An ocean harvest

An ocean harvest

Capturing the soothing power of sea swimming through unique Scilly-derived spa products.

At Hell Bay’s Treatment Shed, you’ll find a refreshed spa menu shaped around a natural product range created on St Martin’s.

“One of these days, I’m going to plunge my hand in and get nipped by a crab!” laughs Ella McLachlan. “It hasn’t happened yet, but it’s bound to!”

It’s a glorious morning and we’re strolling along the St Martin’s flats. In the height of summer, you’ll find kayaks all along the sand here, but this is late September and there’s nothing but an expanse of smooth white sand.

As we talk, we’re in search of an unusual harvest. It’s something most of us walk past without heeding, but for Ella, creator of the island’s Phoenix & Providence skincare products, it’s a vital ingredient.

A thick and irregular band of greenish-brown marks the high tide’s reach, but this isn’t our destination. The tide is out, and we’re heading for the wet-sand shallows, where large clumps of bladderwrack seaweed are growing.

If in doubt, this is where you’ll often find Ella, armed with just a sturdy pair of scissors and her trusty wheelbarrow. She snips small handfuls from each mass before moving on to the next, being sure to leave enough behind for regrowth.

“When everything else is a bit hectic, this is my Zen zone”, Ella smiles.

She’s right; working here in the fresh sea air is a slow but strangely therapeutic process, and one that perfectly represents the ethos of Phoenix & Providence.

“The business really came about because I wanted to capture the essence of a Scilly swim”, she explains. “It’s that sense of calm invigoration that you feel after getting out of the sea.”

Three years in the making, Phoenix & Providence is an impressive skincare and wellbeing brand based around the many benefits of seaweed. Long used in beauty treatments, this ocean

harvest is rich in essential vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, as well as being anti-inflammatory and – importantly – plentiful, making its use kind on the environment too.

St Martin’s is an ideal destination for foraging bladderwrack, as Ella explains.

“The water here is so clear. I always cut the seaweed fresh, as you can see that it’s clean and growing, rather than being washed up. That way, you know you’re getting something really healthy.

“I’m actually not the first person to do this; kelp grown on the island was historically burnt for soap making, so it’s nice to feel that things are coming around full circle.”

After cutting, Ella washes the seaweed and lays it out on custom-made drying racks. The length of drying time varies, as it ebbs and flows with the seasons.

“It’s far easier to dry seaweed in the summer”, says Ella. “During a sunny season, it’ll dry in a couple of days, but the winter can be damp. A local lady has seaweed hanging in her porch, and if it starts going damp, we know it’s going to rain. People think that’s just an old fallacy, but it’s true.”

When the seaweed has dried, some is cut and ground to make bath salts and face masks, while the rest is infused in jars of organic cold pressed oil. The concoction sits for one month (no rushing here!) before being drained, with the unmistakably sea-scented oil then forming the base for products. This might be subtly blended with essential oils, or left entirely natural, depending on what Ella’s making.

“Facial products are always fragrance free as the skin on your face can be really sensitive – you don’t want anything else in there. At Hell Bay’s Treatment Shed, the balm is used for a facial cleanse, followed by the face oil.”

“For other products used at Hell Bay, I’ve added the scents you’d recognise from around the island: peppermint, rosemary, juniper and eucalyptus. This way, it’s an authentic Scilly experience.”

The Treatment Shed’s entire spa menu is now designed around Phoenix & Providence products, and you’ll also find them popping up in the Tresco Spa.

“It’s a natural process of working together; I’m able to give ideas of how best to use the products, and treatments are shaped around them. I supply spas on the mainland too, but they have to feel right; I don’t necessarily work with every venue as some – for instance, those offering chemical peels, and things like that – just don’t have the same ethos.

“But with Hell Bay, it feels so right for me, and it seems to have worked for them, too. I’ve heard from people saying how lovely the treatments are, and that’s brilliant.”

Helen Snowdon, Spa Therapist at Hell Bay Hotel, agrees: “I’ve really enjoyed working with Phoenix & Providence products this season. Guests have been very curious about the products and love that they are local and made with seaweed foraged on St Martin’s. As I’m an aromatherapist, for some treatments I’ll add essential oils tailored to the individual client – these, combined with the seaweed infused oils, make the skin so soft and radiant.”

Interestingly, Ella was able to experience her own products firsthand, during a recent visit to the spa.

“I had really bad jaw ache after some dental work, and I couldn’t get rid of it. I went to have a facial, which includes massage with the oil, and the pain completely went away. It was amazing!”

Though the spa experience is an on-island luxury, Ella is keen to extend the spirit of self-care and ritual to those who also buy her products online. With every order, she shares a link to a facial massage video, encouraging customers to carve out time in their day for wellbeing.

“It’s not just about what you put on your skin. It’s looking after your whole self. At the moment, I’m working on offering more around this, so there’ll be a new heart space website offering free resources for everyone, even if they don’t buy anything.”

And with this in mind, what’s next for Phoenix & Providence?

“We started with four staple products, and we now have seven. I have so many ideas that I actively have to rein myself in! I’m keen to keep the range minimalist, to avoid the overwhelm that comes with too much choice. Rather than a vast array of products, our skincare range is streamlined and considered.”

“However, I’ve also started creating really lovely gift boxes, and working with other makers, such as LA LUNA candles and Nuditea teabags. I seem to have naturally made connections with a lot of Cornish businesses, which wasn’t intentional; I think we’re just on the same wavelength.”

This year, Ella has also been able to employ two extra staff on a flexible part-time basis.

“Living on an island, with no childcare available, it’s nice to feel that I’m giving women a job that they can fit in around the rest of their lives.”

With rave reviews and award nominations flowing in, it seems the sky – or should that be the sea? – is the limit for Phoenix & Providence. One thing seems certain, however: for Ella, it’s all about staying true to your roots.

Experience Phoenix & Providence as part of a spa ritual at the Hell Bay Treatment Shed. Alternatively, shop for products at Tresco Spa, Lucy-Tania, or online: phoenixandprovidence.co.uk