Beauty / Society

The pros and cons of probiotic skincare: Is it worth the hype?

By Johanna Ljunggren

Photo: Getty

There’s much debate about the usefulness of probiotic skincare. We unpick it here…

As natural skincare has made a power move to conquer the beauty industry, science-led research and experts are lining up to share what's next on the beauty forecast. When the three PPPs (Prebiotic, Probiotic, Postbiotic) appeared on the scene as hyped ingredients, it felt like a fresh and welcomed addition. And manipulating these microbes is fast becoming a popular endeavour for beauty brands.

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But what exactly are probiotics? When it comes to skincare, these are ingredients which are said to encourage ‘good’ bacteria rather than bad, essentially helping to boost the skin’s microbiome. But this isn’t necessarily something new, as adding fermented elements have been around for a while. "Old household remedies impact the skin," explains Christopher Genberg, probiotic skincare expert and founder of Floranie Skincare.

Taking a closer look at this microbiotic landscape feels like uncovering a vast ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and viruses habituating the body's largest organ., When balanced, they contribute to our health and survival, acting as the first line of defense — protecting from infection and regulating the immune system.

Beauty routines before nighttime

Photo: Julia Astok

Certain types of probiotics, such as Probiotic Extract and Tyndallized Probiotic, will not survive very long on our skin and so, there’s some debate about how far reaching their benefits can be, especially as it’s unknown how long the inactive bacteria remains after application.

As with all formulas, there are pros and cons to consider, and experts argue that the ‘pro-probiotics’ group have set far too ambitious goals. "Probiotics, Prebiotics and Postbiotics, have different qualities and variants; as a consumer, you must understand what you're buying," adds Genberg.

For one thing, few skincare brands use live Probiotics as it's challenging to add to the product; they are harder to ship and preserve, so you might want to make space in your fridge for storing them. Shelfies of the future might contain a probiotic mist with a side of kale.

Mother Dirt and their AO+ Restorative Mist – containing a live culture much like yoghurt does – is one of the first products to use live and active Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB). It interacts with elements in the skin, producing two powerful byproducts, Nitrite and Nitric Oxide, which are essential to a balanced microbiome.

Probiotics, Prebiotics and Postbiotics, have different qualities and variants; as a consumer, you must understand what you're buying

Christopher Genberg

Another route to boating your skin’s microbiome is fermenting. Fermentation in skincare helps to increase the potency of specific ingredients, along with probiotics or postbiotics, such as acids or peptides, which in turn can help to boost the skin’s barrier.

“Once fermented, our ingredients become more affluent in vitamins and exfoliating enzymes. Increasing the nutritional density and efficacy of the already powerful ingredients,” explains April Gargiulo, founder of Vintners Daughter, whose Active Treatment Essence is pretty much the Birkin Bag of natural skincare. "When applied topically, they help the body's exterior layer stay in a condition of bacterial balance, counteracting the factors that lead to a weakened surface."

So what are some of the key takeaways to always keep in mind when it comes to probiotic skincare? "Skin cells will increase their hyaluronic and lactic acid production, boosting the moisture in your skin. Overall, it will help your skin maintain a great "microbial diversity,” says Floranie Skincare’s Genberg.

He hastily adds. "Most importantly, all products should include Prebiotics, it's key to moving forward in the research regarding microbiome.

"It's the energy that supports the muscle."