As the K-beauty trend continues to dominate spa retail sales, many estheticians are exploring products that contain fermented skincare ingredients. These actives offer a natural alternative to chemical ingredients and promise results-based efficacy.
Fermenting beauty ingredients makes them more easily absorbed by the skin, making them suitable for any skin type or concern. Popular fermented ingredients include:
Vitamins
Minerals are integral to the skin’s cellular communication system and boost healthy hydration. The suitable blends can also increase skin strength, treat inflammation and oxidative damage, and slow aging.
Fermenting nutrients into a multivitamin like ours resembles how milk becomes easily digestible yogurt, soy transforms into gentle miso, and tea turns into vivacious kombucha. Yeast cells culture the nutrient into a complex mixture of active vitamins and minerals. Saccharomyces zinc ferment and Eriodictyon californicum ferment are two of our favorite yeast strains that help improve skin hydration and complexion. They work with copper to promote collagen synthesis skin elasticity, and zinc to soothe irritated skin.
Minerals
Minerals like zinc and copper have anti-inflammatory properties crucial to skin elasticity. They also partner with antioxidants to boost their natural protective abilities against free radical damage.
Advanced skincare products often incorporate cutting-edge ingredients, such as Mel-Co Mineral Ferment, known for its rejuvenating properties and ability to promote skin health.
The fermentation process breaks down the molecular structure of these nutrients, minerals, and active ingredients so that they can be absorbed more easily into your skin. A higher concentration of ingredients like hyaluronic acid increases collagen production and retains moisture for plump, hydrated skin.
The clinic explains that when copper is used topically, it can penetrate the skin, stimulate elastin development, and offer anti-inflammatory benefits. Other popular minerals include sulfur-rich ancient thermal spa waters for detoxification and magnesium-rich Epsom salts for soothing inflammation and muscle relaxation.
Antioxidants
Free radicals, those nasty reactive molecules that can damage healthy cells, cause oxidative stress, which in turn causes wrinkles, loss of firmness, discoloration, and dullness. Antioxidants, both natural and artificial (like vitamins C and E), combat this by stabilizing these unstable molecules before they can wreak havoc.
They also help promote skin cell regeneration, boost collagen production, and enhance elasticity. They can even regulate how we produce melanin, which is responsible for our skin tone. They are a must-have ingredient in any skincare routine.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are primary nutrients that boost collagen production and improve skin’s hydration and elasticity. They also reduce inflammation, which can cause acne, rosacea, or psoriasis, and help block damaging UV radiation.
Flaxseed and chia seeds are plant oils that include them, as do cold-water fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna. Additionally, fortified foods contain eggs, milk, soy drinks, and certain yogurt brands.
During fermentation, these fats are converted to eicosanoids, which boost skin cells and help them hold water, keeping your complexion super soft and hydrated. They also help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Amino acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins and then help repair skin cells. They’re crucial in many skin care products because essential amino acids help heal wounds and protect against UV damage. In contrast, non-essential amino acids optimize skin hydration at a cellular level.
Glycine, for example, is one of the primary amino acids used to make collagen – a protein that keeps skin supple and firm. It also helps increase hyaluronic acid production, a natural moisturizer that smooths out fine lines and wrinkles.
Amino acids are versatile ingredients that work well alongside several other skincare products, including antioxidants and probiotics. Amino acids also improve hydration and boost the effectiveness of plant extracts, vitamins, and omega fatty acids.
Probiotics
We’re used to probiotics helping our digestive systems, but they can also be good for your skin. Some products on the market promise to rebalance your microbiome by delivering probiotics directly to your face in lotions and creams.
These are still experimental, and to date, there is no scientific validation that they work.8
However, some studies indicate that topical probiotics reduce inflammation and improve the appearance of certain skin conditions. This might be because probiotics can help retrain the skin’s bacteria to control sebum production and suppress acne-causing pathogens. They can also boost hydration and improve the skin barrier.
