Whitley Bay's Sea the Love brings the healing power of the North Sea to skincare

Some business ideas are sparked in a boardroom. Sea the Love began with a sunny summer spent swimming off the North East coast. Founder Annabelle Hill, who grew up in Whitley Bay, had struggled with problematic skin as a teenager and noticed that after a lot of time in the sea her complexion looked healthier and more radiant.

That observation became the basis of a school assignment, in which Annabelle drew up a business plan for a skincare range made with natural, clean ingredients. After graduating in Marketing Management from Northumbria University in 2021, she returned to the idea and, with help from the university's Student and Graduate Enterprise team and its incubator, turned it into a real brand.

"I grew up in the seaside town of Whitley Bay, a place I credit a lot of inspiration to," Annabelle says on the brand's website. "The beach can be such a calming, beautiful place, and I've always found myself drawn to it."

Every Sea the Love product contains an organic deep-sea mineral extract rich in magnesium, and the range is infused with marine plants such as seaweed and kelp alongside actives including hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. The formulas are vegan and free from parabens, sulfates and silicones, and the products come in glass jars designed to be recyclable.

Looking after the sea itself is part of the plan. The brand commits to donating 50p from every sale to the Marine Conservation Society, which works to protect the oceans and their wildlife.

What makes Sea the Love stand out is its message. Annabelle wanted to build a community where people feel confident in their own skin, and the brand's self-care mantra, hear the love, feel the love, sea the love, encourages customers to begin their routine by looking in the mirror and naming what they love about themselves.

"You have to love your natural self and be comfortable with your own reflection," she said when the brand launched. "Hence, Sea The Love."

The range includes a gel cleanser, a seaweed serum, a radiant marine day cream and a sleepy beach night cream, and the brand has gathered dozens of warm reviews from customers.

Products are available online from the Sea the Love website, where customers can also join the brand's beach club for news and skincare tips.