US entrepreneur helps turn Irish seaweed discovery into Mayo skincare business
Foxford based company has recently received a number of award nominations
When Jamie Dent first heard that Irish seaweed contained an extraordinary array of minerals, she thought it might be a useful fact to remember for a table quiz.
She did not expect it to eventually bring her to the west coast of Ireland and lead to the establishment of a skincare business in Mayo.
Jamie, who is originally from the United States, was raised on a ranch in a rural area and says her early surroundings gave her an appreciation for nature.
Her career, however, initially followed a different path. She worked as a teacher before moving into higher education, where she spent several years working with universities. She later moved into the corporate sector, working with companies on building sales teams and expanding their businesses.
“I am huge on education,” Jamie tells The Mayo News. “I love people.”
It was through a combination of that interest in education, her own experience with skin problems and a growing interest in seaweed that the idea for Sláinte Sea Moss Skincare began to take shape.
An unexpected discovery
Jamie’s interest in Irish seaweed began at a biohacking event, where she and her business partner, Mayo native James O’Neill, were discussing its potential as an ingredient.
The mineral content of Irish seaweed was one of the facts that caught her attention. Initially, she says, she thought little more of it than that it might be useful for a quiz.
But she began researching seaweed in greater detail and became interested in its potential applications in skincare.
It also had a personal relevance. Jamie says she had experienced skin problems including eczema and psoriasis.
“I had really bad skin,” she says.
Her experience led her to explore different approaches to skin health, including natural ingredients. As she continued researching Irish seaweed, she began looking at how it could be combined with other ingredients, including jojoba and essential oils.
That research eventually formed the basis of the skincare business she would establish with her business partner.
A different approach to ageing
Jamie says her approach to skincare differs from what she sees as a common emphasis within the beauty industry on reversing or disguising the signs of ageing.
“You’re supposed to have wrinkles,” she says. “That’s a sign of everything you’ve done in life.”
Rather than focusing primarily on appearance, she says the business places greater emphasis on maintaining skin health.
“You’re going to wear your skin for the rest of your life,” she says. “So that’s something that needs to be healthy.”
It is a distinction that informs how Jamie describes the business and its products, although the company remains part of a wider skincare market where claims about ingredients and their effects are subject to regulation.
Working with seaweed harvesters
Sláinte Sea Moss sources seaweed from harvesters along Ireland’s western coastline, with the company’s network extending from Mayo towards Donegal.
Jamie says the business works with harvesters to collect the quantities it requires rather than harvesting as much as possible.
“We’re not greedy,” she says.
The seaweed is cleaned and naturally dried before being processed. The company also uses ultrasound extraction as part of its production process.
Jamie says the cold waters of the west coast are one of the reasons she became interested in Irish seaweed as a skincare ingredient.
For a business based in Foxford, the relationship with the coastline has also become an important part of its identity, linking the finished products with the people and communities involved in harvesting the raw material.
From Ireland to the US
Ireland was not originally intended to be the company’s first market.
Jamie had planned to bring the business to the United States, where she believed there would be an established market for products based around seaweed and natural ingredients. She also saw potential in the country's large Irish-American population.
Regulatory requirements, however, meant that the company's plans changed and it launched in Ireland first.
The products subsequently began appearing at several locations frequented by tourists, including Ireland West Airport Knock, Shannon Airport, Kylemore Abbey and Foxford Woollen Mills.
The company has also expanded beyond Ireland. In Manchester, a medical spa has used its products as part of treatments including PRP and infrared therapy.
Recognition for the business
The company has also received a number of nominations and selections in recent years.
At the Irish Made Awards 2026, Sláinte Sea Moss was shortlisted as a national finalist in the Sustainability category. The company was also shortlisted for Private Irish Business of the Year at the Export Industry Awards 2026.
In 2026, it was selected as one of 25 finalists for the inaugural Makers’ Academy, a programme run by Kilkenny Design in partnership with the Local Enterprise Offices. It was one of three businesses from Connacht selected for the programme.
Jamie says she is “looking forward to an exciting future ahead” for Sláinte Sea Moss.