The Benefits of Fermented Skin Care

Fermented skin care can lead to more potent serums.
Fermented skin care can lead to more potent serums.

Fermented food is proven to be helpful for gut health, and a healthy gut can lead to healthy skin. But what about working from the outside in? Well, fermented ingredients in skin care may gain recognition due to the benefits it can have for the skin's microbiome

Well and Good spoke with a dermatologist to get a better understanding of what fermentation in skin care looks like.

Fermentation changes the chemical structure of an ingredient, causing it to absorb into the skin better and lead to a more potent ingredient.

Through fermentation, postbiotics are formed, which are a non-living microbial cell product purified from the culture supernatant excreted by a probiotic. 

There are tons of fermented ingredients on the market with benefits including correcting fine lines, wrinkles and dull skin, such as:

  • Amino Acids

  • Peptides

  • Alpha-hydroxy acids 

  • Glycolic acid

  • Fermented antioxidants

"The side effects in these chemical reactions create postbiotics that also have anti-inflammatory benefits. You're enhancing your skin with a better environment for calmer, less inflamed skin, and a more intact skin barrier."  said Rachel Nazarian, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.

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