How to Balance Your Skin's Microbiome with Probiotics
Written by Lauren Arent (Lo Clark)
Owner of Bewitched Esthetics & Licensed Esthetician since 2013
December 2nd, 2022
Hello my darlings,
The benefits of probiotics for your skin’s microbiome are two fold and we are going to discuss both! When you understand the reason we take/use probiotics, as well as pre & post biotics, you will appreciate these little things so much more and if you’re like me, it will become mandatory to incorporate them into your daily life.
Most of us have heard of taking a daily probiotic, it’s recommended by doctors and other healthcare professionals. If you have ever gone to the store looking for a bottle to take orally, it can be rather overwhelming as there are probiotics for women, for men, for skin, for gut health…then you have to decide if you need 1 million or 1 billion or 10 billion strains! Oi.
Let’s Start With the Basics of Probiotics
So what exactly is a probiotic? As defined by WebMD are live microorganisms, bacteria and yeast, that are taken to benefit the host and are especially good for the digestive system. It might sound weird as I know that bacteria is usually associated with a negative connotation but probiotics are the good bacteria.
You have what is called gut flora or the gut microbiome. This microbiome is what keeps the body in balance. The good bacteria needs to be heavily populated so as to keep the bad bacteria from growing in your gut and honestly, your colon too. The colon has the densest population of bacterias, a healthy colon can have 100 billion to 100 trillion bacteria per milliliter.
These bacteria help to digest & break down food and medications, they make vitamins, they help keep you from getting sick. If you have a healthy population of good flora in your gut, it can control the inflow of bad bacteria that makes us sick.
What Happens Without Probiotics
The smallest of organisms is what can tip the scale in your body. For if the balance of good bacteria gets out of homeostasis, you can develop terrible symptoms and possibly even develop illnesses. Digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation, candida (overgrowth of yeast), and autoimmune problems like rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid issues, and diabetes type 1 can occur not only if the bad bacteria tips the scale but also if you don’t have enough of a variety of flora.
How to Correct These Issues with Probiotics
In order to culture the right amount of good bacteria in your gut, here is what I would recommend:
#1. Take a REFRIGERATED probiotic. These are LIVE microorganisms. You will still receive benefits from a shelf probiotic, but we want all the LIVE cultures we can get.
#2. Take a probiotic with at least a billion strains, if not more.
#3. Incorporate fermented foods that naturally contain probiotics into your diet. Again, we are looking for refrigerated products here. I myself LOVE kimchi and sauerkraut. Yogurt and kefir are two other excellent sources although these are dairy products so they are not an option for everyone.
#4. Mix up your probiotics. When you finish your supply, buy a different brand, this helps to introduce new strains to your gut and keep your microbiome diverse.
How Does This Benefit My Skin?
Now that you understand what a probiotic is and how to create diversity in your gut, let me refer you back to a few weeks ago when I wrote GUT HEALTH click here if you would like to go back and read.
At the root of it all, it is crucial to heal your gut and promote a happy & healthy tummy to ensure we have happy & healthy skin. The easiest and one of the most important ways to do this is to take your probiotics. I changed my lifestyle when I was going through my gut issues and started taking an excellent probiotic, my skin has truly never looked better.
Microbiome Of The Skin
So the gut isn’t the only thing that has a microbiome in your body. Your skin’s microbiome is actually a big deal. It helps to fight infection, control inflammation, heal wounds, and aid the immune system. It’s full of all the good bacteria, just like we talked about in the gut, and helps to control the amount of bad bacteria.
If the microbiome on the skin is compromised, you might see eczema, rosacea, acne, psoriasis, it may even affect vitiligo, albinism, warts, and dandruff! So you can see, if you want healthy skin, you need to protect your microbiome.
What Affects The Skin’s Microbiome
If your skin is overly sensitive, hard to hydrate, dull or lacking luster, you may have a compromised skin barrier. There are many factors that can cause disruption in your microbiome such as puberty, uv exposure, air pollution, genetics, environment, lifestyle choices (smoking, drinking), and most of all what products are going on your skin. Most of these we don’t have control over, but one of them for certain we do. So what are you putting on your skin to aid your microbiome?
Kombucha
Who likes to drink Kombucha? My favorite is actually local from a brand called Good Vibes Kombucha, their Mint Mojito is phenomenal! Kombucha isn’t just delicious, it’s a probiotic drink! It’s essentially fermented mushroom tea.
And the best thing about Kombucha is that Eminence figured out how you can directly apply this to your skin.
Microbiome Collection
If you want to directly apply probiotics to your skin to focus the benefits for your microbiome, then you are going to want to get the Kombucha Microbiome Collection.
This four piece collection has everything to balance your microbiome and return your skin to a state of harmony.
Kombucha Microbiome Foaming Cleanser
The foaming cleanser is the first step in this collection. It has a very earthy smell and it’s “soft?” I don’t know how else to describe how it feels on my skin, I have actually switched my cleanser to this one, it doesn’t dry out my skin and cleans away all my makeup! It uses micellar technology, meaning there are tiny suspended oil molecules that snag dirt and debris from deep in your pores while leaving your skin soft & balanced. It contains Kombucha, ginger, white tea and jasmine as well as pre, pro and post biotics!
Kombucha Microbiome Balancing Essence
The idea behind an Essence is found in Korean skincare. It primes the skin to better absorb all the products you layer on top and improve luminosity, similar to a toner but with a slightly thicker consistency that you pat into the skin vs. spritzing. Also contains white tea & jasmine, pre, pro & post biotics.
Kombucha Microbiome Leave-On Masque
Dry, dull looking skin will find serenity after using this masque. This slow absorbing leave on masque will support your moisture barrier while balancing your microbiome, perfect to use during your self care ritual.
Kombucha Microbiome Luminosity Serum
The pre, pro & post biotics in this light weight serum are designed to renew the skin with a vibrant looking glow. 80% of users in a study said their skin appeared more luminous after using the serum for only 28 days!
Other Helpful Products
The Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser, Masque, Serum, and Moisturizer are another collection of products I heartily stand by. Not just for acneic clients, this line feels lightweight and fresh due to the cucumber and tea tree. Probiotics from yogurt will gently exfoliate the skin and clear the pores.
Other Helpful Products
The Clear Skin Probiotic Cleanser, Masque, Serum, and Moisturizer are another collection of products I heartily stand by. Not just for acneic clients, this line feels lightweight and fresh due to the cucumber and tea tree. Probiotics from yogurt will gently exfoliate the skin and clear the pores.
What to Take Away
Most people don’t even realize their microbiome is failing them, don’t realize that in order for every other product in your routine to be beneficial, your microbiome must be in balance. If you feel like this may be you, please book a free consultation with me, either by phone or by in person appointment!
You can be the one to improve your life, your health, your microbiome with the assistance of probiotics. Follow me on Instagram to find out my favorite ingestible pre, pro and post biotics!
Wishing you a life full of beauty and blessings!
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