If you read the word ‘chia’, you probably think of the tiny little brown seeds that go into smoothies, organic mueslis, seed bars and other hippy food. And you’d be right. These little seeds really are a powerhouse of nutrients and antioxidants and there’s good reason they’re consumed in vast quantities by those who treat their bodies as temples.

Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein, (up to 20%), contain all essential amino acids, are packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, boron, niacin and vitamins B, D & E. They have more than 9 times the omega-3 content of wild Atlantic salmon, more than 3 times the iron content of raw spinach and more antioxidants than blueberries. Lekker! But why do we put chia into our skincare range, you may ask? Simple. The oil extracted from these super-seeds is also very, very good for the skin.

ChiaProtect is the cold pressured extra virgin botanical oil extracted from chia seeds. For centuries, the ancient indigenous Inca and Mayan civilizations knew about the incredible therapeutic benefits of Chia. In fact, Chia is the Mayan word for "strength", and the seeds were a favourite source of strength by Aztec warriors.

Today, Chia seed is being re-discovered as a superfood and a superfood for the skin - it’s no wonder we’ve included it as one of our two hero ingredients. ChiaProtect is loaded with very high levels of phyto-nutrients (vitamins and minerals), Omega-3, Omega-6 and antioxidants with barely pronounceable names like phytosterols, flavonoids and phenolic acids, tocopherols, myricetin, caffeic acid, kaempferol and quercetin.

These all work together to protect the skin, keep it young, hydrated and healthy. It helps to reduce inflammation, swelling, redness and itchiness – all known occurrences when you get fresh ink.  These tiny little miracles might be amazing in a smoothie, but we reckon they’re even better in our organic tattoo care products. (Don’t taste it though – it tastes horrible).