So you want to add another line to your skincare range. Probiotics in skincare can influence our skin microflora and treat skin problems and may give another dimension to your beauty brand.
Before refrigeration, much of our ancestors' food had to be preserved. These fermented or cultured (probiotic-rich) foods provided them with large quantities of friendly bacteria which nourished the gut.
As probiotics in foods are largely missing from modern diets, people have been taking supplements or returning to age-old recipes to improve digestive and immune health. Some of these friendly bacteria-rich foods include fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kombucha and yoghurt.
Probiotics in skincare
So how does this have anything to do with skincare? Our skin has more microorganisms than any other body part except the gut. When healthy, this ecosystem helps to protect the skin from environmental aggressors that inflame the skin, causing dermatitis, eczema and acne.
In recent years, studies have found that probiotics applied topically to the skin can re-establish and maintain the skin microbiome, treat skin complaints and promote younger and healthier-looking skin.
When these live bacterial cultures are applied via a cream or serum, they lower the skin's pH by increasing lactic acid production. This brings the skin’s pH back to its happy 4.5 – 5.5 pH range, encourages the growth of resident flora, and provides the skin with a natural line of defence against pathogens.
A glance at some of the benefits of probiotics in skincare
Topically applied probiotics can:
- protect and shield the skin from pathogens
- interfere with microorganisms that provoke an adverse immune reaction, such as acne and rosacea
- kill harmful bacteria and nurture the growth of resident flora
- soothe and calm skin at a cellular level, and
- reverse signs of ageing due to the production of collagen
However, before developing your new skincare line, be aware that different strains of probiotics provide additional benefits to the skin.
To ensure your formula uses the correct probiotic species for the problem it solves uses the table below as a guide.
Table courtesy of simpleskincarescience.com
| Probiotic Species | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Lactobacillus acidophilus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and all lactobacillus species | Increases lactic acid production for radiant skin and overall health. |
| Bacillus coagulan, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus fecalis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactococcus lactis, Streptococcus salivarius | Improves acne |
| Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus paracasei, Streptococcus thermophilus | Anti-inflammatory, increases skin hydration, and reduces sensitivity |
| Bifidobacterium breve, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus | Best for anti-aging and UV protection |
| Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium breve | Best for eczema (atopic dermatitis). |
Ecoskin acts as a radiance promoter. It is a pre/probiotic complex, spray dried on maltodextrin, made of α-glucooligosaccharides (GOS), obtained by enzymatic synthesis, from vegetable substrates, 100% vegetable juice, rich in β-fructooligosaccharides (FOS), obtained by cold pressing of yacon tubers (Polymnia sonchifolia) and lactobacillus probiotic bacteria, (L. casei, L, acidophilus), inactivated (inhibition of their growth).
Probiotic Serum this revitalising serum replenishes, balances and hydrates skin.
10% Probiotic Cream this multi-purpose cream replenishes, balances and hydrates skin, also contributing to the treatment of acne and rosacea.
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Image courtesy of sonyadakar.com