The beauty industry is seeing a rise in fermented beauty – products that use fermented ingredients to help combat the signs of ageing while delivering numerous other benefits.
The Korean-born trend works by soaking ingredients in a solution to allow bacteria to grow. The sugars within these ingredients are then broken down by bacteria, resulting in a number of positive effects. For example, fermented foods such as yoghurt help improve gut health.
So how does this process relate to beauty products? Well, it increases the level of antioxidants in each ingredient, helping to slow down the ageing process of the skin. In tropical skincare, it also helps absorb ingredients at a deeper level, making it ideal for dry skin types.
Natural skincare brand, Sister & Co. Skin Food is one of the brands using fermentation to replace traditional preservatives. Speaking with Glamour, Sister & Co. Skin Food founder, Sophie Thompson, said:
“Any product that contains water – all foaming shampoos, cleansers, moisturisers and many more – need to be preserved to ensure that bacteria doesn’t spread (bacteria loves water) and that products are safe for human health throughout their shelf life.”
Another brand harnessing the power of these ingredients is Weleda, which has a range of body washes that utilise fermented coconut and sugar to cleanse the skin without drying it out.
While the trend is still relatively young, more brands are soon expected to jump on the fermented bandwagon.
