ABCs of Skincare/Makeup Ingredients: Ferment

I am literally the worst blogger. No time management skills, no scheduling, ugh. I'm so sorry devoted readers. I got caught up in finishing my final assignments, doing my readings, and studying for and writing final exams.

But I am back! And this time, I promise you. I will have a few things scheduled beforehand so you will see my schedule come back to life.

So today, I'm going to discuss "ferment". Now this isn't an ingredient per say, but it affects certain ingredients power and benefit.

When we think about ferment, we usually jump right into foods (like kimchi). But fermentation can take place outside of the food industry and has been an integral part of the Korean skincare industry for quite some time.

So what is fermentation? Fermentation is the metabolic process of converting sugars into acids, gases, or alcohols using yeast and/or bacteria. Fermentation increases the potency of certain ingredients like tea, ginseng and rice. Fermentation makes the molecules of these ingredients smaller, thereby making it easier for your skin to absorb it.

Fermented ingredients are also usually acidic and this helps to naturally exfoliate your dead skins, making it even easier for products to be absorbed into your skin. As a result, fermentation products are often touted as having "anti-aging" benefits.

However there are some doubts that fermentation has any beneficial results when applied topically. Internally, the good bacteria that fermentation produces is beneficial to us because it helps kills bad bacteria with probiotics. Some scientists argue that "when [fermented ingredients are] ingested, the human body has biochemical processes that utilize fermented materials; the outer layers of the skin absolutely do not."

So does fermented ingredients really have any benefits on our skin? Scientists say no, but cosmetic companies say yes. While fermented products may be a marketing gimmick from their part, if you feel like a certain product has worked wonders for your skin, I'd say just continue using it! Maybe the fermentation is helping, maybe it's not. Fermentation is supposed to break down the molecules of whatever it is, so your skin can absorb it easier. I think all in all, in that regard, fermentation would be immensely helpful if you are looking for quick results.

I hope that was somewhat useful for any of you! Until Friday :) Although I do have some reviews I will be writing and publishing soon.

Sources

• http://www.refinery29.com/best-fermented-beauty-products#slide
• http://www.allure.com/beauty-trends/blogs/daily-beauty-reporter/2015/07/fermented-skin-care-korean-beauty.html
• http://www.racked.com/2015/10/30/9637454/fermented-skin-care-effective-korean-beauty