The hottest item at trendy West Village boutique CAP Beauty isn’t a pretty crystal-infused face oil — it’s seawater. Cold-filtered, plankton-rich seawater, to be exact.
The 10-milliliter glass ampoules of Quinton Hypertonic Marine Plasma from the Bay of Biscay retail for $3 apiece.
“It’s basically seawater that’s been ultra-purified,” says CAP co-founder Cindy DiPrima. She says that customers are throwing back the ampoules to “remineralize.”
“There’s a growing focus in the wellness industry on how important minerals are and how they can help modulate stress, help you sleep better, balance your hormones,” says DiPrima.
But let’s face it: the slim glass baubles just look cool.
“There’s something intriguing about them because of how they’re shaped — they look so scientific,” says DiPrima.
‘There’s something intriguing about them because of how they’re shaped — they look so scientific.’
But whether they’re scientifically sound is another story, according to hydration expert and University of Pennsylvania professor Dr. Stanley Goldfarb.
Yes, seawater is rich in minerals, says Goldfarb, but there’s nothing you can get from plankton that you can’t get from, say, celery. “Taking in plankton is nonsensical. It’s a plant — that’s all,” he says.
While mineral deficiencies do exist, most people are just fine with a balanced diet. “The body is designed to keep the interior milieu constant,” says Goldfarb. “That’s why the species has been so successful.”
Drinking seawater can even be dangerous in large servings. Consuming too much salt, says Goldfarb, makes a person urinate more than usual, which can, ironically, cause mineral loss and dehydration.
Goldfarb says one or two of the ampoules won’t hurt most healthy imbibers, but there’s no need to drop cash on what’s basically fish food.
“Plankton is good if you’re a whale,” he says. “There’s no magic here.”