Probiotics and Skincare
Probiotics have gained popularity in the skincare industry for their numerous benefits. These live bacteria and yeasts are known for promoting a healthy gut, but their positive effects should not be overlooked when it comes topical skin health.
Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed or applied to the body. They help to provide balance to the microbiome both in the gut and on the skin. When incorporated into skincare formulations probiotics work help to balance skin's topical microbiome which is essential for maintaining healthy skin barrier.
As a refresher, the skin barrier is composed of dead skin cells and lipids that acts as a waterproof barrier, preventing excessive water loss and maintaining optimal hydration levels. It also helps to regulate temperature and protect against UV radiation.
Our skin barrier plays a crucial role in protecting our body from external aggressors such as bacteria, viruses, and environmental pollutants. This thin layer acts as a shield, preventing harmful substances from penetrating into the deeper layers of the skin. When there is an imbalance to the skin barrier this disruption can show up as dryness, redness, itching, increased sensitivity and deeply parched skin.
Probiotics in skincare formulations are beneficial in helping to strengthen the skin barrier by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, which helps to make it more resilient to environmental stressors. Probiotics also have anti-inflammatory properties that can help to calm irritated skin, reduce redness and breakouts.
When it comes to adding additional moisture probiotics can also help with this too, leading to a more hydrated and plump complexion. Additionally studies have shown that this powerhouse ingredient can help to improve skin's elasticity and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while supporting graceful aging.
While there are several ways to introduce probiotics into your skincare regimen, looking for products that contain probiotic extracts, fermented ingredients, or live cultures might be the easiest. These ingredients can be found in cleansers, serums, moisturizers and weekly facial masks.
When it comes to our brand we use two probiotics, both of which are utilized in our cream-based hydrators. When you look at the ingredient panel of our Lavender Cold Cream and all of our moisturizers, you will the probiotics we formulate with.
These ingredients provide the benefits of probiotics for overall skin health along with the dual purpose of preservation. We use both lactobacillus cocos nucifera and leuconostoc/radish root ferment filtrate, either alone or together depending on the formulation, to keep our products shelf stable. When it comes to cream-based moisturizers, water is an essential ingredient and these types of formulations need a preservation system that works. For our brand, this means formulating with probiotics.