Fermented skin care is trending-Skin Care

Skin care from fermented products is now trending.

Fermented foods — like yogurt, wine, and kimchi — are everywhere, packed with probiotics that help with gut health. Fermented ingredients can also work wonders for your skin and are increasingly found in moisturizers, toners, and serums.

What is fermented skin care?

“Typically, you think of fermentation when it comes to wine or kimchi, but it can also be applied to skin care,” says Shereene Idriss, a dermatologist in New York City. And just as cabbage is fermented in salt to make kimchi and grapes are fermented in yeast to make wine, laboratory fermentation harnesses microorganisms, such as bacteria, to decompose Break down skin care ingredients into different compounds.

Fermented skin care ingredients come from nature, but not all of them are botanical. Cosmetic chemist Ginger King keeps fermented mushrooms in the lab and says they have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

How is fermentation beneficial for the skin?

Fermentation is the scientific way of making ingredients smaller. Those broken down ingredients easily penetrate your skin. “Active ingredients that have been fermented with yeast or bacteria break down into smaller molecules for better absorption,” explains King.

Fermentation can be helpful for the skin microbiome as fermentation can produce probiotics or postbiotics in the form of peptides, acids and enzymes, which can help support the skin barrier and thereby reducing the risk of skin inflammation and sensitization.

Chemists ferment botanicals like pumpkin or grape extracts with one goal: to make natural skin care ingredients stronger and better able to penetrate the skin. This effect is quite helpful for people with sensitive skin, explains Dr. Garshick, as many products contain the soothing lactobacillus yeast that strengthens the skin’s ability to defend itself from harmful agents. .

One study found that soy and non-fermented soy formulas boost skin hydration, she adds.

Has fermented skin care been researched and proven to work?

“Fermented skin care is being considered the ‘holy grail’,” says Dr. Idriss, but I think more research will be needed to substantiate those results.

For example, when a female dermatologist uses the SK-II Pitera Facial Essence fermented product on her face, she shares her experience: “Overall my skin feels more hydrated when I apply the cream. moisturizer advertises a hydrating serum afterwards, compared to when I don’t use it. I believe this is because the fermented formula helps increase the absorption of the products applied afterwards.”

So while fermented skin care products have a lot to do with research, there are definitely a few products worth trying – noted below – even if they only work to help absorb the ingredients. stronger products in your beauty routine.

Which fermented skin care products are worth trying?

If your skin shows signs of stress, Dr. Garshick recommends Vichy Mineral 89 Prebiotic Recovery and Defense Concentrate, a serum that helps strengthen skin barrier repair. It combines Vichy Volcanic Water, vitreoscilla ferment as well as niacinamide, to help soothe skin when used once or twice daily.

For those who prefer soft skin, Dr. Garshick recommends the Fermented Fermented Yeast Acid Mask. “It offers antioxidant benefits, as it contains red algae and helps reduce inflammation thanks to turmeric,” she adds.

People with acne-prone skin can also benefit from fermented skin care. “Fermentation skin care can be helpful for people with acne because it can help reduce the risk of irritation and sensitivity along with certain acne-fighting ingredients,” says Dr. Garshick. whatever product they’re using (fermented or not) is hypoallergenic or oil-free.