British Vogue - 11.2019

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our skin is a rich ecosystem of

roughly 100 trillion micro-

organisms – made up of more

than 1,000 species of bacteria,

viruses, mites (yes), and fungi – that coexist,

for the most part harmoniously, on the

surface. But how can you tell when that

delicate balance of bacteria is out of whack?

Just as obesity, autism, depression and

irritable bowel syndrome have all been

attributed to an imbalanced gut microbiome,

the epidermal microbiome is directly

related to skin sensitivity, premature ageing,

acne and eczema. Avoiding harsh soaps,

alcohol-based products and washing too

much will help, but for added support, try

these four state of the art, microbiome-

focused brands with innovative solutions

to keep our skin’s bacteria working well.

GALLINEE “Our customers see results

quickly, usually within a week,” says Marie

Drago, a French pharmaceutical doctor

and the founder of Gallinée. The brand’s

mild yet active products are loaded with

prebiotics to put your microbiome to

work more effectively, as well as a post-

biotic, by way of lactic acid, that helps to

strengthen the skin’s barrier and limit the

growth of C acnes, “the bacteria responsible

for acne. Our bestselling Face Vinegar

[£23] is a good example of this, as it can

be used by both sensitive and oily skins.”

AURELIA Claire Vero created Aurelia

Probiotic Skincare in 2013, following a

nine-year stint at GlaxoSmithKline, where

she first learned about probiotics. Taking

a natural approach – by fusing essential

oils with bio-organic botanicals – Aurelia

combines milk peptides (which protect

and restore the skin’s barrier functions)

with a non-live probiotic in the form of a

glycoprotein – this is the molecule that

helps cells communicate with one another.

Try the gentle Miracle Cleanser, £42, to

reset your skin’s natural pH.

CULTURE

CLUB

As new evidence reveals that the

balance of our skin’s microbiome is

crucial in determining complexion

health, Kathleen Baird-Murray

looks at the brands spearheading

the probiotic revolution

LANCOME The newly upgraded version

of Advanced Génifique Serum, £59.50,

is the result of 57 clinical trials and the

analysis of 10,000 skin microbiome

samples. One of the most significant

findings was about the impact of age on

skin bacteria: older people have more

diversity in their microbiome. Lancôme

also found proof that polluted environments

can prematurely age skin’s microbiome.

This update has three new plant-based

prebiotics, as well as probiotics, to keep

a youthful balance of bacteria.

MOTHER DIRT Established after MIT

graduates found a strain of bacteria that

consumes skin-irritating compounds in

our sweat and converts them into ones that

calm skin, Mother Dirt’s AO+ Mist, £50,

contains live bacteria and needs to be kept

in the fridge. Once, the strain occurred

naturally in everyone, though now it’s rare,

and most notably found on the skins of the

Amazonian Yanomami tribe, who haven’t

been exposed to such high levels of pollution.

Use on top of make-up and sunscreen for

MARTA BEVACQUA/TRUNK ARCHIVE; GETTY IMAGES; PIXELATE.BIZ improvements in skin clarity. n

SKINCARE SPECIAL

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