DIGGING THE DIRT ON BEAUTY
Image Credit - NOBE NORDIC BEAUTY
The days of frolicking in muddy forests with abandon are more than likely a nostalgic childhood memory, before on-demand wet wipes and Cif made their way into our sterile and sanitised lives. Hygiene and cleanliness have dominated the world of personal care, but innovative beauty brands are now dishing the dirt on one of the most powerful ingredients to protect and heal our skin.
Soil.
For decades, the skincare benefits of mud have been well-known, but as scientific skincare advances, and more is understood about the microbiome, soil-derived ingredients are ushering in new skin-supporting formulations rooted in the riches of the earth. Finland’s Uute Scientific Oy has developed a world-first, scientifically-proven inactivated microbe extract from plant-based compost mixtures, soil, and plants. Created under the brand name Re-Connecting Nature™, this sustainable and renewable material - Humus Extract - creates unique bacterial compositions that replicate the hugely diverse microbial communities found in the unique natural habitats of Finland.
Environmental exposure to nature’s microbial diversity is essential for immunity and protection, and although developed primarily with a pioneering medical ambition - a life without immune-mediated diseases - Re-Connecting Nature™ can reintroduce essential biodiversity to the skin and is already available for a number of cosmetic applications from skincare to lip balm and hair care, in the form of emulsions, clays, balms and oils featuring the extract. Moss and peat also have extraordinary antioxidant power, with organic variants finding their way into skincare via ethical harvesting and ecosystem-protecting biotechnology. The result? A new wave of soil-derived products that reduce irritation, increase collagen levels, enhance barrier protection, and restore microbial balance.
Image Credit - NOBE NORDIC BEAUTY
Johanna Rönkkö's Finnish skincare brand NOBE's Forest Drops® Microbiome Booster provides a high level of safe microbial exposure. Described as 'a forest bath in a bottle', each drop contains tens of thousands of microbial particles, and is especially beneficial to nature-starved city dwellers. This potent formula replenishes the skin's delicate microbiome with each drop.
Image Credit - SEES
SEES Forest Kiss lip balm is the world’s first tube balm to contain forest microbes. Strengthening the delicate skin of the lips, it speeds up repair and renewal, and part of the balm targets the oral mucosa which has a thinner protective layer. With each application, the Forest Kiss balm strengthens this delicate area
Many of us are familiar with peat, but mostly for its use as an alternative fuel. However, more recently it’s become known for its miraculous preservation properties. Welcome, BOG Skincare, a brand that harnesses the skin-preserving power of peat for its potent serums and masks. Bursting with natural antioxidants, essential oils, and fatty acids, it works to improve elasticity, retain moisture, and boost cell regeneration. A potent detoxifier and collagen booster, the peat-infused serum softens lines, enhances skin texture, and heals micro-wounds.
Image Credit - ORN KUU SKINCARE
Õrn Kuu’s skincare concentrates on feeding the skin with ingredients that help balance and restore the lipids, nutrients, and essential microbes that compromised skin lacks. The brand’s Või Body Lotion Bar is a luxurious blend of organic butters, oils, and humus extract to nourish mature and sensitive skin. Designed to soften at body temperature and be massaged directly onto damp skin, visible speckles of the forest microbe can be seen upon application. Aligning product and packaging with an earth-first mindset, even the inner boxes are grown to order from a mix of natural upcycled bio-waste and mycelium that breaks down in soil after approximately 40 days. Now that’s beauty circularity worth talking about.
From the therapeutic wonders of forest microbes to the reparative properties of peat, there is a whole new world of transformative ingredients for us to explore. And as an increasing number of brands recognise and harness the healing properties of soil, it’s time to dig getting dirty.
Article Credit- Nicky Connors - nicky@constellarconsultancy.com