Prebiotics For Your Skin: What You Need To Know About This Growing Trend

 

What you apply to your skin may make a difference to its appearance, but also your overall health. Beauty Expert and Burt’s Bees Senior Brand Manager Nicola Quinn explains why prebiotics are so important

We’ve all heard about the importance of eating and taking probiotics and prebiotics for good gut – and overall – health. We’re now discovering they may be helpful when applied to the skin. 

Prebiotics work hard to support probiotics, keeping the bacteria healthy and balanced. Since 70 per cent of our immune system lies in the gut, it’s important to keep it in optimum shape. Research shows us that the state of our digestive system may affect our skin and overall health. 

You can find prebiotics in the foods we eat – artichoke, asparagus, garlic, onions, oats, barley, wheat brain, bananas, dandelion, and chicory. Probiotic foods include yogurt, kimchi, and kefir. 

Bacteria isn’t just found inside our bodies: microbes live in our hair follicles and skin surfaces. When the bacteria are out of balance you may find that your skin is red, dry and prone to showing signs of ageing. 

Research is discovering that prebiotics and probiotics can be applied to our skin to help improve its health. By applying pro and prebiotics to our skin we’ll not only help our largest elimination organ achieve good health, encourage friendly bacteria growth on the surface of our skin, but also support our immune system at the same time. 

By using a skin care product which contains prebiotics, such as the new Burt’s Bees Hydrating Overnight Mask, you’ll be paving the way for optimum health. Burt’s Bees products are all dermatologist tested and made from 99% natural ingredients which help to strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier. 

The mask provides ultra-nourishing ingredients, including avocado which contains large amounts of fatty acids to help hydrate your skin, and beetroot – known for its prebiotic benefits – to help feed the skin’s healthy bacteria overnight.