Fermented Cosmetics
What is behind the beauty trend from Korea?
Fermented cosmetics have many benefits for the skin.
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Kimchi, kombucha – and now cosmetics too: In Korea, fermented skin care has been used for a long time. What are the advantages?
Fermentation is best known as a method of preserving food. Kimchi, sauerkraut or kombucha ensure a healthy intestinal flora and provide large amounts of vitamins. In Korea, fermented products have also been used in skin care for some time. How does fermented cosmetics work and what is the advantage?
What is fermentation?
Fermentation is one of the oldest human techniques for preserving food – it has existed in all parts of the world for thousands of years. The term derives from the Latin “fermentum”, which means something like “fermentation”. Fermentation used to be used to preserve the summer harvest for the winter. In the meantime, specialties have developed from this that are part of the everyday menu in many places, such as sauerkraut in this country.
Natural microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi that are already present on the surface of fresh vegetables are used in fermentation. The food is then placed in brine and stored airtight. This causes the bacteria to multiply and produce lactic acid. This is how the important vitamin B12 is produced.
And in cosmetics?
Fermentation is not only particularly important in Korea in terms of nutrition, the country is also a pioneer of many beauty trends. And so it is hardly surprising that the idea of fermenting cosmetics came about here. Koreans have been taking care of their skin with fermented cosmetic products for a long time now. Now the trend is slowly spilling over to the West.
The ingredients of such products are initially comparable to those in conventional cosmetics. For example, extracts from herbs, plants or fruits are used, and Korean ginseng is particularly popular. Before the ingredients get into the crucible, they are processed through the process of fermentation. This creates skin-friendly substances which were not present at all or only in small amounts in the starting product.
A 2012 study by the Journal of Medicinal Food took a close look at fermented red ginseng as an ingredient in cosmetics and found that the effect of the substance is potentiated by the fermentation process. That means: Compared to conventional products, even a small amount has a big effect. On the other hand, allergenic proteins can be partly converted into non-allergenic substances. In other words: fermented cosmetics are usually well tolerated by sensitive skin types. Another advantage: Cosmetics are also made more durable through fermentation and are therefore mostly free of parabens.