Human beings have known that fermented ingredients are good for our health for thousands of years. But while we’ve long understood that foods like kimchi and yogurt can promote a healthier gut, we’re just discovering that fermented skincare ingredients can also be good for your skin.
The trend, which has its roots in Korean Beauty, utilizes microorganisms to break down skincare ingredients into different compounds within a lab environment. Recently, fermented skincare ingredients have made the jump into Western beauty products with starring roles in some of beauty’s buzziest formulas.
Keep reading to learn how fermented skincare ingredients can help your beauty products work better and help you get your healthiest skin ever.
How Are Fermented Ingredients Used In Skincare?
“Fermented ingredients in skincare are created when microorganisms, such as bacteria, break down ingredients into different compounds, making them more potent,” says Biossance Director of Product Marketing + Strategy Celeste Schreier.
Fermented skincare ingredients usually start as natural, plant-based ingredients such as lemon peels or sugarcane, which are then transformed by yeast or bacteria to form compounds that benefit the skin.
How Fermented Beauty Products Benefit The Skin
“Fermented ingredients result in probiotics or postbiotics which can help support the skin’s barrier, reducing skin inflammation and sensitivity,” says Celeste. “Studies have shown that the skin absorbs fermented ingredients more effectively with a greater effect to the microbiome.”
Some scientists believe that fermented skincare ingredients boost skincare formulas by:
How Biossance Uses Fermented Skincare Ingredients
Squalane
Biossance’s superhero hydrator, Squalane, is a perfect example of how fermentation can transform one ingredient into an entirely different compound.
For generations, beauty products were fortified with squalane - an exceptional moisturizer naturally found in human skin - at the cost of millions of sharks, harvested for their squalene-rich livers. Our team of UC Berkeley scientists discovered how to engineer a plant-based version of squalene - called squalane - from fermenting sustainable sugarcane and yeast, similar to how beer and wine have been made for hundreds of years.
This new, ethically-sourced and vegan squalane is a molecular match for the moisture found in our skin. Not only does it penetrate deeply to deliver lasting moisture, it helps our other ingredients work better, too.
Fermented Lemon Peel
Our new Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer includes a breakthrough brightener that gets its powerful potency through the fermentation process.
“The fermented lemon peel in our new Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Moisturizer is a potent ingredient that’s been proven to have stronger brightening capabilities than leading chemical brighteners on the market,” says Celeste.
Fermented lemon peel provides antioxidant support to the skin, helping to improve the look of uneven skin tone and prevent signs of discoloration. In consumer surveys, 100% of participants agreed that their skin looked instantly brighter and more radiant upon application.
Christine Tusher
Author
As a lifestyle writer and journalist, I’m excited to bring my passion for storytelling to Biossance as an Engagement Content Writer. Two things you should know about me: I have a deep love of the ocean (especially sharks) and I’m obsessed with clean beauty. My bathroom cabinet is literally overflowing with my many-layered sustainable skincare routine. This combo is what led me to buy my first bottle of Vitamin C Rose Oil. I was so impressed by the way it improved my skin that I wanted to shout this brand from the rooftops. Three years later, and here I am doing just that. I’m excited to be on this journey of clean beauty innovation with Biossance, and to share it with you here on the blog.