From yogurt to kombucha – yes, the fizzy tea fermented with a culture of yeast and bacteria – our knowledge of digestive probiotics has flourished over the last couple of decades. When it comes to probiotics for skin? The concept might be newer, but is steeped in the same logic.
Formulated to balance breakouts, dry patches, and a dull or irritated complexion, probiotics for skin have arrived. I especially love the potential for Eminence Organics’ Kombucha Microbiome Collection to help balance inflammation, redness, and irritation associated with acne.
Read to the end for special pricing on a pair of products from this line, which I’m bundling as the Balancing Microbiome Collection. But first, let’s explore the concepts behind probiotics for skin and how they work.
Probiotics for Skin: How Do They Work?
Like the gut, our skin is home to an ecosystem of microorganisms: the skin microbiome. These beneficial microbes are one of the body’s first defenses against pathogens that, left unchecked, can cause imbalance or disease. Additionally, a healthy skin microbiome supports a skin barrier that can keep moisture at the ideal balance.
When the skin microbiome is disturbed, the complexion can become dry and susceptible to irritation from everyday encounters with the elements: sun, wind, pollution. When the microbiome is supported, on the other hand, skin maintains its optimal state of balance and hydration, and is more resilient to stressors.
Kombucha’s Role in Skin Care: Different Than in the Gut
We know kombucha, the fermented tea drink, contains beneficial microorganisms that can help repopulate “good bacteria” in the gut, especially after use of antibiotics, exposure to chemical residues in food, or imbalance caused by health issues. Research shows that our complexion can reflect the health of our gut microbiome, so drink up if you wish.
Applied topically, however, the benefit of kombucha is in its supply of postbiotics.
Postbiotics? Yes, you read that right. Let’s zoom out for a look at the big picture.
Microscopic Support for Skin: Pre, Pro, and Postbiotics
The skin care products in the Kombucha Microbiome Collection don’t contain live cultures, but they do have pre, pro, and postbiotics. These work synergistically with microbes already on the skin to support a balanced and healthy ecosystem.
Prebiotics are substances that nourish microbes. By supplying certain microbes with their preferred “foods,” we encourage beneficial bacteria to flourish while keeping pathogenic bacteria at bay.
The two main prebiotics in this collection are:
- Inulin from chicory root, which fuels healthy bacteria on the skin. Additionally, as a natural humectant, it draws moisture into the skin, hydrating and strengthening the moisture barrier. (Inulin acts as a prebiotic in the gut too, encouraging growth of bifidobacteria. For a healthful boost to your morning coffee ritual, we carry Anima Mundi’s Happiness Powder: Herbal Coffee with roasted chicory root.)
- Fruit oligosaccharides, which have been shown to promote and sustain the growth of beneficial skin bacteria while inhibiting Cutibacterium acnes, a bacteria associated with acne.
Probiotics (as explained above, under “Probiotics for Skin”)
This collection features:
- Lactococcus ferment lysate, which is not a live culture but is derived from one. The live culture, Lactococcus lactis, has been shown to inhibit growth of a bacteria associated with acne, propionibacteria. The lysate is produced when the cell membrane of the live culture is broken down, and is included in the formula to support the skin microbiota and replenish the moisture barrier, helping to maintain healthy-looking skin.
Postbiotics are compounds produced by probiotic activity – they were once considered microscopic “waste.” Now, it’s thought that postbiotics, which include essential fatty acids and amino acids, help create an ideal pH for the skin’s barrier function, encouraging good microbes to thrive.
The postbiotics in this collection include:
- Kombucha, which is rich in postbiotics to balance skin pH and microbial balance, bringing luminosity and radiance.
- Peptides, enzymes, amino acids, and polysaccharides from plant sources.
Botanical Support for a Smoother Complexion
To help calm skin that’s inflamed, red, or irritated – whether due to acne or another cause – The Kombucha Microbiome Collection is enhanced with skin-supportive compounds from plants, including:
- White Tea: Rich in antioxidants, white tea neutralizes free radicals before they damage cells, increasing the skin’s resilience to environmental stressors and encouraging a healthy glow at the cellular level.
- Ginger Root: Another antioxidant-rich plant that scavenges free radicals, ginger root extract has been shown to protect against wrinkles caused by UVB exposure.
- Jasmine Flower: Has a long history of traditional use in India, where it’s used to tone skin and relieve irritation, resulting in a more even skin tone.
The Balancing Microbiome Collection
The full Kombucha Microbiome Collection from Eminence Organics consists of four products featuring probiotics for skin:
- Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser
- Kombucha Microbiome Balancing Essence
- Kombucha Microbiome Luminosity Serum
- Kombucha Microbiome Leave-on Masque
As a whole, the collection is designed to improve the complexion by gently cleansing and supporting the skin microbiome.
I’m bundling two of these, the essence and masque, for a special price as the Balancing Microbiome Collection. Here are details on these two products:
Pat this essence on after cleansing to support the microbiome and prepare the skin for any products to follow. The biotics in this formula restore balance to skin that’s been stripped of natural oils essential to skin barrier function. White tea and jasmine flower calm dry skin and encourage luminosity.
Use this no-rinse masque three times a week as your nighttime moisturizer to restore the microbiome, which will in turn help strengthen the skin barrier and calm irritated skin. Ideal for all skin types, the masque has a creamy texture and is formulated to both hydrate and lock in moisture, giving skin a renewed, healthy glow.
Unlike our spa’s Nourishing Microbiome Collection, which aims to support skin barrier function during flare-ups of dermatitis and eczema, the Balancing Microbiome Collection uses probiotics for skin to balance inflammation, redness, and irritation associated with acne. (So much microbiome goodness around here. Can you tell we’re big fans of supporting your skin’s health rather than temporary, surface-level fixes?)
Purchase the Balancing Microbiome Collection for $104, a savings of $18 on the pair.
In Closing,
A healthy skin microbiome is essential for a healthy complexion. With probiotics for skin, you can now gently nourish the beneficial microorganisms that will in turn support natural radiance and resilience.
Wondering whether this collection is right for you? Skip the trial and error and get personalized product recommendations.
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