Before there were laboratories, there were ferments.
Humans have been using fermentation for thousands of years, transforming fruits, grains, milk and plants long before we understood bacteria, yeast or the chemistry behind the process.
They didn't know about organic acids, metabolites or postbiotics.
They simply observed that fermentation changed things.
It changed flavour. It changed preservation. It changed how foods and plants interacted with the body.
Over time, fermented ingredients also found their way into beauty traditions around the world.
Today, science is beginning to explain some of what those cultures discovered through hundreds of years of observation.
Korea: a long relationship with fermentation
Fermentation is deeply embedded in Korean culture, and fermented ingredients have also played a role in traditional approaches to beauty and skin.
Rice water and fermented rice preparations have long been associated with cleansing, softening and caring for the complexion.
Modern cosmetic science now gives us another way of looking at these practices.
Depending on the ingredients, microorganisms and method used, fermentation can transform the chemical composition of an ingredient and create compounds such as organic acids, peptides and other metabolites.
Although ancient practitioners didn't understand the chemistry, recipes deeply embedded in culture were often the result of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of years of observation.
Modern science can now show us some of the transformations that take place during the complex process of fermentation, and we're beginning to understand why some of those observations may have endured.
Japan: fermentation as transformation
In Japan, fermentation has been refined over centuries through foods and drinks such as miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sake.
Preservation was undoubtedly an important part of fermentation's early history. Over time, flavour profiles were refined, with recipes perfected and handed down from generation to generation.
Fermentation is transformation.
During fermentation, microorganisms interact with the natural compounds already present in the starting material. Sugars may become organic acids. Larger compounds may be broken down or transformed. New metabolites can appear, while the chemical environment itself changes.
The result is no longer quite the same material that went into the ferment.
This is particularly relevant when thinking about botanical ingredients.
A fruit or plant already contains its own complex mixture of acids, polyphenols, pigments and other compounds. Fermentation introduces another biological process capable of changing that chemistry.
Although ancient fermenters were unable to measure those transformations, they learned to recognise them through colour, aroma, taste, texture and time.
Australia: Davidson Plum and an ancient botanical
Closer to home, Australia's relationship with native botanicals stretches back tens of thousands of years.
In northern New South Wales and surrounding regions, Aboriginal peoples, including Bundjalung communities, have long held knowledge of native plants and foods, including Davidson plum.
Davidson plum itself is remarkable.
The intensely coloured fruit naturally contains polyphenols, anthocyanins and organic acids, compounds that have attracted increasing scientific interest for their antioxidant properties.
At PLUM-P, we take this Australian botanical and subject it to our own slow-fermentation process.
We are not claiming that fermented Davidson plum is an ancient Indigenous skincare practice. Our fermentation process is a contemporary formulation method applied to a botanical with a much older history of Indigenous knowledge and use.
What connects it to the broader story of fermentation is a simple biological principle:
Time and microbial activity transform ingredients.
But every fermentation is different.
The starting ingredient, microorganisms, temperature, environment and time can all influence what happens.
That's why asking whether something is simply "fermented" doesn't tell us very much.
The more interesting question is:
What has this particular fermentation actually changed?
This is also why we should be cautious about assuming fermentation automatically makes every ingredient more potent, more absorbable or better for the skin.
Fermentation and the skin microbiome
Our understanding of the skin has also changed.
We now know that skin isn't simply a surface to moisturise, exfoliate or treat.
It's an ecosystem populated by microorganisms that interact with the skin barrier, immune system and naturally acidic environment.
Certain fermentation-derived ingredients are now being investigated for their potential to support hydration, barrier function and the conditions associated with a balanced skin ecosystem.
The research is still developing, but it raises an interesting possibility.
Perhaps good skincare isn't only about what an ingredient does to the skin.
Perhaps we should also consider the environment it creates with the skin.
Science hasn't proven every traditional belief about fermentation, nor should we assume something works simply because it is ancient.
But we can now investigate processes that humans have been observing and refining for thousands of years.
Why PLUM-P chooses slow fermentation
At PLUM-P, fermentation isn't used because fermented skincare is fashionable.
It's fundamental to the way we formulate.
Our process is deliberately slow, allowing time for Davidson plum to undergo transformation rather than simply adding a fashionable "ferment" ingredient to a conventional formulation.
Davidson plum gives us an extraordinary starting material.
Fermentation allows us to explore what that material can become.
And modern skin science gives us a better understanding of the environment we're ultimately formulating for.
Explore slow-fermented skincare by PLUM-P.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is fermented skincare?
Fermented skincare uses ingredients that have undergone fermentation through the activity of microorganisms. Depending on the ingredient and fermentation process, existing compounds can be transformed and new metabolites and other fermentation-derived compounds may be produced.
Has fermented skincare really been used for 10,000 years?
There is evidence of humans using fermentation for thousands of years, but it would be inaccurate to claim that fermented skincare has a documented 10,000-year history.
The longer history is humanity's relationship with fermentation itself, with fermented ingredients later becoming part of particular beauty traditions.
What are the benefits of fermented skincare?
The benefits depend on the particular ingredient and fermentation process. Research into certain fermented ingredients suggests potential benefits for hydration, skin-barrier function and the skin's microbial environment.
Fermentation should not, however, be assumed to make every botanical more effective.
What is Davidson Plum in skincare?
Davidson plum is an Australian native fruit naturally rich in polyphenols, anthocyanins and organic acids. PLUM-P uses Davidson plum as the botanical foundation of its slow-fermentation process.
Does fermentation make skincare ingredients more bioavailable?
Fermentation can transform plant compounds and create different metabolites, potentially changing their bioavailability and biological activity.
The effect depends on the ingredient, microorganisms and fermentation process, which is why individual ferments need to be understood on their own terms.