You may have heard of probiotics in connection with gut health – but did you know that millions of microbes also live on your skin, affecting its health?
Forest microbes are microorganisms – bacteria, fungi, and other small organisms – that live in the Finnish forest soil and have evolved over millennia to suit northern conditions. The Finnish forest is one of the world's cleanest ecosystems, and its microbes are exceptionally diverse and robust.
Studies show that contact with microbes in the natural environment supports the human immune system and can reduce hypersensitivity reactions. The same principle applies to the skin: a diverse microbiome on the skin means a stronger protective barrier.
A natural microbial ecosystem – the skin microbiome – forms on the surface of the skin. It acts as the first line of defense against pathogens, regulates skin pH, and maintains the skin's moisture balance. When the microbiome is in balance, the skin looks and feels healthy. When it is disturbed – due to stress, excessive washing, or aggressive products – sensitivity, dryness, or redness often follows.
Many immune-mediated diseases have become more common over the past half-century, especially in urban environments. One reason is the decrease in the biodiversity of living environments. When the body's defense system does not receive the microbial exposure it needs, the risk of developing immune-mediated diseases increases.
Re-Connecting Nature® is a Finnish innovation where the diverse bacterial community of the Finnish forest nature has been safely extracted as a cosmetic ingredient. In practice, it brings daily nature exposure to your skin even when you don't have time to go to the forest.
The extract was developed by the Finnish company Uute Scientific in collaboration with researchers from the Universities of Helsinki and Tampere.
Luonkos is one of the first brands in the world to use the Re-Connecting Nature® extract in its products. Every Luonkos forest microbe product is handmade in Naantali and designed to support the skin's own microbiota, not to fight against it.
Everyone who wants to strengthen long-term skin health through natural means
How do forest microbes work through the skin?
The skin surface has many immune system receptors that recognize microbial components and their metabolic products. When the product is applied to the skin, these receptors recognize the microbial particles that cause nature exposure and transfer information to our body's defense system. In this way, the defense system receives "training" through nature exposure.
How does Re-Connecting Nature® differ from probiotics?
Probiotics usually contain only individual bacterial species grown in a laboratory. Re-Connecting Nature® contains an average of 600 different bacterial species extracted from the natural environment, some of which cannot be grown in a laboratory at all. This provides diverse exposure to nature's biodiversity.
Sisältävätkö tuotteet eläviä bakteereja?
Eivät sisällä. Re-Connecting Nature® -uute sisältää mikrobien rakenneosia ja aineenvaihduntatuotteita, ei eläviä bakteereja. Juuri nämä osaset ihon puolustusjärjestelmän reseptorit tunnistavat – elävää mikrobia ei tarvita vaikutuksen aikaansaamiseksi.
Kuinka nopeasti metsämikrobien vaikutus näkyy iholla?
Vaikutus perustuu säännölliseen altistukseen – samoin kuin luonnossa liikkumisessa. Suosittelemme päivittäistä käyttöä vähintään 4–8 viikon ajan, sillä iho uudistuu noin kuukauden sykleissä ja muutokset näkyvät asteittain. Herkkä iho voi tuntua rauhoittuneemmalta jo ensimmäisten viikkojen aikana.
Sopivatko metsämikrobituotteet lapsille ja raskausaikaan?
Kyllä – tuotteet sopivat kaikenikäisille, myös lapsille. Jos olet raskaana, imetät tai sinulla on vakava ihosairaus tai lääkitys ihon hoitoon, suosittelemme varmistamaan käytön lääkäriltä.
Miten lisään metsämikrobit ihonhoitorutiiniini?
Helpoiten aloitat kahdella tuotteella: puhdista kasvot Boost-puhdistusöljyllä ja levitä sen jälkeen ohut kerros Primal-metsämikrobivoidetta puhtaalle iholle. Päivittäinen käyttö vastaa säännöllistä luontoaltistusta – pieni määrä riittää.
How is the product manufactured?
Re-Connecting Nature® is 100% natural and vegan. The product is made by combining various plant composts according to a precise recipe, resulting in a diverse bacterial community similar to natural environments – without destroying valuable forest nature.
Where are the products manufactured and do you conduct animal testing?
The products are manufactured in Lohja, Finland, using Finnish raw materials. We operate in accordance with strict ethical principles and do not conduct animal testing.
Reconnecting Nature® is an extract from thousands of bacteria found in the Finnish forest, bringing nature exposure to the skin. Learn about the science behind Luonkos forest microbe products.
Nature exposure refers to physical contact with biodiversity – this particularly applies to microscopic biodiversity, which includes an enormous array of different microbes.
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