Prebiotic Cosmetics for a Healthy Skin Barrier

Our skin is home to millions of microorganisms that form a complex network together with the cells of the epidermis. This network consists of fungi, bacteria, viruses, and single-celled organisms - they are all part of a symbiosis called the microbiome.

Each individual's skin has a unique microbiome - just as is the case with the microbiome in our intestines. This network is shaped by a wide variety of factors - for example, by bacteria that influence the pH value.

Together with skin cells, the large number of different bacteria helps to protect our skin from invaders. This makes the microbiome on our skin an important part of our immune system. How healthy our skin barrier is and how well it can protect us from environmental influences plays an essential role here.

Different areas of our body have different microbiomes. Factors such as temperature, moisture, and sebum production strongly influence the condition of our skin. This is why there are areas that dry out faster than others. A healthy skin barrier can retain moisture better.

Prebiotic vs. probiotic

We're all familiar with probiotic foods: yoghurt, sauerkraut, vinegar, and so on. They contain living bacterial cultures that have a positive effect on the microbiome in our gut. Beneficial bacteria colonise our intestines where they improve and strengthen their environment.

Prebiotic foods have not been known about for as long: they contain special, indigestible dietary fibres that serve as food for probiotics. This means that prebiotics provide optimal nutrition for the microflora that already exists.

Prebiotic fibre is found in all fruits and vegetables. Our favourite prebiotic is inulin. It is contained in foods such as chicory, asparagus, garlic, artichokes, and cabbage.

The same principle applies to the skin!

If the skin barrier, i.e. the microbiome, is in poor condition, prebiotic ingredients in cosmetics can bring it back into balance. They can also be used preventatively to strengthen and nourish the microflora on the skin.

A skin barrier that is in poor condition is permeable and can no longer maintain its important protective function. This makes the skin more susceptible to external influences, such as sunlight, but also to unwanted invaders, such as microorganisms that make us ill.

An impaired skin barrier can also be the cause of diseases like acne, psoriasis, neurodermatitis, and other inflammatory skin problems. There are already studies that have found that, for example, in the case of acne and blemishes, a therapy with prebiotic cosmetic products can achieve better results than antibacterial ingredients. Such ingredients kill the living bacteria that are causing problems - but they also kill good bacteria, which has a negative effect.

The microflora on our skin, the barrier function, and our immune system all interact to keep our skin healthy. We need to maintain this delicate balance.

Benefits of prebiotic cosmetics

Facial cleansers, soaps, shower gels, and shampoos containing ingredients such as alcohol, aggressive surfactants, and sulphates can damage our skin barrier and make it permeable. At Hands On Veggies we don't use harmful ingredients in the first place - plus, we add extra prebiotic ingredients, such as inulin from chicory, to our products. This makes a lot of sense, especially in skincare products like lip balm or body lotion. But we now also mix valuable inulin into almost all our products, such as soaps or shower gel.

This will make the micro-organisms on your skin happy as they feed on the ingredients and thrive.

Give your skin some TLC and pamper it with organic prebiotic cosmetic products.