GalleryGood Bacteria, Better Skin
TULA Revitalizing Eye Cream is featured in HEALTH’s October Issue. Have a look.
GallerySurprising Skin Insights From a Shrink, a GYN and a Gastroenterologist
Doctors in fields other than dermatology shed light on the sneaky things that can affect your complexion.
By Grace Gold
By now, you’re probably pretty familiar with classic dermatologist advice: Wear sunscreen daily, cleanse and moisturize your skin, and don’t pick that zit! But increasingly, specialists from other areas of medicine are bringing their unique, science-informed perspectives to the world of skincare. From gastroenterology to gynecology, here’s what other experts can teach you about your skin.
What a gastroenterologist knows:
Your digestive tract protects skin. Probiotics are rich in the proteins, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates that stabilize the skin’s immune system and help protect against environmental aggressors, says New York gastroenterologist Roshini Raj, who co-founded the TULA skincare line that uses probiotic technology. “Topical use of probiotics has been shown to stimulate skin’s protective mechanism, balance ‘good’ bacteria in skin, guard against UV damage and improve elasticity and collagen production,” she explains. To get your probiotics internally too, eat fermented foods like kefir, kimchi and miso, or try the dairy-free, vegan and kosher GoodBelly probiotic, Dr. Raj recommends.
What a gynecologist knows:
Hormones age skin. Estrogen peaks in our 20s and then slowly declines over the next few decades, causing every woman to age hormonally with texture and clarity changes. “Declining estrogen results in loss of collagen in our skin and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles,” explains gynecologist Rebecca Booth, a co-founder of VENeffect skincare that implements natural plant-phytoestrogens to improve elasticity in skin. Ingredients are inspired from the reproductive vitality of plants. By stabilizing levels, Dr. Booth says the healthy glow of skin at peak hormonal balance can be restored and preserved.
What a psychiatrist knows:
Stress makes skin more sensitive. Feeling unnerved by your morning commute or that argument […]
GalleryFriendly Flora: The New Skincare Revolution?
Adding good bacteria to your daily diet is proven to work health and digestive wonders, all while fostering better skin from within. Now, skincare companies are adding the tiny microbes to beauty creams with the promise of a gorgeous glow. But what can you really expect from one of the latest innovations in skincare?
There’s little doubting the benefits of adding good bacteria to our daily diets, with friendly strains, such as lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, promoting healthy digestion and overall better health, while effectively treating skin ailments, diarrhoea, vaginal infections, irritable bowel syndrome and even tooth decay.
Often found in commercial supplements, good bacteria are also abundant in fermented foods such as tempeh, miso and yoghurt. Since 2007, they’ve also been found in an increasing number of beauty elixirs, from anti-ageing creams to all-over moisturisers, with manufacturers promising what’s good for your insides is also great for your outsides, aiding acne prevention and promoting cellular renewal.
Nutritionist and herbologist Elaine Linker says probiotic treatments work by “crowding out” organisms that depress the immune system, bolstering our tolerance to illness and disease. A similar principle applies when applied topically, she adds.
“With all of the exfoliation and cleansing we do, we often strip the skin of its protective mantle,” she says. “A complex of the right probiotics helps the skin support the external matrix as well as the moisture matrix of the skin.”
Just as antibiotics disrupt the natural functioning of the immune system by stripping the body of good and bad bacteria, chemical-based skin cleansers and treatments such as peels and lasers also rid the skin of its natural acid mantle, making way for colonisation of harmful bacteria, which can result in skin conditions such as acne, as well […]
GalleryYogurt Facial? Probiotics Are Really Good For Your Skin Too
By now you know that probiotics are good for your gut, but did you know that they’re good for your skin too?
While most people are aware of the benefits of ingesting probiotics, they might be less well versed on the topical benefits. There’s a growing body of research showing that putting probiotics directly on our skin can be a good thing, for example, researchers have shown a link between probiotic use and clearer skin in patients with acne.
For people working on skin health, the potential of probiotics is exciting. “The American Academy of Dermatoloy has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation,” Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa told Yahoo News.
While the development of topical probiotics is just starting, many people already swear by the benefits of the DIY yogurt facial. Yogurt masks have been shown to have clinical benefits like improving moisture and elasticity of the skin, and while putting yogurt on your face might sound like the new thing to do, it has much older roots. In India, for example, brides-to-be apply a yogurt and turmeric mask before their wedding day. With its lactic acid, which helps smooth rough, dry skin, yogurt has been a popular at home body treatment even before people were talking about probiotics.
As we become conscious of the power of probiotics, it’s no surprise that the benefits are not only reserved to our gut.
“We have good and bad bacteria on our skin, just as we do in our gut,” says Ellen Marmur, MD, an associate professor of dermatology and genetics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City told Prevention. “If the balance is off-kilter, it can result in acne or rosacea.”
Of course brands are hopping on board to make probiotic-powered beauty products, […]
GalleryProbiotics Aren’t Just Good For Your Gut
You know those special yogurts and fermented drinks that promise to fill your tummy with friendly flora and good bacteria? Now they have that for your face.
In case you’ve never watched Dr. Oz or stepped into a Whole Foods, these beneficial bacteria are referred to as probiotics: microorganisms similar to those that naturally populate your gut. Depleting these micro-critters through poor diet or taking antibiotics can cause major digestive problems. As it turns out, your skin works in a similar way.
Studies like this one, published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, and these reports, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, suggest that probiotics can help reduce skin inflammation–acne, rosacea, eczema, even wounds–by crowding out harmful bacteria (just as they do in the intestinal tract).
Participants in most of the studies took oral probiotic supplements, but topical probiotics can be found in skin care brands like TULA, which I recently tried out.
A relatively new line, TULA incorporates probiotics in its entire range of skin-balancing products. They sent me four samples to try: The Illuminating Face Cleanser, Illuminating Face Serum, Hydrating Day & Night Cream, and Revitalizing Eye Cream.
With a mild, clean scent, the products were lovely and luxurious to use. My favorite was the super hydrating Day and Night Cream. Its rich texture was reminiscent of Greek yogurt, and it felt soothing when layered under my sunscreen. The eye cream was similarly rich and velvety. I especially liked popping it in the fridge before use as an under-eye moisture mask.
Filled with antioxidants, the serum was much lighter and thinner in texture, making it ideal for those with oily skin. The cleanser, however, was a bit drying for my skin.
Aside […]
Gallery6 Unusual Uses For Natural Probiotics
Natural probiotics are popping up everywhere. Here are 6 unusual places you might find them.
Okay, so we’re all familiar with the importance of natural probiotics for gut health (those Activia commercials make indigestion look so fun, don’t they?) – and word has it they’re also being used in a number of wild and wacky (but apparently effective) ways. Let’s explore them, shall we?
Here are 6 unusual uses for natural probiotics:
1. Cleaning your home
The idea behind natural probiotics in household cleaners is that our cleaning products tend to temporarily sterilize the area you’ve cleaned, but there’s nothing to prevent the pathogenic bacteria from sprouting up again. By using cleaning supplies that contain probiotics, you’re essentially giving your home a shot of “good” bacteria to protect it from the “bad.”
2. Healing cuts and scrapes
Natural probiotics may also come in handy for minor injuries, like small cuts and scrapes, to keep them infection-free and reduce inflammation.
3. Maintaining oral health
Bad breath is usually caused by a build-up of icky bacteria in your mouth, so it adds up that adding natural probiotics to your oral health routine – like probiotic-spiked mouthwash or toothpaste – could help stave off a case of the nasties. There’s even a case built on the potential benefits ofprobiotic chewing gum. For real.
4. Fighting nasal congestion
Also coming to a medicine cabinet near you: Natural probiotics may help treat sinus congestion and other sinus issues. One study found that a probiotic supplement helped decrease “bad” bacteria in nasal passages, while another found it helped to reduce hay fever symptoms.
5. Improving skin
“Probiotics” has become a big buzz word in the beauty biz (try saying thatfive times fast!), and using them topically has become known as the new frontier. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one […]
GalleryFeel Great, Look Better, Save Time
Dr. Roshini Raj joined Working Mother Radio to share her tips on balance, healthy living and gorgeous skin and to talk about why she incorporated probiotics into her skin care line TULA.
To listen to the entire interview, click HERE
GalleryAre Probiotics the Next Big Thing in Skincare?
You probably think of probiotics as that mysterious stuff in yogurt that keeps Jamie Lee Curtis regular. However, yogurt doesn’t just help you poop – it can also improve your skin.
According to Yahoo! Beauty, the live cultures found in yogurt just might be the next big thing in skincare. Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa explained that probiotics are yeast or bacteria that benefit the body by restoring the balance of bacteria. They create an army of good bacteria that make it hard for bad bacteria to do as much damage to the body. When ingested, “probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S.”
Now the dermatology world is starting to realize that the bacteria that are good for your insides are also good for your outsides. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation.”
You can simply apply yogurt to your skin, or you can look for the growing number of skincare products that contain probiotics. You could even try popping open a probiotic capsule and mixing it with your face cream.
Rajapaksa recommends using Activia yogurt or GoodBelly, which is a dairy-free option. It’s important to use the plain unsweetened varieties. If you can’t find either brand, just look for plain unsweetened yogurt that says that it contains active cultures.
Yogurt is also good for your skin because it contains lactic acid, a natural exfoliant that will leave your skin nice and smooth. The sour dairy product might also improve acne and skin discoloration.
You can mix yogurt with various other kitchen ingredients to address specific skin needs. Try blending […]
GalleryThe Topical Benefits of Probiotics
Doctors, yogurt commercials, and even estheticians have long preached the benefits of adding probiotics to your diet, but did you know they can also be used topically? Gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Raj, who’s created her own line of probiotic creams, discusses how they work, inside and out.
What are probiotics?
“Probiotics are beneficial bacteria or yeast—organisms that offer [multiple] benefits to the human body,” says Dr. Raj. She goes on to explain that a bacteria imbalance can result in disease or inflammation, and probiotics help maintain a balance. In forms like yogurt, Kefir, and supplements, probiotics can reduce gut inflammation, restore the lining of your intestine, and aid with autoimmune diseases and I.B.S. But some studies have noted that ingesting probiotics also reduced skin redness, irritation, and inflammation. Topical application is the new frontier. “The American Academy of Dermatology has called probiotics one of the new beauty breakthroughs as they’ve been shown to help with clearer skin, decreased skin sensitivity, redness, and inflammation,” Dr. Raj says. “You may also see a reduced appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increased elasticity.”
So can I just put yogurt on my face?
Yep. Though applying probiotics to your face may seem like a new trend, it’s not. “In India for many years they’ve been doing ceremony day before the wedding where the bride and groom apply yogurt and turmeric to the skin to give a healthy glow,” says Dr. Raj. “Yogurt has naturally occurring probiotics, that’s why it’s beneficial when used as a topical mask.” To use yogurt yourself, look for products that contain live and active cultures. She recommends Activia and GoodBelly, a dairy-free option that comes in yogurt shots and juice. You can find it at Whole Foods, Safeway, and natural […]
Gallery4 Easy Treatments for Puffy Skin, Acne, Dark Spots
Fix your your problem areas with at-home, easy- to-find ingredients to make nourishing DIY skin treatments. Dr. Roshini Raj joins the JUICE to share some of her favorite beauty nutrients your skin needs and talk about her new skincare line TULA.
Watch the segment here: Veria Living