaves us looking and feeling 10 pounds heavier. But this brown seaweed is packed with iodine, which absorbs into skin and helps regulate thyroid function, signaling the body to let go of any excess water weight, says Dr. Jaliman. You’ll look up to 2 inches trimmer after just one soak! Plus, the algae revs circulation to improve lymph flow, further ridding the body of the trapped fluids that lead to pounds of “false fat.” And by drawing water out from fat cells, seaweed also works to smooth out the appearance of cellulite.

To do: For a mess-free soak, look for a detox bath mix that comes with an enclosed sachet (like Seaweed

Bath Co. Whole Seaweed Detox Bath, SeaweedBathCo.com). Simply fill the sachet with powder and drop it into warm bathwater; soak for 20 minutes.