Some stories begin in a lab.
Some begin at home.
Some are shaped by culture.

Mine began at the intersection of all three, and with my own skin.

Growing up in Persian culture, I was surrounded by ancient beauty rituals rooted in balance rather than correction. Natural remedies, fermented preparations, and a deep respect for the body’s ability to restore itself were part of everyday life. Beauty was never about doing more. It was about doing what made sense for your skin.

Still, like many people, I struggled with my own skin over the years, breakouts, sensitivity, and periods where nothing seemed to work for long. I tried products designed to “fix” problems quickly, only to find myself cycling through irritation, inconsistency, and frustration. Even as a scientist, I felt the disconnect between what skincare promised and how skin actually behaves.

That tension followed me into my professional life. I spent over 15 years working in microbial formulation and product development, helping small and large companies turn microbial ideas into real, high-impact solutions. My work contributed to products used across agriculture and nutrition, applied to millions of acres of crops, and incorporated into animal health systems, where microbes are trusted to restore balance, resilience, and long-term function.

Working so closely with living systems changed how I understood my own skin. I saw that microbes are not tools to overpower a problem. They are partners. When supported instead of disrupted, they do the quiet work of stabilizing, protecting, and strengthening the system they live in.

Later, when my children experienced their own skin challenges, the question became even more personal.
Why were we still treating skin like something to control, rather than something to support?

That question became the beginning of Fafabiotic.