It’s 2018, we’re cleaner and more clued up than ever before, yet a growing number of us have skin sensitivities and allergies.

How can that possibly be? It’s all about the skin biome.

WHAT IS IT?

Though you may not have heard of it, the skin biome is an elaborate ecosystem of good bacteria, invisible to the naked eye, that we rely on to stay healthy.

Like most things, it’s affected by our lifestyle and environmental factors. While once we lived outdoors and were exposed to all sorts of bacteria, nowadays, our obsession with cleanliness has made it difficult for the good germs to survive. Furthermore, what bacteria we are exposed to is becoming less and less diverse.

WHY DOES THAT MATTER?

For most of human existence, Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) has lived on our skin and kept the balance. But 100 years ago, when people started spending most of their lives indoors and obsessing over skincare products and cleanliness, it was gradually removed.

While AOB is still found on aboriginal tribes, whose skin is in a natural, healthy state, in London, it’s a whole different story.

THE SCIENCE

We need AOB to convert our sweat into by-products (Nitrite and Nitric Oxide) to keep the dermatological ecosystem in check.

While Nitrite helps neutralise bad bacteria, Nitric Oxide is an antioxidant that calms and soothes the skin. Not only do these byproducts restore balance but also reduce our dependence on skincare products. A win-win!

To reverse the damage caused to our skin biome, we need to restore and maintain the natural, good bacteria.

While the majority of soaps, moisturisers and deodorants contribute to its depletion, opting for biome-friendly formulations, can help reverse the damage, which is ultimately key for skin-health.

WITH WHAT?

Motherdirt’s AO Mist is a live probiotic spray which is clinically proven to restore #balance to dry, oily and sensitive skin types, improve clarity by 35% in four weeks, balance the look and feel of dry and uneven complexions, and reduce dependence on products.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The living bacteria in Motherdirt’s AO+ Mist works 24/7 to convert your sweat into restorative elements for the skin; a process that happened naturally before modern life interfered, but now could do with a little helping hand.

And what better way than with a product that is derived entirely from plants, formulated with non-petroleum based ingredients, is biodegradable and environmentally sustainable. Phew!

FINALLY, HOW?

Spritz your body twice a day with the AO+ Mist, focusing on the areas of your body that sweat the most. Simple.

While the AO+ Mist reduces dependence on soap, you needn’t give it up entirely though. In fact, incorporating the AO+ Mist into your routine is enough to build up a healthy level of AOB on the skin and give your skin biome that helping hand it needs.

Find Motherdirt’s AO Mist on Amazon UK here or in Planet Organic, London.