It covers more than 70 per cent of the earth, so it is little wonder that the ocean is a rich source of natural ingredients. And given many of these must withstand harsh UV radiation and pollution, as well as dramatic temperature changes, marine ingredients have long been of interest to skincare companies.

Pauline Dubois is a senior formulation chemist at Boost Lab in New Zealand, specialising in cosmetic formulation. She has worked at skincare companies in Britain and the US – she can’t disclose which ones – and is passionate about sourcing the right ingredients to improve skin.