Seaweed skincare contract

Seaweed from the Western Isles was specially selected to soothe the nerves of the world’s top female golfers at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Turnberry. With nearly £300,000 prize money at stake, tension amongst rivals was high.

Island firm Ishga won the contract to be the official skincare supplier to the tournament.

The company's range of organic treatments was used in a pop-up spa in the exclusive hospitality pavilion at Turnberry.

Gift sets were presented to all players and to VIP guests attending a dinner at the event.

Landing the three-year deal is a huge boost for Lewis-based Isgha which currently employs five people at its Westview Terrace base in Stornoway.

Anne Campbell harvests the seaweed for Isgha

Amanda Nicolson prepares the organic skincare products

Malcolm Macrae, a director of Ishga, is excited the firm was picked for the high profile event, particularly with hundreds of skincare companies eager to have achieved the accolade.

He said: “There’s not that many Scottish skincare products available and Ishga has achieved a lot of success at the luxury end of the market - so it seems a good fit for them at Turnberry

“I think that’s why they chose us over other companies. Its really nice they chosen a brand from the Hebrides - we use a natural resource for a product that’s created and manufactured in the Outer Hebrides."

The Ricoh Women’s British Open is one of the golfing highlights of the sporting calendar and is one of only two women majors played outside the US.

Seaweed skincare firm clinches VIP contract

2 Aug 2015