If seasonal changes wreak havoc on your skin — reach for some yogurt. But whatever you do, don't eat it all. Turn it into a treatment for your skin.
That's what leading skin care brands are doing. Some are creating entire product lines based on the benefits of probiotics. And this is no passing trend. These beneficial bacteria deliver impressive results. But the proof is in the...yogurt.
Interestingly, probiotics in skin care seem to work similarly on the skin as they do in the body.
Much as it assimilates in the gut, fermented ingredients eliminate harmful bacteria that can cause acne and irritation topically. In turn, this helps reduce redness and inflammation — leading causes of aging. Plus, they shield the skin from daily irritants and environmental factors.
"Sensitized skin loses the ability to hold nutrients and valuable bacteria that aid in natural protection from oxidative stress," said Anne C. Willis LE, CME Founder of De La Terre Skincare. "Probiotics allow the skin's surface environment to become more stable so probiotics can do what they do best, which is act as natural defense when skin becomes vulnerable."
Bolstering the skin's resilience is but one compelling reason to reach for that yogurt container and use it as a mask. Used topically, probiotics also act as a catalyst to drive potent nutrients into the skin — nutrients that may have been lost without them.
Two skin care experts who harness the power of probiotics in their product lines are Cecilia Wong of Cecilia Wong Skin Care and Carla Oates of Beauty Chef. Both agree that probiotics increase the bio-availability of other nutrients in a formula, thus feeding the skin and potentizing the ingredients.
Skin definitely responds to the active bacteria.
Sherylynn Gibbs, founder of Sevani Botanica, author of No Bull Beauty, and an aesthetician with 25 years of experience, has seen trends in beauty come and go. Based on clients reporting visible results, she knows that probiotics work.
She found that certain strains of probiotics encourage smoother skin, minimize wrinkles, and kill the bacteria that contributes to acne. She finds it useful for nearly all skin conditions to promote a more youthful complexion.
I'll admit that at first, I was surprised and skeptical about using probiotics topically. Sure, there are loads of benefits to taking them internally such as maintaining a healthy gut. Gut health spurs much discussion today as a potential antidote to multiple systemic imbalances. But one of the dilemmas in taking probiotics is finding a reliable source of active bacteria. Shelf life is a killer in more ways than one.
However, most companies have figured out a way to stabilize probiotics through various methods.
De La Terre Skincare takes various organic plants such as burdock and spinach, which are rich with biotic constituents, and compounds them into a light herbal powder. This herbal power is then infused in a powdered clay base, which helps in stabilizing the active ingredients. It forms the base of several clay masks in the line.
Aurelia Probiotic Skincare uses an extract, not the "live" form, so there is no risk of losing potency.
If you're ready to add the benefits of probiotics to your beauty regimen, start with this powerful antioxidant mask. You probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already!
Cecilia Wong developed it for her A-list celebrity clients to give instant results. The probiotics in the yogurt and fermented grapes in the wine drive the nourishing properties into the skin for lasting benefits. The lactic acid in the yogurt also adds gentle exfoliation to clarify the skin by removing dead skin cells.
Easy DIY Mask by Cecilia Wong
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp yogurt (full fat yogurt offers optimum results)
- 1 tbsp red wine
- 1 small piece avocado
Directions
- Mix all together together
- Apply on skin for 15 minutes
- Rinse
The Results
Both yogurt and wine are fermented and contain powerful nutrients. Red wine contains resveratrol which is anti-aging. Avocado is hydrating. This DIY mask will leave skin soft and plump.
So the next time you open a yogurt container, you may want to consider spreading it all over your face instead!
Recipe reprinted with permission.
Sarita Coren is a freelance writer and blogger at Peace on the Skin & Peace Within, www.ediblefacial.com. She is committed to spreading the world about green beauty, holistic wellness, and living from the heart. She can be contacted at ediblefacial@gmail.com.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease, or sell any product.
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