A healthy microbiome is the biggest determining factor when it comes to healthy skin. Help your body work better for you and your skin by approaching your skincare from the inside out.
Trends in today’s beauty-verse have continued to drift towards complexity. Open the door to any woman’s home product stash and you’ll likely find a cornucopia of trials and errors. Masks, peels, color correctors, exfoliating sponges that could double as weaponry…all eventually retired in darkness to the back of the closet shelf.
Our ever-expanding islands of misfit gels and creams and so-called “miracle” products are certainly proof of one thing. They prove that the external-only approach isn’t cutting it for any of us.
THE MICRO-WHAT?
It took awhile for science to really understand the direct relationship between our gut health and our skin health. Hence, that mountain range of products that have continued to pile up on our beauty shelves. But, what research has discovered is that by only focusing on our external skin maladies, we’ve only been paying attention to half of the whole.
And this is where the real beauty of nature reveals herself. Introducing… the human microbiome.
WHAT IS THE MICROBIOME?
In the simplest terms, the microbiome is the body’s natural system of defense. It’s made up of about 39 trillion microbial cells of bacteria, viruses, and funghi. Every different environment that exists inside and outside of our bodies has its own separate microbiome. Think of them as varying climates that exist for different needs, depending on our body parts. Hands have distinct microbiome climates, our armpits have others, and the bottom of our feet have different needs than the delicate skin behind our ears.
What’s even more interesting about the microbiome is that for each of us, it’s completely unique. Our individual microbiomes have specific signatures that relate to our bodies, and our bodies only. Just like we have a thumbprint, we also have a “skinprint”. This is our personal flora that determines our immunity, influences our mood, and how long and how well we sleep. It affects what we smell like after a workout and how rapidly our skin cells renew themselves.
What we see in the mirror is a reflection of what’s going on inside our bodies. That’s why external-only skin products aren’t showing us real, lasting results. Long-term, naturally healthy skin is achievable through a more holistic, full body approach. Microbiome skincare research continues to show that for healthy, radiant skin, we have to work at it from the inside out.
THE GUT-SKIN AXIS
The latest in skincare science points towards our stomachs. As it turns out, that old adage about turning into what you eat was a theory well ahead of its time. There’s actually a profound relationship between gut bacteria and skin health. When healthy probiotics exist within the stomach, the result is healthy skin bacteria. This relationship is referred to as the gut-skin axis. So, what’s good for the gut is good for the skin.
WHAT MAKES A MICROBIOME HEALTHY
We now know that good gut bacteria translates into healthy, glowing skin. But how do we get there? The short answer is to simply support our bodies so they’re able to do what they were made to do. We want to help our microbiomes flourish by allowing all of this good bacteria to work harder for our benefit.
Approaching skin health from the inside out honors the interconnectedness of our bodies, recognizing that every part of ourselves works through a symbiotic ecosystem. If we support the whole, then we’re supporting the individual elements. Therein lies the pathway to radiant skin and feel-good health.
3 WAYS TO SUPPORT YOUR MICROBIOME
- PRESERVE GOOD SKIN BACTERIA
- Choose cleaning products that are pH balanced so you’re not washing away all of the good bacteria on the surface of your skin. Our Balancing Milky Cleanser will give you a thorough, hydrating cleanse without disrupting your natural pH.
- Avoid drying alcohols in beauty products. Instead, look for emollients like cetyl, stearyl, and cetearyl alcohols that will keep your skin supple and help keep it hydrated.
- Swap harsh antibiotic ingredients and paraben-based preservatives for healthy probiotic strains that promote the natural properties of your skin. Daily use of our rich Immunity Moisturizer with lactobacillus ferment, pomegranate, and milk thistle extract will encourage your microflora diversity and keep your skin hydrated.
- ENCOURAGE GOOD GUT FLORA
- Incorporate healthy, fermented foods into your diet like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
- Eat more prebiotic foods like asparagus, bananas, artichokes, oats, and apples that stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria.
- Promote bacterial diversity with a potent probiotic supplement like our Daily Glow Probiotic Supplements. One a day gives you 5 different probiotic strains. They’re clinically proven to increase hydration and elasticity, reduce roughness and dullness, minimize fine lines and wrinkles after 15 days.
- Get plenty of fiber from beans and legumes.
- Load up on antioxidant-rich foods like blueberries, green tea, dark chocolate, red wine, olive oil, and whole grains that are broken down by the microbiome to stimulate healthy bacteria growth.
- Limit your consumption of high-glycemic foods like refined carbohydrates and refined sugars that can cause prolonged inflammation in your gut and on your skin, leading to premature loss of elasticity and suppleness in the skin.
- Consume less dairy, especially skim cow’s milk, which has been shown to increase the likelihood of acne. Yogurt and certain cheeses do NOT show these same results.
- Ditch artificial sweeteners that can alter your microbiome composition.
- EXERCISE REGULARLY
- Regular exercise contributes to a glowing complexion by increasing cellular metabolism. This slows down the process of skin aging and increases blood flow to the skin, improving its health and appearance.
- Focus on elevating your heart rate for at least 30 minutes, 4-5 days per week.
- To ensure you reap the skin benefits of exercise, remove makeup beforehand (or choose non-comedogenic makeup options).
- Avoid overheating, and rinse skin as soon as possible after your workout.
- Always remember to apply sunscreen when exercising outdoors.
AN INSIDE OUT APPROACH
The science is clear when it comes to the interconnectedness of our body of systems. They’re independent branches that are fed by the same roots. The level of nutrition we deliver from the roots outward is evident in the way we look and feel. Nourishing our microbiome through good nutrition, healthy probiotics, and clean skincare makes not only a visible difference in our complexion, but it makes us happier, better functioning human bodies- bodies that are ideally equipped to handle and defend against the elements with strong immune systems.
We believe in promoting a holistic approach to skincare that honors the symbiotic nature of our bodies. We believe in clean, ethical beauty, and our mission is to share up-to-the minute science that helps all women build a thriving microbiome through nourishing our bodies from the inside out.
We also really value time, so simplicity is key in our probiotic skincare line. As the only supplement + topical skincare system that's clinically proven to outperform topical treatments alone, we keep our products to-the-point. If you’re ready to start supporting your gut microbiome connection, you can start now with The Perfect Pair. One highly effective serum, one once-a-day probiotic supplement. After only 15 days, you’ll notice a visible difference in how you look and feel.
Supporting a healthy and happy microbiome is the clinically proven path to beautiful, radiant skin that shines from the inside out. It’s time to bridge the gap between your skin and gut health, and we’re here to make it simple.