Beauty and the sea

MANILA, Philippines - The new millennium has seen care for the environment move from flower children to fashionistas. Formerly the province of tree-huggers, now even fashion houses and beauty icons find it chic to stand up for nature. It is Mother Nature, after all, who gifts us with the ingredients that keep our skin young and supple, our bodies stylishly covered.

No one embodies this philosophy more than Dr. Max Huber, the genius behind luxury brand La Mer. The aerospace physicist was drawn to the Pacific Ocean’s sea kelp, harnessing its rejuvenating powers in an effort to heal his chemical burns. After 12 years and over 6,000 experiments later came the Miracle Broth that is an integral ingredient of his famous Crème de la Mer. Because of this, Dr. Huber developed a deep appreciation for the sea and its mysteries, and as a result, La Mer has always been a friend to the ocean, and has promised to help preserve its ecosystems.

Water world

Most people take it for granted that since the world is composed of 70 percent water, there will always be enough liquid to go around. What folks often forget is that water sources can easily be polluted, and once water is rendered undrinkable, life as we know it is no longer possible.

This has led to many individuals changing their lifestyle for the better. And now, many companies have followed suit, with La Mer one of the leaders of the pack. Because it relies so much on Pacific sea kelp, La Mer has always made it a point to harvest only the top section of the plant, leaving the underwater sea kelp forest free to nurture the ecosystems that live in and around it, as well as protect the species from possible extinction.

La Mer celebrates World Ocean Day

This year, La Mer drives home the importance of preserving the seas by partnering with leading international ocean advocacy organization Oceana in celebration of World Ocean Day.

World Ocean Day, celebrated every June 8, was created in 1992 as a way to recognize the importance of the sea in our lives. It is also a constant reminder for the need to take action to preserve this natural resource.

Oceana has over 300,000 members in 150 countries, and includes supermodel Amber Valletta and US Champion Surfer Karina Petroni as some of its staunch supporters.

After spending time with Oceana’s scientists, La Mer vice president Andy Bevacqua believes that the biggest threat to the world’s oceans is not pollution but overfishing. Many fishermen use a technique called bottom trawling, which uses weighted nets to sweep across the ocean floor. The practice wreaks havoc on coral and other delicate marine life that take hundreds of years to bounce back. This, Bevacqua believes, makes the need for general education and policy change all the more urgent.

a Mer’s partnership with Oceana started in 2005. In 2008, the company donated $100,000 to the organization to help fund its research and ocean conservation projects. In 2009, La Mer partners with Oceana once again in an effort to raise awareness for the world’s oceans. This year, La Mer has come up with a limited edition 250ml “World Ocean Day” crème, with 100 percent of the profits going to Oceana.

So this June, drop by the La Mer counter and grab a tub of the special edition Crème de la Mer. You’re not only saving the environment, you’re also making sure that generations of women get their beauty fix. After all, where does the main ingredient for Miracle Broth come from, if not the ocean?