We have all heard about the health benefits of eating fermented foods, but placing this on your face does sound strange. However this does reap benefits for your skin too. An increasing number of brands are utilising the wonders of fermented ingredients to create effective, barrier-boosting skincare products that help to support a healthy skin microbiome. Most skincare products that have launched in the past few years already contain fermented ingredients. You might unknowingly be already using them. Hailing from Korea, where fermented ingredients have been used for thousands of years, it’s hardly a new concept. But as our fascination with health and wellbeing grows, so too does our interest in skincare. Particularly skincare that supports the health of our skincare and protects our skin’s microbiome.
So, what exactly are fermented ingredients? And just an FYI we’re not talking about rubbing kimchi all over your skin. This trend is all about powerful fermented ingredients that literally feed your face.
Fermented skincare uses ingredients made using fermentation. The process of fermentation is one in which a substance is broken down into a simpler substance by microorganisms like yeast or bacteria. It occurs in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic conditions), and in the presence of beneficial microorganisms (yeasts, moulds, and bacteria) that obtain their energy through the fermentation process. During the fermentation process, these beneficial microbes break down sugars and starches into alcohols and acids.
One of the biggest difficulties for a skincare product with a large molecular size is to penetrate deep enough into our skin to be able to deliver optimum benefits. However, with fermentation breaking down larger sized molecules into smaller molecules, the reduction in size aids in absorbing active ingredients where our skin needs it most.
Sometimes, chemical compounds in a specific extract can irritate our skin type (we have all been there) especially if you have sensitive skin. Fermentation assists in breaking down this irritant to reduce its effect on sensitive skin.
One of the best benefits of fermented products, is that they help in slowing down the natural ageing process of our skin. Eating fermented foods also assists in clarifying and rejuvenating our skin from the inside out. When used in topical skincare, this fermentation process increases the bioavailability of ingredients, which means that they penetrate our skin at a deeper level. This is ideal for anyone with particularly dry skin.
Another fantastic benefit of fermented skincare is that you can find something for anyone’s skin type! If you’re looking to fight wrinkles and reduce dark spots without irritating your skin, products containing fermented red ginseng are the ones for you. Or, if you’re looking to achieve a plumper and softer complexion, fermented soy can help boost your skin’s own production of hyaluronic acid. Likewise, green tea seed oil has superior moisturising benefits, and the complex fermentation process releases an extra hit of vitamin E, free fatty acids, and polyphenols. Brands like Vintner’s Daughter, Tatcha, and Fresh have joined the ranks of fermented skincare. With consumers and the GEN Z audience becoming far more aware and in tune with ingredients and their key benefits, there is no doubt this trend will continue to grow.
If you are looking for support in developing a brand in the skincare market or you have an existing brand and you are looking to reposition this, get in touch, we would love to hear from. As a beauty brand management company, we work with our clients to develop their brands from ‘concept to shelf’.
We love partnering up with award-winning beauty and wellness brands, well-established companies, retailers, investors, trade bodies to bring your ideas to life. With over 60 years combined experience in building brands we know what it takes.
As a beauty brand consultancy, we support you in taking your business to the next level through strategy, brand management, product development. Introducing our 3 C’s – we draw upon years of Clarity, Creativity, Commerciality to deliver your results. We design brand identities and visual elements, create products, develop go-to-market strategies to help you to engage with your ideal customers. We work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy for your business by understanding your vision (and the marketplace) and then delving into the details to create order and structure, neatly packaged up to deliver you commercial results.
We work with clients based in different corners of the world – from the UK, to Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia, the Middle East and across Europe. Over the years we have worked with a diverse portfolio of businesses – here’s a snapshot. If you would like to discuss your ideas with us, get in touch, we would love to hear from you.
‘Janet has a wealth of experience across retail, buying and marketing. She conducted a full strategic review of our cross functional business and the travel retail market to develop a comprehensive buying and quality control strategy that was signed off at board level. I highly recommend her as an asset to any business.’
‘Through Janet’s management skills, expertise and proven track record on the job she successfully managed the purchasing of our retail operations and ensured the integrity of our brands in-stores. Her enthusiasm and total dedication, delivered results in any project she was involved in.’
‘Janet has excellent beauty market knowledge. Level headed with clear vision, direction and the ability to drive business forward, Janet led the teams through a complete product design change advising on what the key marketing messages should be, incorporating her technical knowledge and beauty expertise.’
‘Unless someone comes from a background in this industry, you wouldn’t know what is required. Not only do I have the support of an experienced team to help me to make things happen and to grow my brand, but I also have a great personal relationship with Janet and her team, working in this way means I have someone to turn to, to share the journey of running a business.’
‘Absolutely fantastic course. Condensed learning from Janet, an expert in developing beauty brands. Also, valuable introductions to expert professionals, in the Masterclass sessions. In 12 weeks, you will learn from Janet, what would take years to learn by yourself. A very worthwhile investment’