Frequently Asked Questions

1.WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF NATURE EXPOSURE?

The diversity of nature(biodiversity) covers the whole wide range of it: from the natural habitat to occurrence of species and genes at this specific area.
Nature exposure means the physical touch of this nature´s biodiversity- especially that microscopical small biodiversity which contains a massive range of different microbes.

2. IS A REGULAR NATURE EXPOSURE NECESSARY?

Science has studied the meaning of nature exposure to our wellbeing. Moving in nature and green environments, have been found to provide several benefits such as lowering the stress-levels and heartbeat. It has also been understood that or bodies need regular exposure to nature´s biodiversity for our immune system to operate in its correct way. Our body is constantly observing the receiving stimulus from the environment and regulating its operations to the information received.

3. IS A WEEKLY WALK IN THE PARK ENOUGH FOR NATURE EXPOSURE?

There isn´t an official definition of what is sufficient nature exposure. But already moving in the nature even shortly, has been seen as meaningful to the mental wellbeing. In a study with kindergarden children, it has been found that already with a regular nature exposure of just one Month- preferable immunological changes appear. Similar preferable results have been found in a study on adults where the touch with soil's rich and versatile microbe diversity, showed good results in the immune system already in two weeks. So, generally speaking we can say that even a short nature exposure is beneficial, but we suggest regular and even daily nature exposure.

4. HOW DOES CITY ENVIRONMENT DIFFER FROM COUNTRYSIDE/
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT?

In many ways. The natural environments are mosaic kinds of combinations of different smaller living environments which then provide living environment for an enormous amount of different species- from animals, plants to the smallest of microbes. The cities provide less opportunities for the diverse community of organisms to be formed and there are only a few species which are able to succeed in the city. Also, many pathogens are more common in cities.

5. CAN THERE BE "OVER EXPOSURE" TO NATURE EXPOSURE?
According to current studies there is no “over exposure of nature.” Our bodies are meant for being in touch with the biodiversity of nature.

6. WHAT IS FOREST EXTRACT?
It´s a Finnish patented innovation which brings the important nature exposure in
consumer goods. It replicates the diversity of the bacterial community in the Finnish
nature- in a safe form. It consists over 600 different species of bacteria which are
inactivated (not living) but function in a recognizable way to our immune system´s
receptors.

7. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF FOREST SOIL EXTRACT?

• provides the beneficial nature exposure

• helps restore the skin´s natural microbiome balance

• strengthens the skin barrier

• supports the diversity of skin´s natural microbiome

• supports the skin barrier function by lowering the amounts of inflammatory cytokines which are connected to skin barrier disorders in many studies

• helps in maintaining the skin barrier´s normal functions and forming collagen in aging skin and stressing life circumstances

• helps reduce skin redness and irritation

8. HOW DO I KNOW THE PRODUCT WORKS?
There are many studies on the importance of nature exposure to our wellbeing done by many researchers in many different universities around the world. The subject is not new. But the Forest Extract is the world´s first innovation which brings these nature benefits into skincare consumer products.

9. HOW DOES THE PRODUCT WORK THROUGH SKIN?
Skin acts as a defensive barrier on our body to the surrounding environment.
It also has a vital role as an immunological organ. Microbes stimulate our immune system via receptors (called PRRs). These are found, for example, on cells inside our hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Continuous stimulation by environmental microbes leads to regulatory pathways while inflammatory responses, and specific cytokines that mediate inflammation, are downregulated. Environmental microbes ultimately change our immune system to a less inflammatory state, which can be seen by measuring specific cytokines.

Simply put: Our immune system learns and gets training by nature exposure.

10. IS THE PRODUCT PHARMACEUTICAL?
No, it´s not. Cosmetics or its ingredients are not pharmaceuticals and should not claim so.

11. HOW DOES FOREST EXTRACT DIFFER FROM PROBIOTICS?
The difference is the amount and species of bacteria in our microbial Forest Soil Extract. Probiotics contain bacteria which is grown in lab environment and mostly just one single species. Nature exposure requires hundreds (over 600 hundred) of bacteria species which cannot all be grown in lab environments but need to be found in nature.

12. ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS IN USING THE PRODUCT ON SKIN?
We always recommend a patch test and never use the product on broken skin or open wounds. If the person knows to be allergic to something appearing in nature (pollen, natural resin or specific natural microbes) we recommend to try it on a small area first.
Note: we recommend using the product from infants of age 2 Months and older.
This is because the immune system of a newborn is not developed yet. It´s good that the child is first settled in the home environment.

13. I TRIED THE PRODUCT AND MY SKIN HAS REDNESS - WHAT IS HAPPENING?
Some persons might experience skin redness after the first time of trying the product. This can simply be because the skin recognizes a sudden nature exposure and reacts to it. This reaction should not last long and should not appear again.
If the reaction is strong or continues- we recommend that you stop applying the product.

14. ARE FOREST RIOT PRODUCTS CLEAN?
100% VEGAN, NATURAL and CRUELTY-FREE, MICROBIOME-FRIENDLY and
ECOCERT APPROVED. Made in Finland from Finnish nature.

15. WHAT SHOULD I UNDERSTAND ABOUT MY SKIN'S MICROBIOME & NATURE EXPOSURE?
The human is an ecosystem of different kinds of organisms. It contains the person´s own cells in both tissues and bacteria living on their surfaces and other microbes which all form a collective entirety- the skin microbes are also part of this whole.
Microbes form the microbiome on skin which is a crucial part of skin´s functionality and structure. A healthy skin this community is in balance but in some skin disorders, like atopic eczema, this balance could be disturbed. The purpose of nature exposure is to present the skin with natural microbes so that the
skin can recognize them. The purpose is never dramatically changing the skin own microbiome.

16. ANY LITERATURE AVAILABLE? Yes, all of the claims we make have been first backed by extensive testing by third party labs in Finland, who have been researching Forest Extract for years to break this scientific discovery.
Treating skin with Forest Extract reduces the formation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and the latest in vivo found that topical cream containing Forest Soil Extract strengthens the skin barrier function after three weeks of regular use.
The skin care benefits were already visible in three weeks as a higher stress tolerance of the skin. 

Want more information about the Lab and its published research? 

We're happy to share! Contact hello@forest-riot.com