The French pharmacist explains what the skin microbiome is, and how probiotics are the answer to healthy skin
Probiotic skincare has been a buzz word amongst beauty enthusiasts of late, with beauty brands from La Roche-Posay to Elizabeth Arden pushing out their version of probiotic- or prebiotic-infused skincare.
But while we know that probiotics are good for our gut health, what exactly do probiotics do for our skin when applied topically?
“The concept of probiotics for the skin is the same, except that we adapt it to the skin eco-system,” Marie Drago, pharmacist and founder of French skincare brand Gallinée, explains.
“You won’t exactly find the same kind of bacteria in the gut and on the skin, because bacteria in the gut, for example, won’t thrive with the light and oxygen on your skin. We use lactobacillus, which is really beneficial as it can be found naturally and it strengthens the skin.”
This concept is also the basis of Marie’s brand, which is a pioneer in the science of supporting the skin microbiome—that’s the name for all the good bacteria and microorganisms that live on and in your body.
“Postbiotics is also so interesting because you can actually influence the environment on your skin for the microbiome to thrive, which is why we use lactic acid to bring the skin to the right pH. The combination of these three (probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics) is really important, so we have a patent for our triple biotic complex,” she shares.
We speak to Drago further about what this concept means for the future of beauty, and whether double-cleansing and exfoliating acids are really the way to go.