Skin care science is such a mess right now that sometimes I get completely discouraged with it, and this is my job! So I can only imagine how the average reader feels amongst the chaos. Personally, my two least favorite situations are:
1.) When findings about active ingredients are released based on their effects on rodents or other animals. For the record, this is sometimes applicable to you, like when an ingredient is used in a reasonable concentration that is comparable to what you would be exposed to in a typical dose, as well as applied topically. But most of the time, as in the case with parabens, the conclusions are often drawn on the ingredient being used in thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of times the typical concentration you would be subjected to before your body would automatically clear them from your system.
2.) When companies claim a skin care ingredient is beneficial for you solely because it has been proven to be good for you when you eat it. For the record, food is generally not skin care. Some of the best foods for you, like milk, contain growth factors that can wreak havoc on your skin. Moreover, acidic foods are sometimes not well-digested — the hydrochloric acid of your stomach has a pH of around 2, so it’s better to eat foods that leave an alkaline (or basic) ash, like leafy greens and most fruits, because then your stomach acid can effectively neutralize them. But mildly acidic skin care is great, exfoliating your skin and leaving it fresh and clean.
So when probiotic skin care was first released, I automatically put it off into category #2. Finis, finit, finito, I thought this trend was so lame I wasn’t even going to bother writing about it. (If it’s lame enough, no one would ever even care to read about it!) But, after a closer look, there actually is some genuine science behind probiotic skin care. So here you go:
How Probiotic Skin Care Works
The human body contains about 100 trillion microorganisms, including bacterial and fungal species. The bacterial species are the most numerous.
There are both “good” bacteria and “bad” bacteria. We often hear more about the “bad” bacteria, like H. pylori, which is responsible for ulcers; M. furfur, which causes dandruff; and S. aureus, which causes MRSA and staph infections. But we rarely hear about “good” bacteria. This is partially because it is less urgent (better to kill off the bacteria we know needs to die first!), and partially because the scientific and medical community still has a long way to go before they know exactly what bacterial species are most beneficial for the various systems of the body.
With probiotic skin care, scientists have identified a few strains of bacteria that are able to improve the appearance of the skin by essentially strengthening it, a term in dermatology known as “improved barrier function” (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2011). Unfortunately, this technology is rather new, so the number of independent, peer-reviewed studies not affiliated with any company are still limited. But the technology is promising for those with certain skin conditions associated with lessened barrier function.
Who is Probiotic Skin Care Best For?
Probiotic skin care is most likely best for those with very dry or irritated skin. I personally would recommend probiotic skin care to those with very dry skin, and/or eczema/atopic dermatitis who have tried many treatment options on the market without success previously.
Why would I say for eczema, AKA atopic dermatitis? Several reasons. First, there is a study, though just one at this time, that suggests probiotic strains used in probiotic skin care improves barrier functions and symptoms of atopic dermatitis (Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2011).
But the second reason is a little more hypothetical or (dare I say it), a gut feeling I have about probiotics (har har). All joking aside, eczema is well-documented to be an autoimmune condition (Journal of Immunology, 2007). This essentially means that the skin is attacking itself for some unknown reason, resulting in the severe dryness and red patches associated with eczema. I believe it is possible that the immune system can be bolstered not only with vitamin and mineral supplementation, but perhaps also by reintroducing controlled strains of “good,” healthy bacteria back into the skin. If this is true, then probiotic skin care may be a godsend for those with eczema, as well as other autoimmune conditions.
Again, however, this response will get better as the scientific and medical community learns more about probiotics. I am especially interested to learn how one’s environment changes the efficacy of the treatment — I am sure there are different strains of bacteria prevalent on the skin of persons in the U.S. than in Pakistan, for instance, due to different environmental conditions and (much of the) genetics. So I’m curious what future research will reveal.
Who Should Not Use Probiotic Skin Care?
With all due honesty, I would not use probiotic skin care at this time unless I had eczema. Truth be told, there isn’t much, if any, valid scientific evidence out there right now to support probiotic use for fighting fine lines or wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne, skin sagging, melasma, psoriasis…the list goes on. But there are ingredients that are proven to improve the appearance of each of these conditions over time! So I would stick with those over probiotics, unless I had eczema, especially eczema that was hard to treat.
Furthermore, I would not at this time use probiotic skin care if I was pregnant or nursing. The scientific and medical community is still largely understanding the effects of probiotics orally ingested for the average man or woman. Adding topical application and pregnancy or nursing to the mix are degrees of complication, and while I think it is largely likely these products are safe for women who are pregnant or nursing, I simply do not think there is enough scientific evidence to conclude the effects of probiotic skin care is necessarily desirable for those women, who typically are looking for products aimed towards treating signs of hyperpigmentation/melasma, stretch marks, and loose or sagging skin — not eczema.
What are the Best Probiotic Skin Care Products?
Kampuku Beauty Bar ($7.99, Amazon.com) has just five ingredients – sodium palmate and sodium cocoate for cleansing, probiotic extract, water, and caramel. That’s it. Yet it has a sufficiently high concentration of beneficial probiotics that I think it might be superb for those with eczema. Another benefit: As this bar is originally formulated in Japan, the beneficial bacterial strains contained therein might vary somewhat from those in the average American formulation, so you are introducing a more diverse population of beneficial bacteria to your skin! (While this may sound scary, I actually really do think this is a solid benefit, don’t worry).
Eminence Probiotic Masque ($38.96, Amazon.com) is marketed towards those with acne, but in reality, this one-step peel-off masque is a dream for those with eczema or very dry skin. It contains just about every natural soothing  or hydrating ingredient there is, including cucumber, shea butter, soybean oil, vegetable squalane, and vitamin E. The only things it is really missing are green tea and oatmeal!
One caveat: Eminence Probiotic Masque contains kaolin clay and corn oil. So if your skin is eczematous and sensitive, I might say skip it.
Clinique Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream ($45.00, Amazon.com) contains a fairly low concentration of probiotics, but enough where you may get some relief from your eczema or dry skin with regular use over time. This particular strain (or set of strains) has been reported by the company to be beneficial in restoring skin’s barrier function, but the studies were not made public at this time.
Bottom Line
If you have eczema, I highly recommend trying probiotic skin care. Otherwise, I think there simply may be alternative ingredients that may treat your condition or prevent signs of aging better.