What the heck is it? It’s a naturally occurring red-orange pigment that is produced by the microalage Haematococcus pluvialis- rolls right off the tongue and sears itself seamlessly into your memory forever and always don’t it?

These micro algae produce this pigment to protect themselves from stressful environmental conditions like drought or high UV radiation - so yeah essentially those slimy yokes in shallow water are more resourceful than most of us eejits roaming the earth. Imagine instead of having to put SPF on everyday you could just turn yourself pink. So needless to say, this ingredient has some pretty powerful photo-protective properties.

Astaxanthin is transferred along the food chain and can be found in almost all red-coloured aquatic species like crustaceans, salmon, red trout that feast on the micro algae and store the astaxanthin in their tissue. When crustaceans are cooked, the astaxanthin is released from their shells which is why they turn that bright vibrant colour- I always wondered what that colour change serve was all about! Even flamingos get their diva pink hue from chowing down on astaxanthin-rich crustaceans 🦩!