Your skin is alive. Loaded with billions of organisms like bacteria and yeast, the skin’s microbiome is a fascinating ecosystem serving as a protective barrier. Essential for the proper functioning of the skin itself, knowing and caring for the microbiome is key in good skincare.
What’s the function of the skin’s microbiome?
This complex biome of organisms plays a crucial role in how our skin looks, feels, and acts. Its ability to serve as a barrier between our body and the outside world protects our skin.
Fight infections, as some microbes work as natural antibiotics while keeping your skin acidic, which most germs don’t like/
Alerting your immune system to harmful bacteria or viruses
Heal wounds and control inflammation, again by activating your immune system when needed
What happens when this ecosystem gets disrupted?
When the microbiome is out of balance, we notice an altered skin barrier function. Signs of a disrupted microbiome can be dryness, premature aging, and acne breakouts. Also rashes such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis are a sign of bacterial pathogens taking over.
How can you take care of a balanced skin’s microbiome?
Have you heard of pro- and prebiotics? Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria that support our skin and gut health, while prebiotics ‘feed’ the good bacteria, enabling the skin to function at an optimal level while inhibiting the bad bacteria.
Eat clean, high-fiber foods—they’re full of prebiotics
Prebiotics contain fibrous carbohydrates that nourish the good bacteria to help it to grow (such as asparagus, artichokes, garlic and oats). If you eat a diet rich in prebiotics, you’ll encourage microbial diversity and promote the growth of healthy bacteria.
Consume probiotic-rich foods every day
Fermented foods (yogurt, kombucha, kefir and kimchi) are very rich in probiotics. Cut down on sugar as they will lower the diversity of your microbiome by making only certain groups thrive. Always fill up on fiber (such as oats, lentils, beans, onions, garlic, and fruit).
Don’t over sanitize, use gentle skincare
You can upset the balance of your microbiome if you clean your skin too much. Moisturizing will also give a boost to your skin barrier. Most important is too stay away from harsh ingredients, whatever may be your skin type.
Use microbiome-friendly skincare
Essentially, the more strains of bacteria you have, the healthier your skin is. Thus, adding bacteria to the skin and using gentle products to help maintain its balance are vital for good skin health.
The Balancing Facial Cream is loaded with inulin - a very effective prebiotic derived from sugar beet. Incorporating this lightweight, yet nourishing moisturizer for daily use into your skincare routine will diversify your microbiome, strengthen your skin barrier, reduce blemishes, protect against UV damage and environmental pollution.
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