Beauty

TikTok’s Favorite Derm Just Launched a “3D” Skin Care Line

The beauty brand treats the skin from the inside-out.

Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty is here to treat your skin from the inside-out.
Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty

Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe, M.D. has been preaching about the importance of the gut-skin connection for more than a decade. In 2018, she published a book called The Beauty of Dirty Skin that was all about the skin’s microbiome and how having a healthy complexion requires more than the right topical beauty routine. Now that “skin microbiome” has become such an industry buzzword, Bowe is taking her years of research on inside-out beauty a step further with her very own skin care line, Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty.

The just-launched collection emphasizes Bowe’s 3D approach to skin care with its lineup of topical and ingestible products. Within the line are the Bowe Glowe Microbiome Nourishing Cream ($95), a pre- and postbiotic-infused moisturizer, and the Bowe Growe Pomegranate Microbiome Elixir ($49), polyphenol-rich drops meant to be mixed into water for a gut health boost. These formulas tackle skin health in a way that Bowe says is vital for true glowy results. “When you apply products on the skin, you can hit a ceiling with the results — it’s almost inevitable,” she tells Bustle. “If you want to actually break that ceiling, you have to think about the skin three-dimensionally. If you just treat the skin from the outside then you’re missing what I consider an essential layer of your skin care routine.”

Bowe carefully formulated the products in her line to ensure all ingredients within the bottles support the skin’s microbiome. Besides the pre- and postbiotics, the Microbiome Nourishing Cream contains hyaluronic acid, squalane, and ceramides, a trio of moisturizing and barrier-boosting essentials that keep the complexion hydrated. For the inner beauty part of the equation, Bowe Growe relies on a super-concentrated dose of polyphenols from a slew of berries — think pomegranate, blackberry, blueberry, and black currant — as well as a dash of lemon, coconut water, and monk fruit for taste. “Polyphenols are antioxidants, but newer science is showing that they actually have prebiotic-like effects, meaning that they help to rebalance the gut microbiome,” Bowe explains.

Along with being microbiome-friendly, Dr. Whitney Bowe Beauty’s lineup is housed in environmentally-conscious packaging. The bottles are made from recycled glass plus recycled plastic, and the moisturizer is refillable — simply keep the pump after using the last drop, buy a refill for $75, and pop it back in. The formulas also feature some biotech-derived ingredients — aka the most sustainable way form of sourcing — such as hyaluronic acid and squalane.

Overall, Bowe aims to make 3D skin care an easy thing to incorporate into one’s routine. “After years of clinical research and treating thousands of patients for over a decade, it became clear to me that we need to just completely rethink the way we’re approaching our skin,” says Bowe. “I developed products and formulated them together to work synergistically, and to optimize skin health together.” Shop the essentials for yourself below.

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Studies referenced:

Afaq, F. (2012). Polyphenols: Skin Photoprotection and Inhibition of Photocarcinogenesis. Mini Rev Med Chem. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3288507/

Pessemier, B. (2021). Gut–Skin Axis: Current Knowledge of the Interrelationship between Microbial Dysbiosis and Skin Conditions. Microorganisms. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7916842/

Singh, A. (2019). Beneficial Effects of Dietary Polyphenols on Gut Microbiota and Strategies to Improve Delivery Efficiency. Nutrients. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6770155/