I get the most compliments on my skin when I use ishga’s Hydra+ Oil. That is a persuasive starting point for a review, particularly when the bottle costs £110 for 50ml.

My routine was simple: two pumps every evening before bed covered my entire face and neck. My skin felt very hydrated, and the glow lasted all day.

I also used the oil through my hair. Within five days, I noticed a difference in both my skin and hair. That is my personal experience of using it, rather than a promise of the same results for everyone.

From shore to skincare

ishga takes its name from the Gaelic word for water. Its identity is rooted in the Outer Hebrides, with local seaweed at the heart of the range.

The brand says it hand harvests fresh seaweed weekly, rotating collection sites to allow regrowth and using the harvest immediately. Co-founder and marine biologist Malcolm Macrae developed its low temperature extraction process to preserve useful compounds.

That clear journey from shoreline to skincare gives the brand a heritage I find particularly appealing.

What does the science say?

Hydra+ Oil contains extracts of two brown seaweeds: Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus.

Brown seaweeds contain polyphenols, including phlorotannins. Laboratory research on Fucus vesiculosus extracts has demonstrated antioxidant activity, helping explain the interest in seaweed as a skincare ingredient. This establishes ingredient potential; proving the finished oil’s long-term effects would require its own clinical testing.

The rest of the formula matters too. Borage and rapeseed oils provide emollience, helping soften skin. Glycerin and sodium hyaluronate contribute moisture-binding ingredients, with hyaluronic acid’s ability to bind water well established.

I like that combination of conditioning oils, moisture retention and marine extracts. My own experience was of hydration and a lasting glow.

Is it worth the price tag?

£110 makes this a considered luxury purchase. For me, the evening routine, how hydrated my skin felt and the result I noticed made it worthwhile.

Two pumps were enough for my face and neck, and using it consistently felt easy. The compliments were a welcome bonus.

Is seaweed the superhero of the beauty industry? It certainly makes an interesting case. With Hydra+ Oil, ishga gives it a place in a routine I enjoy.

Worth the price tag? Absolutely. I’ll take two next time.

ishga Hydra+ Oil: £110 for 50ml.
Photography by Adam Stewart.

Sources: Formula and price, seaweed research and hyaluronic acid research.