We really really love this month’s issue of Cosmo. It features Gallinée and Marie talking about her current obsession with fermented food. And does so in an article with the best title ever (“Have you got vegan wrinkles?”).
YOUR FACE-FRIENDLY FOOD FAD
Fermented food fans, pat yourself on the back.
“Foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut, along with fermented milk (or kefir) and yoghurts, introduce “good” probiotic bacteria to the gut,” says Roberts.
“Gut bacteria create a barrier to reduce inflammation, which is at the heart of countless diseases, as well as the ageing process.”
Add plenty of prebiotics in the form of fibre from plants and wholegrains: they act as food and fertisier for the good bacteria.
“A gut full of healthy microbes modulates the immune system and so keeps every part of the body in balance,” says doctor of pharmacy Marie Drago. A good probiotic supplement such as Optibac Probiotics For Everyday (£11.29) is also an option.
Topical bacteria are crucial, too. “Skin has its own microbiome of healthy bacteria (the acid mantle), which keeps the surface slightly acidic to ward off “bad” bacteria and pollution and locks in moisture,” says Drago.
But soaps, sulfate cleansers and even hard water strip this layer, making skin dry and sensitive and creating an inviting environment for acne bacteria to thrive. The right strategy? Choose sulfate-free cleansers such as Gallinée La Culture Foaming Facial Cleanser (£14), with added biotics to support the acid mantle, followed by probiotic-rich Aurelia Cell Revitalise Night Moisturiser (£52). To keep skin’s acidity topped up, embrace exfoliating acids: “Lactic acid is akin to what the body itself produces, and is the best acid for efficacy and safety,” says Drago. Swipe skin with a Zelens PHA+Bio-Peel Resurfacing Facial Pad (£65 for 50) twice a week.
