LactoSporin: Elevating Postbiotic Science in Next Generation Skincare

How important is the postbiotic market within today’s cosmetic and personal care landscape?

Postbiotics have moved from a niche concept to a central pillar of microbiome skin care. They offer a practical way to deliver microbiome related benefits without the instability and formulation challenges that come with live microorganisms. The microbiome beauty segment overall is forecast to grow strongly over the next decade, driven by demand for solutions that support barrier function, manage acne and oiliness, and address signs of aging in a gentle way. Brands that want to stay relevant in science led skin care increasingly need a credible postbiotic story that goes beyond marketing language and is supported by clinical data.

How is Sabinsa positioning itself in the postbiotic space?

Sabinsa entered the postbiotic space from a long history in probiotics, especially with Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856 and its documented safety and benefits in oral use. Building on that experience, we developed Lactosporin, the extracellular metabolite from this strain, specifically for topical use as a cosmetic postbiotic. We position Lactosporin as a defined, standardized ingredient rather than a vague “microbiome active,” with clear characterization of the ferment, reproducible activity, and human clinical data. Peer reviewed publications and award recognition for Lactosporin underlines this scientific positioning and help formulators and brand owners trust the ingredient and its claims.

Could you highlight one of your key postbiotic ingredients for cosmetic use and outline its benefits, together with the clinical evidence including peer reviewed publications, supporting these claims?

Our flagship cosmetic postbiotic is Lactosporin, a bioactive metabolite preparation obtained from the controlled fermentation of Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856. It is a heat stable, non-living ingredient that remains active at acidic pH and typical cosmetic processing temperatures, which makes it easy to incorporate into creams, gels, serums, and leave on products.

In acne care, a randomized clinical study in subjects with mild to moderate acne evaluated a cream with 2 percent Lactosporin over several weeks. The results showed reductions in non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions, overall lesion counts, and visible redness, along with improvements in sebum related parameters, with good tolerability. These data are published in a peer reviewed cosmetics journal under the title “Novel Topical Application of a Postbiotic, LactoSporin, in Mild to Moderate Acne.”

Beyond acne, an additional randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial has shown that Lactosporin can improve visible signs associated with skin aging, such as fine lines and overall skin appearance, supporting its use in youthful skin and “pro aging” claims. In vitro mechanistic work has described antioxidant effects and support for markers linked to extracellular matrix and hydration pathways in skin cells, which is consistent with the observed clinical benefits. Together, this creates a coherent picture of Lactosporin as a multi-benefit postbiotic active for anti-acne, anti-sebum, soothing, and anti-aging applications.

What regulatory or safety hurdles must companies address when launching postbiotic ingredients?

For cosmetic use, postbiotics must meet the same standards as other new actives. This includes clear identity and composition, control of the fermentation process, and appropriate specifications for purity and microbiological quality, including limits on residual viable cells. Safety assessment should cover skin irritation and sensitization potential at the intended use levels, supported by toxicology data when relevant.

On the regulatory side, the main hurdle are claims, not the ingredient concept itself. In cosmetics, claims must remain in the realm of appearance and wellbeing of the skin and cannot suggest treatment or prevention of disease. “Supports skin barrier,” “helps reduce the appearance of blemishes,” or “helps maintain a balanced skin environment” are in line with cosmetic regulations, while therapeutic microbiology claims cross into medicinal territory. Because postbiotics are still relatively new to many authorities, companies should also be ready with detailed documentation on manufacturing controls, batch consistency, and safety to address additional questions.

How do postbiotics interact with other popular skincare actives such as retinoids, niacinamide, or peptides?

A practical advantage of postbiotics is that they contain no live microorganisms and therefore are not affected by preservatives, low pH, or oxygen in the same way that probiotic ingredients are. Lactosporin is stable in typical cosmetic pH ranges and emulsion types, which allows formulators to combine it with retinoids, niacinamide, peptides, and exfoliating acids in multi active formulas, provided standard compatibility and stability testing is done.

On skin, postbiotics can complement these actives. Retinoids mainly act on cell turnover and collagen, while Lactosporin adds targeted antimicrobial and sebum modulating effects relevant to blemish prone and oily skin. Niacinamide supports barrier function and helps reduce the look of redness; pairing it with Lactosporin’s soothing profile helps create gentle yet effective routines for acne prone or reactive skin. Signal peptides that target firmness and repair can sit alongside Lactosporin in anti-aging formulas to deliver both structural support and microbiome inspired benefits. The key is to respect recommended use levels and monitor cumulative irritation when combining strong actives.

Looking ahead, how do you plan to further develop your postbiotic offering for the cosmetic market?

Our first focus is strengthening the clinical and mechanistic dossier for Lactosporin. We are particularly interested in broadening the evidence base into new application areas such as sensitive skin, scalp care, and sebum related conditions where a stable postbiotic could be a gentler alternative or adjunct to classic antimicrobial strategies. Continued publication in peer reviewed journals and presentation at scientific conferences will remain a priority, because transparent data are essential for dermatologists, regulators, and brand partners.

In parallel, we are exploring new product formats and combination concepts that combine Lactosporin with established cosmetic actives and botanical ingredients in ready to use formulations. We are also investigating additional targeted metabolites from our probiotic platforms with potential roles in areas such as pigmentation, pollution stress, or photoaging. Over time, our aim is to offer a versatile microbiome inspired toolbox for cosmetic brands, with postbiotics like Lactosporin anchored by robust science and supported by practical formulation and regulatory guidance.

References and notes

1. Majeed M, et al. Novel Topical Application of a Postbiotic, LactoSporinREGISTERED_TRADEMARK, in Mild to Moderate Acne: A Randomized, Comparative Clinical Study to Evaluate its Efficacy, Tolerability and Safety. Cosmetics. 2020 Sep 15;7(3):70. https://doaj.org/article/a019a8864b174e94900e2c783d40244f
2. Majeed M, et al. A Randomized Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Anti-Skin-Aging Effect of LactoSporin EN_DASH The Extracellular Metabolite from Bacillus coagulans (Weizmannia coagulans) MTCC 5856 in Healthy Female Volunteers. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology. 2023:16 769EN_DASH782 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5732/22e7275e3a438ca39d2b0354a02e1a37f998.pdf