The Benefits of Forest Microbes

Forest Riot's Forest Soil Extract was built for the modern body. By directly providing your skin with high biodiversity microbial exposure, our skincare mimics the skin's experience of living in the forest. Research by an expert team of researchers from Finland has uncovered multiple potential benefits of including our extract in cosmetic products:

Rebalances Skin Microbiome Levels

Forest Extract has been scientifically tested and proven suitable for Cosmos-certified cosmetics. The Cosmos organic and Cosmos natural certification establishes the formula as a clean beauty product without harmful, synthetic additives. All Cosmos-certified products have been carefully tested and proven to fulfill sustainability practices while providing customers with genuinely organic and natural ingredients.

Under the conditions of a well-maintained microbiome, your skin can effectively safeguard itself against bacteria, fungi, and mites. The balanced ecosystem prevents any one species from dominating and causing an imbalance that drives discoloration, acne, blackhead breakouts, and different types of inflammation. Maintaining this balance ensures that your skin stays healthy and glows with an optimal appearance.

Finnish research involved studying Forest Soil Extract via an in-vitro skin model using laboratory-grown stratified epidermis. The study's findings uncovered that recommended concentrations of the extract supported the growth of natural microbiome diversity and even inhibited the rapid growth of pathogenic microorganisms like S. aureus.

The World Allergy Organization has announced in their Biodiversity Statement that: “Biodiversity, the variability among living organisms from all sources are closely related, at both the macro- and micro-levels. Loss of the macro-diversity is associated with shrinking of the microdiversity, which is associated with alterations of the indigenous microbiota.”

In essence, the hypothesis suggested the vital relationship between humanity and our surrounding environments, where urbanization has modified the microbiota, reducing the available bacteria that we need to maintain optimal skin health.

Reduces Inflammatory Effects

In-vitro lab research results of Forest Extract also show strong evidence that it reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines. Essentially, applying the forest microbe product minimizes the release of some cytokines that usually cause inflammatory and immunoregulatory responses from within the skin.

Intervention trials have delved deeper into the anti-inflammatory effects of forest microbes. One daycare study highlighted research involving 28-day contact with soil-diversified skin and gut microbiota. The study results showed an increase in TREG cells responsible for suppressing immune responses, and cytokine levels, leading to decreased skin inflammation states. Another study with daycare children yielded similar results on the inflammatory effects of forest microbes, which involved long-term exposure to diverse forest floor vegetation and peat (the primary ingredients of the Reconnecting Nature extract).

One of the defense tests in the experiment resulted in a significant reduction of seven pro-inflammatory cytokine levels within the skin model. As such, including Reconnecting Nature in a cosmetic product could potentially curb inflammatory responses, such as the redness and irritation caused by sunburn.

Promotes Natural Skin Barrier Function

According to the same Finnish research force examining Forest Soil Extract, unlike cosmetic products that contain synthetic ingredients that compromise the skin’s natural microbiome, using our formula does not harm the essential proteins (including Loriclin, Claudin, Filaggrin, and Ki67) responsible for forming the skin’s natural barrier.

In fact, using the solution has been shown to strengthen skin barrier properties after three weeks of regular use, particularly against chemical irritation. A scientific test comparing a base lotion containing Forest  Extract with a placebo without the active ingredient showed that the formula provided a stronger defense against irritation.

Specifically, the results showed higher transepidermal water loss and erythema index for the placebo sites than those exposed to the Forest Extract. The increase in these values indicates a weakening of skin barrier functions.

Safeguarding Against Aging and Stress

It is largely believed that a combination of factors is responsible for compromising your natural skin barrier. These include gradual decline with the aging process, stress buildup, and the excessive production of cytokines (e.g., TNFα and IFNg) that inhibit collagen production. And collagen is a crucial building block for building and maintaining healthy and supple skin.

As such, the forest microbe’s effectiveness in maintaining skin barrier functions could be largely due to its function of moderating pro-inflammatory cytokines. Essentially, with Forest Extract added to your skincare, you can maintain healthy skin barrier functions by keeping collagen levels optimized despite elevated stress and aging effects.

Strengthens the Body's Immunity

There have been increased reports of immune-related disorders within the last decade, mostly associated with urban living. Scientists believe that these could be a direct result of excessively clean hygiene levels and the lack of contact with natural biodiversity. Immune-related disorders include inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), asthma, autoimmune disorders, and allergic reactions.

Specifically, research indicates that urban living environments decrease exposure to essential microorganisms and parasites, while reliance on synthetic drugs like antibiotics has caused disturbances to the natural microbiota population. The University of Helsinki and the University of Tampere conducted research on the short-term direct contact of soil and plant materials leading to an immediate increase in biodiversity within the skin microbiome.

The research involved two test subjects who rubbed their hands against 16 different types of soil and plant materials through fabric packets filled with moss ingredients. Researchers then tested the skin biodiversity before and after exposure with swabbing materials.

Advanced sequencing methods determined that the process temporarily increased the biodiversity of the skin microbiota, with increased quantities of phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and classes Alpha‐, Beta‐, and Gammaproteobacteria. The researchers also discovered that synthesizing a composite material (such as Reconnecting Nature, which contains over 600 bacterial species, including beneficial Acinetobacter and Mycobacterium, in safe form) could lead to a higher increase in skin microbial diversity.

However, exposure to these forest microbes proved to have only a temporary effect, where skin microbiota soon reverted to its pre-exposure composition. Therefore, it is important to sustain healthy skin microbiota levels with regular use of forest microbe-supported cosmetics at the recommended dosage.

Accelerates Skin Renewal and Repair

Similarly, the forest microbes added to cosmetic products can help reduce the production of the IFNg (Interferon Gamma) cytokine. Lowered IFNg levels can essentially boost your skin’s natural repair and cell renewal process. Forest microbes can also stimulate the growth of gram-positive bacterial strains like S. epidermidis which have been proven to regulate innate immune responses during tissue repair and wound healing. Scientific research shows that the lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in S. epidermidis has anti-inflammatory effects that prevent excessive tissue damage during injury.

However, the study on S. epidermidis also highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced skin microbiota with meticulously tested and measured forest microbes. When left unchecked, S. epidermidis' mechanism may prevent S. aureus (a gram-positive bacteria commonly associated with causing diseases) biofilm formation but also degrades human complement components C5 and fibrinogen, which are critical proteins for activating innate immune responses.