Atmospheric pollutants and other aggressors, our skin is constantly under attack.

According to a study published on 16th May 2016 in Geneva, 80% of people living in urban areas are exposed to air quality levels which are outside the limits fixed by the WHO.

If we automatically think about the respiratory consequences, we often neglect the effects on the biggest and most extensive organ of the body, which forms the interface between the organism and the environment. The skin is particulary exposed over a large area, with a surface which favours the retention of particles and secretions resulting in their accumulation. 

What if, in this fight, our cutaneous microbiotics are our best ally?

Invisible to the eye, imperceptible to the touch, our cutaneous microbiotics are nonetheless present, alive and very active.

Our skin is a balanced, ecological system. Thousands of bacteria, viruses, fungi and acarians colonise it and many species live in symbiosis with our skin cells. Each square centimetre of skin contains around a million micro organisms with one hundred different species. Together they form the skin microbiotics (traditionally called skin flora) and help our skin to carry out its function as a barrier.

Under normal circumstances, these species don't destroy each other and the skin remains clean, unaltered, and capable of defending us permanently from attack from the exterior, principally atmospheric attack.

But be careful, this homeostasis must be maintained and not all cosmetics are compatible with this silent population..

The slightest disruption to this ecosystem can cause an alteration to the barrier function of the skin, a lowering of immunity and a predispostion for inflammatory conditions (atopic dermatitis, acne, rosacea, psoriasis). So it is important that the cosmetics we use help to restore the hydrolipidic film, promote the cohesion of the stratum cornea, respect the skin's ph and slow down water loss.

A functional ingredient like INNOVI laboratory's  GPS-S ® acts simultaneusly on all these factors and gives the latest generation cosmetic products the capacity to effectively support skin microbiota and its remarkable anti-pollution properties.