Celebrity Life

With less than a couple of weeks to go until the most wonderful time of the year, it’s time for the annual Prestige Christmas Giveaway. From December 13th to 24th, we’re offering Prestige Online readers the chance to win amazing prizes each and every day on Instagram, as we count down the 12 days of Christmas.

Whether you’re stuck on your gift list, sick of shopping, or just in need of a treat, here’s just a little something from us to you, to thank you for being our loyal readers.

Christmas Giveaway Day 5: Skincare Package from Esse

Have you ever worried about your cosmetic products containing too many artificial ingredients? If you have, this skincare package by Esse is the Christmas gift you need this season.

A Natural Skincare Brand from South Africa

Founded in 2002 by Trevor Steyn, the father of probiotic skincare, Esse is an award winning natural skincare brand that uses unique ingredients originating from plants in Africa.

Steyn started his research by studying plants that have potential for skincare. After years of research, he founded Esse based on the finding that human skin health is dependent on the presence of trillions of microbes living on and in it.

A Selection of Signature Products

Our giveaway includes the Sensitive Cleanser, Sensitive Toner andCream Mask. All products are ideal for sensitive skin and can help minimise allergic reaction, reduce redness, inflammation and pigmentation.

How to Enter

At Prestige, we will be giving one set of Esse skincare products to one winner. To enter, head to our Instagram page @PrestigeHK and follow the instructions.

Terms & Conditions:

By entering this Prestige giveaway, you will be bound by these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you satisfy all eligibility requirements.

This giveaway is open to Hong Kong residents only and entrants must be over the age of eighteen (18).

Entrants must follow our Instagram page and set their profile to public in order for their entry to be valid.

The giveaway prize is live for five (5) days only.

Entries will be accepted within the five (5) days of posting the feature. Thereafter the giveaway for that prize will close and the winner will be announced.

Winners will be contacted and asked to provide their full name and contact details via Instagram within 48 hours.

Winners will be instructed on how to claim their prize by email.

Winners must respond to redeem the prize within seven (7) days of the prize announcement, otherwise the prize will be forfeited.

Prizes cannot be exchanged for cash, credit and are non-transferrable to third parties.

Prestige reserves the right to cancel, re-draw or otherwise modify this giveaway at any time with immediate effect and without giving prior notice.

Photos are for reference only.

The post How South African Brand Esse Uses Probiotics in Skincare (A Christmas Giveaway) appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

People try to do their best to unlock the secret to losing weight. However, is there really a secret to it? Isn’t it all just about hard work and proper nutrition? In reality, there are many ways to begin losing weight, and knowing which one suits you best is the true key to finding the […]

The post Do Probiotic Supplements Really Boost Weight Loss? Find Out Here appeared first on Upscale Living Magazine.

From coughs to colds and digestive issues to skin complaints, ailments and illnesses are an unwelcome part of life that many of us would rather avoid. And, as the global pandemic continues, it has never felt more important to take care of our health. When it comes to maintaining optimal health, the key is to […]

An ever-growing number of studies — and, consequently, products — reveal the significant role of microflora in keeping the skin healthy, as well as treating a host of problems, from rosacea and acne to signs of ageing.

Hand sanitiser? Check. Alcohol wipes? Check. Surgical mask? Check. Arming ourselves daily with these “anti-pandemic” goods to ward off viral threats and wipe away any trace of bacteria has become the norm, and we’ve come to think of these microorganisms as the enemy. Yet the last few years have seen a surge in the number of skincare products packed with probiotics that promise to do the opposite: Feed bacteria in the body and increase their number and diversity.

One might shudder at the thought of trillions of single-celled organisms – bacteria, fungi, protists and, yes, viruses – moving, living and feeding off our bodies. Collectively called the human microbiome, these microorganisms take up about 1 to 3 percent of a person’s body mass. It doesn’t sound like much, but there are about 10 times more bacteria in an average human body than human cells. These organisms aren’t harmful but are actually important for staying healthy. Some of them break down food to extract nutrients the body needs to survive, some produce vitamins and others teach our immune systems to recognise invaders and fight off the bad guys – disease-causing microbes.

[caption id="attachment_212198" align="aligncenter" width="733"] Now owned by Estee Lauder, Korean brand Dr Jart+ marries art and science in its skincare preparations.[/caption]

A balancing act

A growing number of studies are demonstrating how the composition of the human microbiome correlates to how
healthy the body is, and how manipulation can possibly treat disease. For instance, having an imbalance of gut bacteria, or a “leaky gut” results in hormonal issues and a weakened immune system, making one more prone to irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, food allergies, migraines and rheumatoid arthritis. Reversing these issues all centre around rebalancing microflora in the gut, including the use of probiotic (live-culture) supplements and eliminating inflammatory agents such as refined sugar, caffeine and alcohol.

In relation to this, scientists have found that inflammation in the gut can also happen in the skin. “When the balance of good bacteria is off, the effect could show up in a variety of skin problems, including acne, rosacea and eczema, and it can also accelerate the signs of ageing, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity,” says Dr Whitney Bowe, a US-based dermatologist and microbiologist who wrote the book The Beauty of Dirty Skin.

Bowe specialises in skin rejuvenation and her research focuses on the link between nutrition and skincare, leading her to patent a bacterial-derived acne treatment. She advises her patients to preserve and support their microbiome by being mindful of what they eat, and not to wipe out the good bacteria that exists in the skin by avoiding cleansers with hard sulfates (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, or SLS and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate, or SLES) and scrubs that strip the skin of its healthy oils.

[caption id="attachment_212203" align="aligncenter" width="683"] Avoid cleansers with hard sulfates, which tend to wipe out good bacteria. (Image: Shiny Diamond/ Pexels)[/caption]

Prebiotic vs Probiotic vs Postbiotic

Aside from a healthy diet and ditching the harsh cleansing routine, Bowe also believes in keeping good microbes in the skin alive and thriving by including a probiotic skincare product to the skincare routine.

But not all probiotics are created equal. Bowe explains that while brands use the umbrella term “probiotic”, there are distinct differences in formulation, use and effectivity that users should be aware of.

Prebiotics are food for the bacteria, and work to nurture and enrich the microbiome, while postbiotics use lysates, or non-living by-products of good bacteria to interact with the skin’s existing bacteria. Strictly speaking, probiotics are the name for actual organisms that live on the microbiome but, according to Bowe, using these live cultures in skincare would be tricky since it would require preservatives.

Another researcher in the field, biochemist Dr Barbara Brockway, who blogs for The Secret Life of Skin, writes that formulating live microorganisms in cosmetics would be extremely problematic, citing safety regulations and the need for these organisms to survive in the product throughout their shelf life. Hence most of the probiotic
skincare products on the market today use prebiotics, postbiotics or a combination of the two.

As a segment of the industry that’s forecasted by market researchers to grow by 20 percent annually, an increasing number of skincare companies are looking for their place in the probiotic pool.

[caption id="attachment_212200" align="aligncenter" width="849"] Lancome's Advanced Genifique is a probiotic skincare product.[/caption]

The pioneers

Having spent nine years in the pharmaceuticals industry, Claire Vero wanted to create skincare that was scientifically proven and naturally formulated, and could deliver results in a fast and effective way. She founded Aurelia Probiotic Skincare in the UK in 2013, and since then, the brand has expanded its skincare line to mother and baby products, all of which are now available globally, and carried in Hong Kong by Lane Crawford.

Aurelia uses a combination of pre and postbiotics, but primarily a non-living bifidobacteria in the form of a glycoprotein, a molecule that helps cell-to-cell communication and calms the natural immune triggers in skin that can be overstimulated by pollution and stress.

Vero first had the idea of working with probiotics when she was investigating the root cause of premature ageing while working for GlaxoSmithKline. She found that inflammation in cells is the cause of skin problems – including lack of luminosity – and more severe issues, and that sufferers of eczema and psoriasis, when treated with probiotics, were able to calm their skin and restore the balance. It was then that she had the idea of creating anti-ageing, probiotic skincare. The reception was phenomenal. Barely six weeks after launching Aurelia was invited to be one of the 15 brands to introduce Net-a-Porter’s beauty section, and the products sold out within 72 hours of going live.

[caption id="attachment_212202" align="aligncenter" width="724"] Products from Soon+.[/caption]

Across the world in South Korea, leading cosmetics maker AmorePacific – the company that’s behind Sulwhasoo, Laniege, Innisfree and Etude – has been dabbling in microorganism research since 1997 and is now reaping the rewards. In fact, it’s devoting even more investment to microbiome studies.

Last year, it launched Soon+, a line focused on postbiotics, and specifically a fermented ingredient derived from kimchi. Aside from the postbiotic, Soon+ formulations are plant- derived, and the line only carries three products – cleansing water, balancing foam and balancing emulsion – that target millennials looking for minimalist and efficacy-driven skincare.

In March, the company announced the opening of its Green Tea Probiotics Research Centre in Jeju Island, which aims to expand research on a particularly strong probiotic strain found in organic green tea that offers antibiotic- resistant properties. The company’s Innisfree brand is one of the first to use fermented green-tea lactic acid in its Green Tea Probiotics Cream, which according to the website “works to strengthen and protect weak and fragile skin, and help it recover from external irritation”.

The company also revealed that it was working with Switzerland’s Givaudan, a cosmetic-ingredient manufacturer, to study microbiota in the skin of Korean and French women.

[caption id="attachment_212201" align="aligncenter" width="749"] Valmont Primary Veil.[/caption]

In April, Swiss brand, Valmont, launched its Primary skincare range in Hong Kong, which features three key ingredients: Lactobacillus pentosus in lysate form, which helps enrich and diversify the microbiome; Fructo-OligoSaccharides, or tiny prebiotic sugars that help keep the good bacteria in the skin thriving; and Provitamin B5, which has healing properties and makes the skin softer and more comfortable. It’s its first line of biotic skincare, and the first also to use UHT or ultra-high temperature treatments in production.

Cosmetics giants Lancôme and Estée Lauder have also jumped on the bandwagon, with Dr Jart+ (now owned by Estée Lauder) recently relaunching its Cicapair range, infused with a proprietary Jartbiome blend of four probiotics to improve skin regeneration ability and repair damage. Meanwhile, Lancôme has released a new formulation for its New Advanced Genefique anti-ageing range, which now contains seven pre- and postbiotic ingredients.

[caption id="attachment_212199" align="alignnone" width="788"] Dr Jart+'s Vital Hydra Solution contains probiotics.[/caption]

As the research continues, and more brands are able to offer targeted formulas for the microbiome, it will do us good to remember that bacteria are friends not foes, and that keeping them happy might just be the ticket to ageless, glowing skin.

The post Prebiotics, Probiotics and Postbiotics are Forming the New Frontier of Skincare appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

The growing concern and obsession with wellness has mutated from what was once a craze to what is now a lifestyle. From shooting vitamins into our veins by means of plant-based/alternative-meat diets, vitamin supplements, green and clean beauty to balancing our gut health – the unstoppable wellness train has done us good. But the new word around town is probiotics, or good bacteria, which don’t just manage the health of our digestive system, but when misted over our faces, improves our skin.

The same way that we wrapped our heads around good bacteria in our gut, covering our bodies and faces with it doesn’t seem so far-fetched. The science has been around, and have gained popularity in the US and Europe, so it was just a matter of time before it hit our shores in Hong Kong. As news travels fast, so does product. AO+ Skincare, the exact formula behind its overseas counterpart (Mother Dirt) from the States, has gained holy grail status in the West and has now arrived in Hong Kong. AO+ is the first biome-friendly skincare brand available on this side of the world, and with it comes its promise for a balanced microbiome for healthy confident skin.

Why do we need AO+?

Taking it way back to when humans first walked the earth, our bodies were designed to fend off germs (and other cavemen monstrosities) on its own. Not to say that we aren’t capable of doing so today, but over generations, we’ve become a little “too clean” with our daily dependence on soaps and deodorants, which has eventually begun to disrupt our microbiome -- the skin’s ecosystem -- by stripping off our own good bacteria (Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria AKA AOB).

How does AO+ work?

The natural ingredients of AO+ Vitality Microbalance Mist (HK$500) including the core component, AOB, contribute to its efficacy. The main role of this patented live good bacteria acts as the skin’s “peacekeeper” to protect and balance our skin’s pH and natural biome without harming our ecosystem, thanks to its raw ingredients in its formulation. That means it restores our balance by promoting healthy skin and combating the damage caused by pollution and helps soothe problematic skin (conditions like eczema, redness, acne, allergies and sensitive skin). AOB breaks down irritants like sweat into healthy byproducts that feeds our skin – yum. So to make the most out of your bacteria, spraying pre and post workout maximises the benefits of AOB.

But I love my existing skincare!

Yes, we all do. That nice-smelling, feel-good stuff we slather ourselves with. Ideally, you don’t need more than biome-friendly products in our system. But that doesn’t mean that integrating AOB into our routine wipes our favourite bottles off our shelves. Compatible with all products (but recommended with the use of organic formulas), AO+ Vitality Microbalance Mist acts as a guard, breaking down all the bad bacteria that comes in contact with our skin. Following our serums, creams, makeup and more, spritz generously all over and you’re set.

So, who is this product suitable for?

Simply put, everyone and every skin type. The AO+ Vitality Microbalance Mist is preservative-free, fragrance-free and 100% natural and jam packed full of good bacteria. In fact, it is so gentle that expecting moms and even infants can benefit from it, too.

Results

It's clinically proven that you’ll see and feel them in 7 to 14 days -- reduced pores, balanced tone, radiance, and softer skin. Everything that embodies healthy skin, really.

Is that all?

Not quite. In addition to AO+ Vitality Microbalance Mist, three other complementary products are available: Soothing Microbalance Cleansing Mask (HK$260), Hydrating Microbalance Body Foam (HK$120) and Microbalance Scalp Protection Shampoo (HK$120). Formulated to maintain the skin’s balance as well, the rest of the range works together to enhance the good bacteria in the AO+ Vitality Microbalance Mist.

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AO+ products now shoppable online at aoplusskincare.com.

The post Why Good Bacteria is the Best Thing for Your Skin appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.