The skin’s microbiome
Skin is basically a barrier of skin cells that protect against external aggressors (toxins, chemicals, pollution, pathogens, ultraviolet light, and so on) and keep moisture from escaping. The protective skin cell “wall” is also home to millions of types of bacteria—some good, and some bad. You’re probably familiar with gut bacteria, and how beneficial bacteria in our intestines and colon can protect us against gastrointestinal disease and digestion issues (as well as other types of health conditions). The beneficial bacteria in the skin play a similar role in protecting skin from dryness and damage. If the delicate balance between good and bad bacteria is disturbed—and good bacteria weaken while bad, proinflammatory bacteria start to thrive— it will result in a condition referred to as dysbiosis. And dysbiosis can cause skin disease, shows findings published in the journal Nature Reviews Microbiology. For example, bacteria named staphylococcus epidermidis is an important source of glycerol in the skin, which is in charge of water retention, according to research that appeared in the journal Frontiers in Medicine. Age, environmental factors, and lifestyle habits can cause levels of this bacteria (and others) to fall out of whack, resulting in transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This becomes a vicious cycle: Dry skin promotes dysbiosis, so the dryer skin becomes the harder it is to get your microbiome back on track. In order to keep skin glowing, you need to get your bacteria to fall in line.Stop the dehydration cycle
An airplane ride. A scorching hot summer day. Going from balmy outdoor weather into a dry, air conditioned building. These sudden shifts in humidity can disrupt the skin’s microbiome, throwing off the important balance of bacteria explained above. Because most skincare products don’t take these weather extremes into consideration, they don’t contain the key ingredients that can combat this sudden, skin-damaging shift. Until now…our new Weather-Proof Drops™ Rain Drops were designed to target extreme weather or environment-related skin stressors, like a lack of humidity. It’s a concentrated treatment that counteracts a specific negative effect of climate change on skin’s appearance. In doing so, they keep bacteria from going haywire and help your skin quickly adjust to dramatic humidity changes.The ground-breaking formula
The Rain Drops contain WeatherHydraMoss™ technology, which is a blend of GeoHydraD Complex™ technology and MossCellTec™. GeoHydraD Complex™ hydrates skin by climate, and adjusts to weather changes to ensure your skin stays at its optimal moisture level at all times. MossCellTec™, for its part, rejuvenates the cell nucleus. Research shows that moss extract improves cell nucleus health, and this is important because as we get older, communication between the cell nucleus and the surrounding cytoplasm (the liquid that fills the cell) breaks down. Opening up these communication lines allows skin cells to function properly, resulting in younger-looking skin. MossCellTec™ also helps skin adapt to hot-humid/cold-dry conditions, and improves skin barrier function and hydration even in the most adverse weather. In the Rain Drops, WeatherHydraMoss™ gets a helping hand from an ingredient called Relipidium™, which is a yeast that contains a probiotic. Relipidium™ reinforces the skin’s lipid (fat) barrier and helps balance bacteria—which keeps skin hydrated. It has been shown that when 0.5% Relipidium™ was applied for a 10-day period, lipids increased by 30.5% and ceramides jumped by 93.3%. (Ceramides are an important type of lipid associated with skin hydration.) In one study, Relipidium™ was applied to the skin of 20 women between the ages of 18 and 45, who were characterized as having dry skin. After two weeks of applying 2% Relipidium™, skin hydration improved by 12%, and the number of s. epidermidis bacteria increased to a more favorable level. (The Rain Drops actually contain 3% Relipidium™, which is more than what was used in this study.)
How to use a skin booster
Apply one drop of the Weather-Proof Rain Drops directly to your face—or mix one to three drops into your day cream—before hopping on a plane, going outside in arid conditions, or if you plan on spending the day in a dry air-conditioned building. Adding one drop (in mild conditions) to your day cream instantly transforms your everyday moisturizer into an anti-aging weapon. (If you’re dealing with particularly severe weather conditions, you can use up to three drops a day.) This little booster packs a serious anti-aging, climate change-fighting punch. When extreme weather conditions put the health of your skin at risk – whether it’s intense heat, a lack of humidity or a lack of sunshine - these concentrated doses can give you all the skin defense protection you need to weather any kind of storm.