Sensitive, flared, dry, oily or combination skin types, whatever end of the skin spectrum you sit, you will find that topical probiotic skincare is your best friend. Topical probiotics play a key role in supporting and enhancing the skin's microbiome, which is the ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that naturally live on the skin’s surface. A balanced microbiome is essential for maintaining healthy skin, as it helps protect against harmful bacteria, supports the skin’s natural defences, and keeps the skin barrier intact.
Topical Probiotic Skincare and your Skin Microbiome
Written in the National Library of Medicine; (Oral and Topical Probiotics and Postbiotics in Skincare and Dermatological Therapy: A Concise Review - PMC (nih.gov))
"An imbalance in the skin microbiota can lead to pathological conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. The balance of the skin microbiota components can be disrupted by different elements and dynamics such as changes in pH levels, exposure to environmental toxins, and the use of certain skincare products. Research suggests that certain probiotic strains and their metabolites (postbiotics) may provide benefits such as improving the skin barrier function, reducing inflammation, and improving the appearance of acne-prone or eczema-prone skin."
How do topical probiotics help your skin?
Restores Balance in the Skin Microbiome
Topical probiotics introduce beneficial bacteria to the skin, helping to restore balance by promoting the growth of healthy microorganisms. This, in turn, limits the overgrowth of harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts, irritation, and other skin problems.
Reduces Inflammation
Topical probiotics have natural anti-inflammatory properties, which are particularly beneficial for reducing skin conditions associated with inflammation, such as acne, eczema, and rosacea. By rebalancing the microbiome, topical probiotics calm the skin, reduce redness and lower the inflammatory response, resulting in a more soothed complexion.
Strengthens the Skin Barrier
Topical probiotics help strengthen the skin’s barrier by promoting a healthy microbial balance and increasing the skin's ability to retain moisture and repair itself. This leads to improved hydration, less irritation, and more resilient skin.
Promotes Healing and Skin Repair
A balanced microbiome enhances the skin’s ability to heal and regenerate. When the microbiome is healthy, skin cells renew more effectively, which supports faster recovery from damage such as wounds, sunburn, or irritation. Topical probiotics aid in this process by maintaining a healthy environment that promotes the regeneration of skin cells and repairs damage to the skin barrier.
Regulates Skin pH Levels
Harsh cleansers, environmental factors, or skin conditions can disrupt the skin's pH, making it more alkaline and compromising the microbiome. Topical probiotic skincare helps regulate the skin's pH balance, ensuring that it remains in the optimal range for beneficial bacteria to thrive, which leads to better skin health and reduced sensitivity.
Benefits of Topical Probiotics and Sensitive Skin
Topical probiotic skincare products can be particularly beneficial for sensitive skin types, which are prone to irritation, redness, and inflammation. Incorporating topical probiotics into your skincare routine can lead to long-term benefits, including reduced redness, improved skin strength, and a more balanced, comfortable complexion.
Soothes Inflammation and Redness
Sensitive skin is often inflamed and easily irritated. Topical probiotics have natural anti-inflammatory properties that calm redness and irritation and reduce flare-ups. By promoting a healthy skin environment, topical probiotics help prevent and minimise sensitivity, making the skin feel more comfortable and less reactive.
Strengthens the Skin Barrier
Sensitive skin often has a compromised barrier function, making it more susceptible to external irritants, pollutants, and allergens. Topical probiotics help to fortify the skin barrier, ensuring it functions effectively to protect the skin from harmful elements while retaining moisture. A stronger barrier helps sensitive skin become more resilient and less prone to irritation.
Promotes Hydration and Skin Repair
Sensitive skin is often prone to dryness and damage due to a weakened barrier. Topical probiotics help retain moisture and repair the skin, improving hydration levels and overall skin health. This is important for preventing further irritation, as well-moisturised skin is less likely to become dry, flaky, or inflamed.
Gentle on the Skin
Topical probiotics are very gentle, making them ideal for sensitive skin types that cannot tolerate harsh ingredients or treatments. Unlike some acne-fighting or anti-aging ingredients, probiotics work with the skin’s natural processes to support balance without causing additional irritation.
Improves Skin Texture
Sensitive skin can often become rough or uneven due to irritation, dryness, or inflammation. Topical probiotics support gentle exfoliation and skin renewal, leading to a smoother and more even skin texture without causing further irritation.
Benefits of Topical Probiotics and Oily Skin
For oily skin, topical probiotics can help regulate oil production, reduce breakouts, and promote a healthier, balanced complexion. Topical probiotics ensure that the healthy bacteria on the skin can flourish, which helps keep the bad bacteria in check. This balance prevents the overproduction of oil and reduces inflammation. By promoting a healthy skin environment, probiotics can help regulate overactive sebaceous glands, which are responsible for excess oil production in oily skin types.
Topical probiotic skincare is especially beneficial for those with oily and acne-prone skin, as it addresses the root causes of common issues - excess oil, acne-causing bacteria, and inflammation - without being harsh or overly drying.
Regulates Sebum Production
Topical probiotics help restore balance to the skin’s microbiome, which in turn can regulate excessive sebum production, a common issue with oily skin. By balancing the healthy bacteria on the skin, probiotics can reduce the overproduction of oil, which can lead to fewer clogged pores and breakouts.
Reduces Acne and Breakouts
Oily skin is more prone to acne due to excess oil clogging the pores. Topical probiotics create a healthy environment on the skin that limits the growth of harmful bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes, which cause acne. By promoting healthy bacteria, topical probiotics reduce inflammation and help prevent acne-causing bacteria from thriving.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Topical probiotics have natural anti-inflammatory properties, which are beneficial for oily and acne-prone skin. Inflammation is a key factor in the development of acne, and probiotics can calm the skin, reduce redness, and minimise the appearance of pimples and blemishes.
Reduces Pore Size
Oily skin often has larger pores due to the excess sebum production. Topical probiotics can help reduce pore size by balancing the skin and reducing excess oil build-up. This leads to a smoother, more refined skin texture.
Improves Skin Clarity
Topical probiotics help purify the skin by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and promoting cell renewal. This helps clear congested pores, reduce blackheads, and enhance overall skin clarity, making the complexion appear brighter and less greasy.
Benefits of Topical Probiotics and Dry Skin
Topical probiotics can help improve the skin’s moisture balance, soothe irritation, and promote a healthier, more resilient complexion. Incorporating topical probiotic skincare products can lead to long-lasting hydration and improved skin texture.
Promotes Hydration
By improving the skin’s natural defences, topical probiotics aid in better moisture retention. This is essential for dry skin, which often struggles to hold onto hydration. Probiotics help restore the balance of the skin’s microbiome, creating a healthy environment for skin cells to maintain moisture levels, leading to softer, smoother skin.
Improves Skin Elasticity
Dry skin often lacks the necessary hydration to maintain elasticity, leading to a tight, uncomfortable feeling. Topical probiotics help improve the skin’s ability to retain moisture, enhancing its elasticity and softness. Over time, this can lead to a more supple, plump appearance.
Reduces Inflammation and Irritation
Dry skin is prone to irritation, redness, and inflammation, often caused by environmental factors or a compromised barrier. Topical probiotics have anti-inflammatory properties that help calm and soothe the skin, reducing irritation and redness. This makes them particularly helpful for people with dry, sensitive skin conditions such as eczema or rosacea.
Enhances Skin’s Resilience to Environmental Stressors
Dry skin is more susceptible to damage from environmental factors like pollution, UV rays, and harsh weather. Topical probiotics help boost the skin's natural defences, making it more resilient to these stressors, which can otherwise exacerbate dryness and irritation.
Supports Skin Healing
Topical probiotics can promote skin healing by encouraging the regeneration of healthy skin cells. This is especially important for dry skin that may experience cracking, roughness, or peeling. By supporting cell turnover and repair, probiotics help restore the skin’s smooth texture and appearance.
Benefits of Topical Probiotic Skincare for Combination Skin
Combination skin types face the challenge of managing both oily and dry areas simultaneously. Topical probiotics help balance the skin’s microbiome, regulate oil production, and support hydration, making them ideal for addressing the diverse needs of combination skin. Using topical probiotics consistently can help combination skin maintain its balance, reducing breakouts in oily areas while improving hydration and softness in dry areas.
Balances Oil Production
Combination skin typically has an oily T-zone (forehead, nose, and chin) and drier areas on the cheeks. Topical probiotics help regulate sebum production by promoting a balanced skin microbiome. This can reduce excess oil in the T-zone without drying out the rest of the face, making topical probiotics ideal for controlling shine in oily areas while maintaining moisture in drier areas.
Improves Skin Hydration
While topical probiotics help regulate oil, they also strengthen the skin's moisture barrier, which is essential for combination skin. This dual action helps retain hydration in dry areas of the skin, like the cheeks, while ensuring that oily areas don not get overly greasy. The result is more even skin hydration across the face.
Reduces Inflammation and Calms Skin
Topical probiotics have anti-inflammatory properties that help calm redness and irritation, which can be common in combination skin, especially in areas that are prone to breakouts or sensitivity. By reducing inflammation, topical probiotics soothe and even out skin tone, helping both dry and oily areas feel more comfortable.
Helps Prevent Breakouts
In combination skin, the oily T-zone is often more prone to breakouts due to clogged pores and excess sebum. Topical probiotics help prevent the growth of acne-causing bacteria like Propionibacterium acnes, reducing the likelihood of breakouts in the oily areas while keeping the rest of the skin balanced and healthy.
Regulates pH Levels
Combination skin can have an imbalanced pH, leading to a mix of oiliness and dryness. Topical probiotics help maintain the skin’s natural pH levels, which can regulate both oil production and moisture retention, keeping combination skin more balanced overall.
Benefits of Topical Probiotics for Flared Skin
A strong skin barrier is essential for flared skin to heal and protect itself from further damage. Topical probiotics support barrier repair and protection, preventing external triggers from worsening the flare. Topical probiotics help create a calming, protective environment that supports healing and reduces the risk of future flare-ups.
Calms Inflammation
Topical probiotics have anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe the skin and reduce inflammation, making them effective for calming flare-ups. By reducing the inflammatory response, topical probiotics help skin feel less irritated and more comfortable.
Reduces Redness
Flared skin is frequently accompanied by visible redness. Topical probiotics work to reduce the intensity of redness by calming the skin and minimising inflammation. They also help even out the skin tone over time by soothing reactive areas.
Supports Healing
Topical probiotics promote skin regeneration and repair by encouraging the natural healing processes of the skin. This is particularly beneficial during flare-ups when the skin is damaged or irritated. Topical probiotics can help speed up recovery, making the skin heal more quickly and reducing the severity of future flare-ups.
Hydrates and Retains Moisture
Flared skin is often dry, dehydrated, and in need of moisture. Topical probiotics help the skin retain hydration by strengthening the moisture barrier and promoting a healthy environment for skin cells. This added hydration helps soothe dryness, which can be a trigger for flare-ups.
Gentle and Non-irritating
Topical probiotic skincare is gentle and non-irritating, making them suitable for sensitive or reactive skin types. They work in harmony with the skin’s natural processes rather than causing further irritation or damage, which is essential during flare-ups.
