Probiotic kefir lotions - which one is right for you?

“60% of people in the UK currently have a skin condition or have previously had one”.¹

If you’re one of the millions of people in the UK living with a skin condition, then we know how you feel. You’ve likely tried numerous creams, cleansers, and other topical treatments with little or no relief and probably feel like you’re going around in circles. We know how frustrating this is!

Here at CG, we speak to many customers struggling to manage skin problems such as acne, psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea. However, ‘treating’ the skin topically is not the only answer – first, you must address your gut health.

This is because many skin conditions are, in fact, autoimmune disorders linked to gut dysbiosis. The gut, the skin, and the immune system are all interconnected. Dysbiosis (reduced microbial diversity, lower levels of beneficial bacteria, and increased harmful bacteria) is associated with autoimmune disorders such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and rosacea.²

So what is the answer?

We recommend a dual approach to skin conditions – to heal the inside whilst calming down symptoms on the outside. We recommend applying Chuckling Goat probiotic-rich lotions to heal the skin biome whilst adopting a Gut-health Protocol to restore the gut microbiome: this is what we call the Good Skin Solution – “combined oral and topical immunotherapy”.

Let’s look at the different CG Probiotic Kefir Lotions, their beneficial ingredients, and how they can specifically help to alleviate your skin condition –

Each lotion has the same base: Water, Goat’s milk, Kefir, Oat Oil, Rice bran oil, Olive oil, Iscaguard (eco-friendly, preservative-free stabiliser), MF & VE Emulsifier (vegetable-based emulsifier to combine oil and water components of the lotion), D-Panthenol (Vitamin B5).

Benefits of the main ingredients:

Kefir – The kefir in the lotion is effective, not because of the live bacteria (the lotion-making process pasteurises them) but because of postbiotics – metabolites produced by the bacteria.
Oat Oil helps create a barrier on the skin, preventing water loss. Oat oil calms inflammation and has antioxidant properties, scavenging free radicals that can damage skin cells.³ NB: The oat oil used in our lotions is gluten-free.
Rice bran oil helps hydrate the skin and provides antioxidant action. ⁴
D-Panthenol (B5) helps the skin retain moisture and aids wound healing by helping to repair and protect the skin’s barrier.⁵

1. Sensitive Probiotic Kefir Lotion

Our Sensitive range contains only the base ingredients above and no essential oils. This makes it perfect for those who are allergic to everything and pregnant women who are advised to avoid essential oils. The Sensitive Kefir Lotion is ideal for sensitive skin and is a good product to try first. Read more about Sensitive Lotion and source it here.

Our other Kefir Lotions contain different essential oils, which have additional benefits. It depends on which skin condition you are addressing as to which range you need. Let’s look at the benefits and uses of CG probiotic lotions in more detail –

2. Soothing Probiotic Kefir Lotion

Our Soothing range contains rosemary essential oil. Rosemary oil is noted for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing activity, making it perfect for relieving redness in the skin.⁶ We recommend this range for those prone to rosacea and skin rashes. The rosemary essential oil in our Soothing Goats Milk Soap is also beneficial for dry and itchy scalps and age spots, wrinkles, and blemishes.

Read more about the benefits of rosemary in our post – Rosemary – the hero of the herb rack! Find our Soothing Lotion here.

3. Calm-Down Probiotic Kefir Lotion

Our Calm-Down range contains lavender essential oil – a beautifully scented, gently antibacterial lotion, great for everyday use and tackling spots if you find our Break-Out range too strong.

Lavender essential oil, due to its content of terpenes, has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties and helps reduce redness and tackle the bacteria that cause spots.⁷ We also recommend our Calm-down probiotic kefir lotion for insect bites and minor burns and as an after-sun treatment.

Read more about Calm-Down Lotion and find it here.

4. Break-out Probiotic Kefir Lotion

Our Break-Out range is our strongest formulation, combining the health benefits of kefir with the power of tea tree essential oil and thyme essential oil.

Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties which can help with minimising spots, pimples, and acne.⁸⁹

Thyme essential oil also has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antifungal properties, making it well-suited to deal with an imbalance of microbes within the skin biome and the inflammation that results.¹⁰ ¹¹

Read more about Break-Out Lotion and source it here.

All our lotions are suitable for children aged 3 + and can be used on the face, hands and body. As with any new skincare, we advise patch testing before using it liberally.

Read more about the connection between the gut and the skin in Why your skin needs probiotic lotion and the Chuckling Goat team’s favourite lotion. Find out about our top three uses for our Super Sensitive Skin Balm in our post Give your skin some TLC this Autumn.

Any questions? Contact one of our nutritional therapists via live chat on weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.