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The Benefits of Prebiotic & Probiotic Skin Care

Learn about prebiotic and probiotic enriched skincare, the key benefits of both and how they differ.

Benefits of Prebiotic & Probiotic Skin Care

When you hear the word ‘probiotics’, you probably think of a shelf in the health foods aisle of your local supermarket, filled with promising supplements to improve your gut health. The huge trend towards probiotics in the last few years has seen us begin to make friends with the ‘good bacteria’ in our microbiome. Now, research shows that topical prebiotic and probiotic enriched skincare can help balance the natural bacterial ecosystem on our face, in a similar way that supplements help balance our gut.

This guide from Lancôme’s beauty experts covers the ways prebiotic and probiotic ingredients benefit skin and the difference between the two. We’ll also walk you through how to incorporate the Génifique range into a highly effective skincare regime.

What Are Pre and Probiotics?

The human body is home to a delicate balance of bacteria and a collection of tiny micro-organisms called a microbiome. However, sometimes the hyper-cleanliness of modern life can mess with our natural microbiome. The use of antibacterial soaps and harsh facial cleansers can also cause us to miss out on exposure to beneficial microbes in nature. The same goes when we take antibiotics. While they’re great at warding off bad bacteria and infection, sometimes our existing ‘good bacteria’ gets caught in the crossfire.

Let’s break down the difference between probiotics and prebiotics to help you understand what role these two wonder ingredients play.

What Is The Difference Between the Two?

The oral probiotic supplements, pills or capsules you take to enhance gut health, contain live ‘good bacteria’ that help improve digestive health and strengthen the immune system. Thanks to this, we’ve discovered that magnificent microbials like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium can have benefits that we would not have imagined possible.. Probiotics add to the population of good bacteria in the form of edible sources, providing a range of health benefits.

If probiotics are the ‘good guys’ of the bacterial landscape, you can think of prebiotics as their favourite foods. Prebiotics provide the essential nutrients required by probiotics to flourish.

Why Add Pre and Probiotic Ingredients to Your Skin Care Routine?

Probiotic enriched skincare is definitely having a moment. Topical creams, serums and masks enriched with pre and probiotic ingredients can benefit your visage in a variety of ways, and they’re formulated to be suitable for different skin types and concerns.



The Key Benefits of Pre and Probiotic Fractions in Skin Care

Microbiome Face Serums

When applied topically as part of your skincare routine, pre and probiotic fractions are all about restoring the microbiome balance of the skin. Many people experience damage to the skin’s natural barrier caused by over-cleansing or an overzealous active skincare routine. Including products containing pre and probiotic fractions into your routine helps the skin restore an optimal balance of ‘good bacteria’ within your skin’s microbiome.

Incorporate Pre and Probiotic Fractions into Your Skin Care Regime

To see results of healthy looking, balanced skin that truly glows from the inside, harness the multitude of benefits that pre and probiotic fractions can provide to the skin. Lancôme’s Génifique range utilises 20 years of advanced research to create an effective skincare regime for those who desire a more radiant complexion.

Here’s how to create a daily regime incorporating pre and probiotic fractions for skin, based on in depth expertise from our experts.

Pre and Probiotic Hydrogel Masks


After cleansing your face and gently patting dry with a clean towel, start your journey towards a healthy, restored skin barrier by applying a pre and probiotic fraction enriched serum like the Advanced Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate. This iconic anti-aging serum has an updated formula with 7 pre and probiotic fractions, including yeast and Bifidus Extracts. Apply one dropper morning and night to clean dry skin and press in gently.

For those experiencing dryness, redness, or roughness, the Advanced Génifique Sensitive Dual Concentrate contains dual antioxidants to soothe sensitive skin and is freshly mixed with probiotic fractions. Use at night as a one-month treatment when your skin is feeling more sensitive and irritated.

Microbiome Eye Cream

For the Delicate Eye Area

If you’re looking for a light yet effective serum to deliver all the benefits of pre and probiotic fractions to your delicate eye area, use the Advanced Génifique Light Pearl Youth Activating Eye & Lash Concentrate. Enriched with pre and probiotic fractions, this serum will improve dark circles and reduce under eye bags with regular use. Apply by circling the flexible massage applicator every morning and night.

For an eye contour that feels reinforced, we recommend the Advanced Génifique Eye Cream, an innovative formula that combines concentrated probiotic fractions in a creamy gel texture. Gently smooth over the upper and lower eye contour morning and night.

Pre and Probiotic Face Cream

In the mornings, opt for a pre and probiotic fraction enriched cream like the Génifique Youth Activating Day Cream, a velvety cream form that hydrates deeply without residue. This cream targets the signs of aging to create a radiant glow and more refined complexion.

At night, gently massage the Génifique Night Repair Cream into your face working from the centre outwards, to restore the skin’s luminosity while you sleep.

Now that you know how to incorporate the benefits of pre and probiotic enriched skincare into your skincare regime, learn more about the benefits of applying face serum before the signs of aging start to appear. Read our article to find out if you really need a face serum before turning 30.

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