Make your own probiotic face mask

Just as we need to look after and bolster the beauty-boosting bacteria inside the gut, so we also need to protect the microbes that live on the skin.

I have long maintained that we shouldn’t use anything that foams to clean our faces – and new research into how our skin’s microbiome works backs this up.

For skin to stay healthy and strong, it needs to be mildly acidic – between Ph 4.2 and 5.6. However, more than half of the population has alkaline skin, which is basically ‘sick skin’. When skin is alkaline, we lose good bacteria because they detach more easily, leaving the skin’s surface drier, more brittle and more susceptible to sun damage and wrinkles.

The best way to keep skin healthy is to clean the face not with soap or foaming facial wash but with an oilbased, detergent-free cream cleanser. Remove it with a warm, damp cotton muslin cloth or flannel.

Lactic acid is also a useful ingredient when it comes to skincare – and one of the easiest ways to get the benefits from this is to apply live yogurt directly to the skin.

Or try this simple home-made face mask. The avocado remoisturises and provides natural Vitamin E, the honey is purifying and moisturising, while the yogurt helps boost beneficial bacteria and support healthy microbes on the skin. Stir in the contents of a probiotic capsule if you suffer from breakouts or areas of inflammation. Half a ripe avocado 2 tbsp plain live yogurt 1 tsp unprocessed (raw) runny honey Mash the ingredients together to form a smooth paste and apply to freshly cleansed skin. Relax for 10-15 minutes before rinsing away.