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Mother Dirt Wants You to Put Bacteria on Your Skin

Bryan Holt
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Bacteria is everywhere. It lives in our guts and on our skin — you can’t see it, but it’s there, and it’s pervasive. That’s why it’s important to expose our bodies to good, healthy bacteria that will help our anatomy function normally and protect us from disagreeable invaders. Much like we do with probiotics for our gut health, we need the bacteria that are thriving on our skin to be beneficial. Mother Dirt is a gender-neutral, biome-friendly skincare company that believes it’s time we start rethinking healthy skin by bringing this good bacteria to our bathroom counters.

A significant amount of grooming brands tout their all-natural essential oils with tough antimicrobial properties. Sure, we all love our powerful and effective essential oils like clove, eucalyptus, and lavender. However, stripping your skin of important life can leave its health unbalanced, weakened, dry, and irritated, with our immune system following suit.

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Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (or AOB) is Mother Dirt’s keystone ingredient. These live cultures, which are already found at home on your skin, are what keep the peace through equilibrium. AOB is something that we as humans have lost as indoor lifestyles and powerful hygiene products have become more prominent in our everyday lives, but Mother Dirt, founded in 2015, is determined to return this all-natural balance back in a big way through its extensive collection of products that care for your skin, and ultimately, your health.

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In fact, the company’s clinical studies have found that its active live bacteria products actually reduce one’s dependence on daily hygiene products such as soap and deodorant. The effectiveness is something we can attest to after our own trial run, and in response, we’re here to share some of our favorites with you.

First, we want to introduce you to Mother Dirt’s hero product: AO+ Mist. This mist is a live probiotic spray for your face and body that’s applied after all of your antibacterial clean-up work has been done.

The mist has one simple mission: To rebalance your skin’s microbiome by removing the elements odor-inducing bacteria feed on rather than disrupting the skin’s natural protectants and helpful bacteria. The result is clean, clear, and hydrated skin that’s moisture-balanced, protected from environmental aggressors, and free of blotchiness and irritation.

After a few weeks, you’ll start to notice your skin clearing up as the live bacteria begins to remove the look and feel of oily or dry, uneven skin. It’s also a great travel companion to stay fresh and clean during the day when you might not have access to showering as much as usual.

(Note: One important thing to remember about Mother Dirt’s mist is because it contains a live culture of bacteria, it will exhibit greater effectiveness and a longer shelf-life if stored in the fridge.)

The Shave Butter is the newest member of Mother Dirt’s biome-friendly family. It was specifically designed to support the skin’s natural barrier against razor friction. It is, of course, crafted with a meticulous blend of butters and emollients to help bolster the barrier and provide cleansing properties, but it’s most effective for its ability to hydrate your skin and stave off dryness, which can lead to razor burn and ingrown hairs. Storing in the fridge isn’t necessary with this one; however, it’s best used within six months of purchasing.

We also are huge admirers of the Mother Dirt Foaming Cleanser. Not only does this cleanser enhance the results of its AO+ Mist, but it acts as both a face cleanser and body wash. That’s right, instead of needing a face and body wash, this cleanser takes care of both duties.

You’ll quickly begin to notice how soft and smooth your skin becomes, which effectively eliminates the need to take extended or added showers in order to feel fresh. Tack on the brand’s biome-friendly Body Oil to your routine and your skin will be more hydrated and softer than it has ever been.

Those are our favorites, but if you’re looking for other functional and fairly cost-effective products to round out your grooming regimen, Mother Dirt skincare offers a fantastic conditioning shampoo, a skin-healing moisturizer, and a body-specific wash formula to put your skin in a position to shine.

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Bryan Holt
Bryan Holt
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Bryan Holt is a writer, editor, designer, and multimedia storyteller based in Portland, Oregon. He is a graduate from the…
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