Previously, we have talked about skincare trends such as waterless beauty. What about fermented beauty. When we think of fermentation, food items such as wine or kimchi usually come to mind, but it turns out to be as good for your skin as well. Certain brands have already long offered fermented ingredients in their line, fermented beauty is predicted to be one of the upcoming beauty trends in 2002 (Mustafa, 2022). But before that, let’s learn more about what exactly is fermented beauty.
Fermentation is the process of introducing microbe, bacteria or yeast to an ingredient (Weiner, 2021). Then, the process induces the decomposition of ingredients, breaking them down into basic building blocks. These basic building blocks include vitamins, essential minerals, and amino acids in their simple forms. With these molecules available in smaller in size and higher in concentrations, they prove to be useful in beauty products.
Their small size allows them to be more readily penetrated into the skin. In addition, these ingredients are shown to have enhanced properties post-fermentation. According to board-certified dermatologist Dr. Sapna Palep, similar to wine fermentation which uses yeast in the natural process to secrete enzymes, this process enhances the potency of the ingredients (Spruch-Feiner, 2020). As such, higher, more potent concentrations of vitamins and antioxidants help to fight free-radical damage and protect against UV damage. In addition, fermentation yields
Because of this natural process, fermented skin-care products generally contain ingredients like probiotics and lactic acid. These ingredients help create a healthy skin microbiome, which refers to the ecosystem of bacteria that lives on the surface of your skin that helps to protect one’s skin from the external environment (Embleton, 2021). Hence, the stronger the skin microbe, the stronger the skin barrier and thus the healthier the skin. The production of lactic acid in a low pH environment also helps prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria. As such fermentation is a natural way of lengthening the shelf life of the products, without the use of artificial inputs. The average lifespan of any beauty product is 12 months, while fermentation extends the usual lifespan by approximately 6 months (GMA, 2019). As such, not only does fermented beauty makes economic sense, it is beneficial in one’s skincare routine while minimising the harm to the environment.
For example, a product that most of us are familiar with is SKII. Containing fermented rice water, it is probably the most popular Japanese fermented ingredient. Packed with tons of vitamins and minerals, rice water is hailed for its anti-aging benefits such as preventing wrinkles and water loss from the skin, promoting collagen synthesis to skin brightening.
With fermented beauty predicted as one of the upcoming beauty trends of 2022, this reflects wider societal changes as consumers continue to opt for sustainably-minded practices and products.
References
Embleton, F. (2021, November 18). Everything you need to know about microbiome skincare. https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/beauty/microbiome-skincare-1
GMA. (2019). Fermented skincare in the beauty aisle: Here’s what to know. Good Morning America. https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/style/story/fermented-skincare-beauty-aisle-65123192
Mustafa, T. (2022, January 17). Fermented beauty is a big skincare trend for 2022—This is what it means. Metro. https://metro.co.uk/2022/01/17/fermented-beauty-will-be-a-big-skincare-trend-this-is-what-it-means-15931001/
Spruch-Feiner, S. (2020). Why fermented skincare products are a must for nourished, glowy skin. https://aremesfermentis.com/blog/why-fermented-skincare-products-are-a-must-for-nourished-glowy-skin/
Weiner, Z. (2021, March 8). Why fermented skin care is the next big thing in beauty. Well+Good. https://www.wellandgood.com/fermented-skin-care/