My name is: Ashlan Cousteau.
My stomping ground is: Los Angeles, CA.
I’m known for being: A TV host, explorer and ocean advocate.
I'm talking about: SeaWeed Naturals.
You can find it at: Select dispensaries in CA and for delivery directly to you across the state through our website seaweednaturals.com.
Before I launched this, I was: An entertainment reporter and anchor who left that career to become a conservationist and use storytelling to save the world—specifically our oceans.
My interest was sparked when: When I finished breastfeeding my first daughter, I couldn’t sleep and it was debilitating. After trying so many things, a friend gave me a night-time gummy and I had the best night of sleep in over a year. It opened my eyes to the power of cannabis wellness.
What inspired me to start this was: Many people and businesses don’t think about how important our ocean is, but it’s the ocean that controls our climate, waters our crops, ships most of our products, provides protein for billions of people around the globe and produces over half of the available oxygen in our atmosphere. We don’t want to sustain the ocean (or our planet) the way it is now. We want to regenerate it.
The idea behind it is: Philippe and I created this brand to bring a more sophisticated product to the wellness market. We know the clinically proven benefits of ocean botanicals like seaweed and vegan Omega 3s. By combining them with THC and CBD, we are creating a line of products that brings a whole new level of wellness to our customers. It just so happens that our products also help restore the ocean, create sustainable jobs and improve peoples’ lives.
What makes it different is: Seaweed and algae are naturally occurring ingredients that hydrate, minimize fine lines, promote collagen production, boost radiance and help treat hyperpigmentation in skin. They are also rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamin C and collagen. Marine algae (which contains omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA) helps relieve inflammation in skin and reduces aging from environmental aggressors like pollution. In addition, seaweed is safe for all skin types including those prone to breakouts and rosacea.
When ingested in our edible gummies, seaweed is a superfood and the omega 3 amino acids have been proven to improve the health of your skin, organs, bones and joints, and crucially, your brain. In addition, omega 3s have been shown to combat inflammation and fight depression and anxiety.
Our secret ingredient is: Seaweed, vegan omega 3s and melatonin in our Low Tide Gummies (which are perfect for relaxation and sleep).
My favorite lesser-known detail is: In each gummy, you get a third of your daily dose of omega 3s from algae. Not only does that enhance the therapeutic benefits of cannabis by adding the brain-boosting value of omega 3s, it’s also important because most people who take omega 3 supplements are getting those omega 3s from fish oil or krill oil. Those fishing industries are destroying our precious ocean ecosystem and disrupting the entire ocean food web, and it’s completely wasteful as fish and krill don't create their own omega 3s. They get it from eating algae! So, we can cut out the middle man (or middle fish) and use algae-based omega 3s. In essence, we are feeding our brains with critical omega 3s and helping the ocean at the same time.
Sleep is so important because: It is a necessity for survival. So yeah, pretty important.
My bedtime ritual is: Put my girls to bed, hopefully brush my teeth, take half a Low Tide gummy, snuggle up with my husband and rescue dog Kenai and float off to sleep.