We've all probably tried some kind of probiotic foods by now—whether that's yogurt, kombucha, or kimchi. Probiotics have increased in popularity in recent years as consumers grow to understand the importance of nourishing our gut microbiome.
But, did you know that our skin has its own microbiome too?
Today, we'll learn about three types of skincare ingredients that feed and maintain a balanced, diverse microbiome: prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.
Let's start with a definition of each:
- Prebiotics: These act as food for the beneficial bacteria on our skin, selectively stimulating their growth and contributing to a balanced microbiome (and thus strengthening our skin barrier). In skincare, these are commonly plant-based sugar molecules and oils with healthy carbohydrates. Popular ingredients include oat, soy, glucomannan, and ginseng (found in all of BiotechBeauty's products!)
- Probiotics: These are live beneficial bacteria that can help restore balance to your microbiome by preventing harmful microorganisms from taking over and promoting a healthy skin barrier. The tricky part is that most cosmetics brands that market their formulas with "Probiotics" actually don't include probiotics. Scandalous! The reality is that probiotics must be alive to function, and unless the skincare formulation you receive is constantly refrigerated and protected from light exposure from formulation through shipping AND while it's on your bathroom counter, the probiotics would die and be ineffective. Moreover, all skincare products contain some form of preservatives to prevent bacterial contamination and add longevity to the product's shelf-life. These preservatives would kill any probiotics in the formula—unless they're encapsulated. So, most brands use a ferment or lysate form of the probiotic bacteria—a shelf-stable version that is more appropriately categorized as a Postbiotic.
- Postbiotics: These byproducts of the probiotic fermentation process include many skin-loving substances, such as peptides, enzymes, organic acids, and bacterial ferments. They work synergistically to support the skin barrier by nourishing an optimal community of skin microflora.
As these ingredients grow more prevalent among new beauty launches, be sure to look out for those that are clinically demonstrated to improve your skin health. Brands can market their products with Prebiotics/Probiotics/Postbiotics just to get your attention, while only including ineffective amounts. Sneaky! If you're interested, read more to discern between marketing levels versus clinically demonstrated ingredients.
While each of these ingredient types can benefit the skin on their own, their power is amplified when they are used in combination.
Some of our skincare faves include the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream and the Drunk Elephant Sweet Biome Fermented Sake Hydrating Spray. But, don't limit your TLC to nighttime skincare!
You can improve your skin health all day while you wear makeup with any of BiotechBeauty's products (sign up on our Waitlist). We formulate all of our makeup with a harmonious mixture of Prebiotics and Postbiotics to encourage the growth of beneficial microorganisms, strengthen the skin barrier, and maintain a balanced microbiome. With these improvements, you'll experience less irritable, more radiant, healthy skin over time.
Stay cultured!
XO,
BiotechBeauty
