Bacteria Balance for Skin

AOBiome, Cambridge, MA, has launched Mother Dirt, a biome-friendly line of products for the skin. The line features the AO+ Mist, billed as a first-of-its-kind product containing live Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB), and biome-friendly cleanser and shampoo SKUs, both designed to effectively cleanse without harming the beneficial bacteria of the skin.

According to AOBiome, much like the gut, the skin biome relies on good bacteria to help the skin stay healthy. However, the firm says that the balance of our skin biome is under attack by constant use of soaps, antibacterials, lack of interaction with nature and modern lifestyles. This disruption to our skin's ecosystem leaves it more susceptible to many challenges including sensitivity, dryness and other skin related problems.

To reverse this, the firm says consumers need to embrace the skin for the living ecosystem it is and help it reconnect with the balanced state it once had. This requires a two-step process: first, restoring the beneficial bacteria and second, using products that are compatible with the skin biome.

The centerpiece of the Mother Dirt line is the AO+ Mist, which contains live AOB. Similar to a probiotic, these patented beneficial bacteria work to enrich the skin's natural environment. Specifically, AOB consume the irritating components of our sweat (ammonia and urea) and transform them into benefits for the skin. This continuous cycle helps restore balance to the skin in a gentle and natural way, while also fighting odor-causing bacteria. The mist is simply sprayed on skin, especially on sweat-prone areas, instantly applying the AOB enabling the bacteria to do its work and reestablish itself in the skin biome.

Mother Dirt Shampoo and Mother Dirt Cleanser have been formulated, tested and screened for compatibility with the skin biome. Each works together with the AO+ Mist and enables users to cleanse daily without harming the delicate AOB applied by the mist.
The shampoo and cleanser are the only cleansing products on the market that are formulated and tested in this way, according to the company.

Each Mother Dirt bottle is printed with an expiration date because they do not contain preservatives, which have been shown to have an adverse affect on AOB and likely other beneficial microorganisms within the skin biome.

“With Mother Dirt, we're creating products that enhance and protect the skin biome. Last year we launched the AO+ Mist to a limited group and the response was overwhelmingly positive,” said Jasmina Aganovic, general manager of consumer products at AOBiome. “Users reported being able to reduce dependence on deodorants, moisturizers and other personal care products. They also found their skin was calmer, more hydrated, less oily, and generally more balanced. Our users were also curious about products that were compatible with the AO+ Mist, helping us identify a need for biome-friendly products. We found that we couldn't make recommendations from existing products on the market, as they failed our testing, so we began to develop our own set of biome-friendly products, starting with the shampoo and cleanser.”

All Mother Dirt products sold at motherdirt.com. Mother Dirt AO+ Mist is available in a 3.4 fl. oz. (100 mL) bottle and costs $49. Mother Dirt Shampoo (100 mL) is $15 and Mother Dirt Cleanser (100 mL) is $15. All three can be purchased for $69.