Probiotic skincare has become a coveted beauty practice by beauty junkies and dermatological professionals alike because of its ability to soothe and calm skin inflammation, as well as balance the microbiome—that colony of tiny microorganisms you have living in your body.
I’m a probiotic junkie. Give me all the kombucha and all the kimchi, and I’m one happy girl. I love the taste, and I love the benefits. By now, you’ve likely become acquainted with the importance of the microbiome—the community of trillions of microorganisms living in your body. The microbiome must stay balanced to keep us healthy and glowing, which requires keeping the good bacteria and the bad bacteria count in check, because a healthy gut is made by limiting the bad guys and encouraging the good guys to grow. That’s where probiotics come in.
They say you are what you eat, and that’s certainly true for the modern day Western diet and its effect on your wellbeing. Filled with sugar and additives, in combination with a growing exposure to antibiotics, your microbiome may not be thriving quite like it should. Aging, stress, environmental toxins and medications like antacids can all have a negative effect on a healthy gut as well.
Probiotics work to shift the balance of the microbes in your microbiome in your favor, which can have a multitude of benefits, including balancing immune function, enhancing nutrient absorption, improving mood, helping maintain a healthy body weight, reducing fatigue, keeping temporary inflammation in check and improving the appearance of your skin.
The health revelation regarding microbiome balance has swiftly become a wellness trend (cue the kombuchas and kimchi) making for menus with bubbly probiotic-rich drinks on tap, and pickled everything making a major comeback in the culinary scene. But it doesn’t end there.
The skincare industry has latched on wholeheartedly, with everything from facial mists to foundations popping up. I spoke with Doris Day, a leading dermatologist in New York City’s cosmetic dermatology field, on the popularization of probiotic skincare, and according to her, the hype is because “probiotics [have been found to] improve and rebalance your skin and gut flora by creating an environment that supports good bacteria that work for health and improve absorption of nutrients. [They also] neutralize toxins and bad bacteria that cause inflammation and trigger conditions like rosacea and eczema.”
Now, skincare giants like Clinique are adding probiotic skincare products to their brand, while other companies, like TULA, have surfaced with probiotics at their core, providing a combination of topical and oral options.
“Probiotics in skincare have increased in popularity in the last few years because they are a breakthrough innovation in skincare treatment,” says Tarn Morrison, representative of the TULA brand. “Probiotics deliver clinically proven results through their unique ability to soothe and calm skin inflammation and balance the microbiome.
“We have found that probiotics help other ingredients work harder and better. Their ability to soothe make powerful anti-agers like retinol and glycolic acid tolerable even on sensitive skin.”
TULA was founded by Dr. Roshini Raj, a board-certified Gastroenterologist and media wellness expert, who, after doing multitudes of research on probiotics, found the life-changing benefits her patients were seeing on their wellbeing.
Speaking with experts in the field only made me want to load up on probiotic skincare even more. Aside from kombucha and kimchi, what else is there? So I tried the supplements, the creams, and everything in between, and found a few for you to consider.
Here are my must-try products:
TULA Purifying Cleanser
I love that this gel cleanser foams up and gets deep into my pores. I use it especially on days when I need all my makeup to come off in one fell swoop without stripping or over-drying. The probiotics in the cleanser work to lock in moisture.
TULA Hydrating Day & Night Cream
I’ve been in search for a hydrating day and night cream that makes my skin feel silky soft without making me oily, especially when I’m using it under foundation. This cream is like velvet, with an incredibly clean yet feminine fragrance to boot. It’s full of naturally derived probiotics and superfoods to give me that glowing complexion I love.
GLOWBIOTICS Probiotic Instant Resurfacing Pads
I absolutely love resurfacing pads. That powerful, medicinal feeling of my skin slightly tingling is addicting. Topical probiotics work to balance the good bacteria on the surface of the skin, which accounts for GLOWBIOTICS resurfacing pads providing an instant skin revitalization, helping diminish fine lines, wrinkles, pores and blemishes.
GLOWBIOTICS Probiotic HydraGlow Cream Oil
Glow is all the rage right now, and GLOWBIOTICS Probiotic HydraGlow Cream Oil quickly helps give me that dewy complexion for a fresh-faced look. It’s lightweight enough not to make me feel oily, just enough to brighten me up.
RMS Beauty Within Probiotic + Prebiotic
RMS Beauty is one of the first brands I explored regarding probiotic skincare. The brand uses 100 percent organic, food-grade ingredients, which just makes me swoon. I chose the oral supplement to try something different. The supplement, which should be taken twice a day with or without food, promotes overall beauty and wellbeing thanks to a formulation of 25 billion CFU per serving of good bacteria and antioxidants. My digestive function has improved significantly, and my brittle nails have gotten much stronger. The prebiotics help make probiotics more effective, serving as the “food” the probiotics eat to flourish.
Marie Veronique Pre + Probiotic Daily Mist
Facial mists are my jam. They’re cooling, hydrating, and let’s be honest, pure fun to spritz! This daily mist from Marie Veronique uses that beneficial combo of prebiotics and probiotics to enhance the product’s ability to leave a long-lasting fresh-faced look and feel.
Clinique Redness Solutions Makeup
Sometimes I wash my face and step out the door sans makeup feeling super confident. Other times I take one look in the mirror and gasp at how red and blotchy my visage appears. That’s when I turn to foundation for a little coverage. This soothing oil-free makeup from Clinique comes in a variety of shades, and features calming ingredients to tame the skin.
It’s say to say I am totally on board with probiotic skincare. However, Doris reminds me that a little bit of reservation is healthy. “Much more research is needed to determine the best formulas, and I still consider the best sources come from a healthy diet,” she says. “In the future, we will be able to analyze the skin on an individualized basis and create unique formulations, both oral and topical, to optimize skin and health and minimize inflammation and disease.”