Greeting friends,

This week let’s talk about one of my favorite probiotics: S. thermophilus!

I first discovered S. thermophilus about two years ago while searching for microbes with potential positive impacts on skin health when applied topically. This strain was initially studied in the early 2000s over a span of about 8-10 years, revealing fascinating findings on its effects in treating eczema and, more recently, its role in wound healing. What captivated me most was connecting these findings to some traditional remedies my mom used during my childhood in Iran.

Here’s my story: I remember my skin being highly reactive. Even a simple bug bite would swell, itch, and turn red, causing sleepless nights for both me and my mom. Her remedy was to rub yogurt on my skin, creating a mask. While the redness and swelling didn’t disappear immediately, the itching would subside quickly, and the rest would return to normal within a few hours, allowing me to sleep.

That was 35-40 years ago. Now, after developing numerous successful microbial products and working to create new ones for skincare, I’ve learned that the main starter culture for yogurt is S. thermophilus – a probiotic strain with benefits that go far beyond turning milk into yogurt! Whether or not my childhood experience with yogurt’s soothing effects was directly due to S. thermophilus, it has certainly made this probiotic special to me.

Although I’m not in the business of making yogurt, and our first products are not therapeutic (i.e., we do not claim to treat, cure, or prevent any skin conditions), my research on S. thermophilus and its mode of action inspired me to use this strain as a live-cell ingredient in our probiotic skincare, making natural skin care products as hydrating skincare lotion. The hypothesis is that live S. thermophilus cells interact with the skin and its microbiome. Thanks to this probiotic’s properties, the result of that interaction is expected to help the skin retain moisture more effectively, leading to a more hydrated appearance as natural moisturizer.

You can now pre-order the product in our website: