My Wallet Filed a Complaint
My aunt sent me an Instagram post of a product she found called Face Earth's Sea Sugar, and naturally, we were intrigued.
So I did what any curious person with questionable financial judgment would do…
I bought it so you didn't have to.
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What Is It?
According to Face Earth, Sea Sugar is more than just a sugar substitute. Their website describes it as "the sweet revolution that frees you from refined sugar and artificial sweeteners" and says it's a natural, blue sweetener made with the power of marine plants and seaweed.
The company states that Sea Sugar is approximately 30 times sweeter than regular sugar, so you're only supposed to use ½ to 1 teaspoon at a time.
The ingredient list includes:
Trehalose
Seaweed-derived calcium
Phycocyanin (Blue Spirulina)
Thaumatin
And yes...it's bright blue.
I'm not going to lie—that was probably my favorite part. It definitely makes your morning coffee a little more interesting.
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What Face Earth Says It Can Do
Face Earth makes some pretty impressive claims about Sea Sugar. According to the company, it:
Contains zero calories.
Is produced in an FDA-certified manufacturing facility.
Is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Provides antioxidant support.
May help support the body's natural inflammatory response.
Supports immune function.
Helps the body eliminate heavy metals and toxins.
Provides clean energy through naturally occurring proteins, amino acids, and B vitamins.
May help regulate cholesterol and blood sugar.
Has a pH of 9.55, which the company says helps neutralize acidity and support metabolism.
Can withstand temperatures up to 750°F, making it suitable for baking and cooking.
Doesn't contain glucose, which Face Earth says makes it suitable for people with diabetes or prediabetes.
Can replace sugar in recipes without changing texture or consistency.
Those are some
big
promises.
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My Experience
It tasted more like an artificial sweetener than regular sugar, with a flavor reminiscent of Splenda.
It wasn't unpleasant by any means, but it definitely wasn't the same as sugar.
The smell, however? Absolutely awful.
Think somewhere between "What died in here?" and "Maybe I should double-check the expiration date."
If someone quietly swapped it into my coffee, I'd probably notice something was different, but I also have a ridiculously sensitive sense of taste.
I wouldn't be surprised if plenty of people couldn't tell the difference at all.
As far as how I felt...
Honestly, I didn't notice anything.
No burst of energy.
No noticeable difference in how I felt compared to the small amount of regular sugar I occasionally use.
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Here's Where I Hit a Wall
Before writing this review, I wanted to verify some of Face Earth's health claims through independent research.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to.
I found scientific research on some of Sea Sugar's individual ingredients, including phycocyanin (Blue Spirulina) and trehalose.
However, I wasn't able to find independent, peer-reviewed studies that specifically evaluate Face Earth's Sea Sugar as a finished product or verify many of its health claims.
That doesn't mean those claims are false—it simply means I couldn't independently confirm them through published scientific research.
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The Dealbreaker
The bag contains 2.47 ounces.
The price?
About $80.
EIGHTY.
DOLLARS.
…For less than three ounces of sweetener.
I'm sorry...absolutely not.
Could it last a while if you're only using ½ to 1 teaspoon at a time? Sure.
Can I justify paying $80 for it when I didn't notice any meaningful difference? Not even a little.
At the end of the day, I have to judge a product based on my own experience.
For me, the taste was decent enough. The bright blue color was fun. I just didn't notice anything that justified the premium price.
Maybe one day independent research may support more of the company's claims. Maybe the price will come back down to Earth.
Until then...
IMBHO Rating: IMBHO-HARD NO.
Not because it tasted bad.
Not because I know the claims are false.
But because I couldn't independently verify many of the advertised benefits, I personally didn't notice any measurable difference, and $80 is simply too much money to spend on 2.47 ounces of sweetener.
I think I'll just keep my eighty bucks.
