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Welcome to Skincarma.

These are the musings of Carmine Montalto, NYC-based writer, skincare junkie and brand guru. The former copywriter at Kiehl’s, Carmine has more than 25 years of experience in beauty. Through the Skincarma Blog, he puts all of his product wisdom to work demystifying the ever-evolving world of skin care. 

You can change your skin’s destiny.™

PRODUCT REVIEW: LAYERS PROBIOTIC SERUM – BEST LACTIC ACID SERUM, BEST MICROBIOME SKINCARE

LAYERS | PROBIOTIC SERUM

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I first featured this innovative skincare range that cares for the microbiome on my IG page two weeks ago on #skincarmasaturday — when I share a glimpse of my new skincare discoveries of the week.

I’ve been having so much fun exploring the new brand and am excite to share my initial insights.

Layers recently introduced their clean, vegan and cruelty-free collection of ingestible and topical care — and I’ve been fortunate enough to take it all for a test run.

What’s different about the brand?

Well, Layers takes a holistic approach to optimizing skin health by caring for both your gut microbiome and skin microbiome concurrently. It’s an intriguing range rooted in microbiome science and the connection between the gut and the health of our skin. An imbalanced microbiome can be a leading cause of skin sensitivity, reactivity, splotchiness, dryness — and even acne.

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What Is the Microbiome?

I found an insightful article on the NIH website simply titled, The Skin Microbiome. This segment is helpful in understanding what the skin’s microbiome is and its role in the health of the skin:

An enhanced understanding of the skin microbiome is necessary to gain insight into microbial involvement in human skin disorders and to enable novel promicrobial and antimicrobial therapeutic approaches for their treatment.

The skin is an ecosystem composed of 1.8 m2 of diverse habitats with an abundance of folds, invaginations and specialized niches that support a wide range of microorganisms. The primary role of the skin is to serve as a physical barrier, protecting our bodies from potential assault by foreign organisms or toxic substances. The skin is also an interface with the outside environment and, as such, is colonized by a diverse collection of microorganisms — including bacteria, fungi and viruses.


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To start, the Layers Immunity Moisturizer is infused with lactobacillus ferment, pomegranate and milk thistle extracts to help increase microflora diversity on the skin surface.

The brand’s Balancing Milky Cleanser is a blend of prebiotic and probiotic yogurt powder that gently dissolves skin impurities without stripping good bacteria from the microbiome. And Layers’ Daily Glow Probiotics capsules help to balance out the internal gut microbiome.

But hands down, the product that excites me most is the Layers Probiotic Serum. The silky, milky treatment is infused with a pro-skin health blend of Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactic Acid and botanical extracts and oils that treat skin with TLC.

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Personally, my skin loves Lactic Acid and responds well to it as it smooths skin’s surface texture and enhances my complexion’s reflectivity.

My favorite pro-skin health treatments are the best Lactic Acid serums, toners and essences. And one of my favorite Lactic Acid essences is the Kat Burki Goji Essence, which I reviewed on the blog recently. Psst…you can catch it here.

So, I love everything about Layers’ skin-renewing Probiotic Serum. The texture is lit. It sinks right into my skin and is, well, easily layered!

I love now well-tolerated it is by the skin as it gently exfoliates the skin surface without disrupting its microbiome. The Layers Probiotic Serum is TLC in a bottle. I’ve experienced no irritation, just a healthy, glowing complexion. Even when using it twice daily.


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PRODUCT REVIEW: KAT BURKI GOJI ESSENCE - BEST LACTIC ACID TREATMENT, BEST FERMENTED ESSENCE


Stay tuned as I take a deep dive into Layers over the coming weeks with a full brand review on the Skincarma Blog.

Want to try Layers for yourself? Save $10 on a $49+ purchase at mylayers.com. Code SKINCARMA10 

SHOP THE BLOG: For a limited time, save $10 off every order $49+ with code SKINCARMA10. Enter the code to purchase the Layers Probiotic Serum for $79 (reg. $89) here.



The Ingredient List of the Layers Probiotic Serum:

Water, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Stearyl Heptanoate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-3 Laurate, Orobanche Rapum Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Lactic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Maltodextrin, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Fragrance

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