Tula

If I’m going to name the bald spot in my brow Raul, I should also christen any bacteria that I’m purposefully putting on my face. It’s the right thing to do.

So, every time I use any products from Tula Skincare, I’m going to say hi to Brandon and Brenda — also known as Bifida Ferment Lysate and Lactococcus Ferment Lysate.

“What’s poppin’, Brenda? Hey, hey, Brandon!”

Because Tula products contain probiotics.

What’s Tula Skincare all about?

They’re an NYC-based skin care line, and I think they’ve been around for a couple years now. Their name, Tula, means “balance” in Sanskrit, and all of the products, which range in price from $20-100, contain probiotics.

Yup, microorganisms. Bacteria. They combine them with AHAs, antioxidants, retinols and superfoods to help naturally balance your skin.

The line includes a cleanser, toner and a lot of moisturizers and anti-aging products, none of which contain parabens. Some of the products, like the Pro-Glycolic Resurfing Gel (which is a gem, but more on that in a few), and all of which contain probiotics.

According to the website, the line doesn’t test on animals, but they don’t make any cruelty-free claims.

Bacteria in skin care

So what’s the deal? Why are people purposefully putting bugs in skin care? You may have heard about it, because it’s pretty trendy right now.

To clarify, these are the “good” bacteria. The idea is similar to, like, eating Greek yogurt or drinking kefir, both which have “good” bacteria — living organisms to help digest food, reduce inflammation and regulate tummy troubles.

Probiotics in skin care products are supposed to fool the skin into focusing on good bacteria and not the harmful ones that worsen inflammation, like acne and rosacea, but there isn’t a ton of clinical research out there to supports its effectiveness.

Some signs are optimistic.

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