Frieda Y. LinFrieda Y. Lin is an independent consultant with TruAura, a pre- and probiotic-based, microbiome-friendly skincare company. Contact her at frieda_lin@hotmail.com or call 561-578-7109. For more information, visit TruAuraBeauty.com/friedalin or call 561-578-7109.
Looking for healthy, beautiful skin that is achieved through nourishing your own microbiome?
The growing body of evidence shows that maintaining the balance of good and bad bacteria in your skin’s microbiome is how you can not only obtain more beautiful skin, but achieve overall well-being.
What is microbiome?
Microbiome is the vast ecosystem of bacteria (both good and bad) that resides in our bodies and on our skin. It is referred to as the body’s second brain due to the fact that it helps to regulate every bodily function … from hormone production, moods, and digestion to skin health, aging, etc.
Do you know that only 43 percent of our bodies consist of human cells? The other 57 percent is bacteria. Prior to birth, we existed in the sterile environment of our mother’s womb. At the moment of birth, we take on our mother’s microbiome to help defend our bodies from harmful pathogens. Our gut microbiome is armed through our mother’s milk. We develop our own unique microbial identity during the first year of our life—the diverse population of microbial communities evolves over time from our interactions with our environment.
A healthy, diverse microbiome functions to keep our skin in a state of balance by helping to protect our skin from pathogens, strengthen our skin’s barrier function to maintain hydration, protect from UV exposure, prevent inflammation, etc. However, there has been a significant decrease in the health of the microbiome for those of us who live in a western culture.
While diets, medication, and lifestyle are contributors to this decline in bacterial diversity, a key contributor is believed to be personal care and beauty products that are applied topically.
How do we keep our microbiome healthy?
The current cosmetic development is to have microbiome-enhancing products:
- Enhances microbial diversity
- Truly natural formulas
- Skin science and technology based
- Emphasis on long-term health benefits
Microbiome-enhancing products are emerging as a significant trend over the past five years. Nine thousand articles published in 2017 related to the skin microbiome; 4.2 percent of new products being introduced contain probiotic ingredients.
First, look for skin care products that are CLEAN and SAFE. “Natural” does NOT means safe. “Clean” products mean they contain ingredients that do no harm—no synthetic chemicals, harsh preservatives, and antibacterial ingredients that disturb the natural system of the skin.
Some of the harmful ingredients to avoid: synthetic fragrance, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, gluten, artificial dye, oxybenzone, and hydroquinone just to name a few. Basically, you want clean, safe, and healthy ingredients in your skincare products to preserve the health of the microbiome.
Second, adding pre- and probiotic ingredients in skincare products supports the balance of the microbiome (just like probiotics for your gut). Applying probiotics to the skin stimulate the production of defense cells that restore skin’s natural balance and stabilize its immune system.
Not only does this help the skin look healthy, young, and clear, but it may also decrease sensitivity, redness, and inflammation.