Mother Dirt Skincare’s Dirty Little Secret

Mother Dirt is taking a revolutionary approach to clean, healthy skin. Read on for our review of the three Mother Dirt skincare products you should buy right now.

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With all the uncertainty in the world right now, one thing is for sure: Balance is key. Work-home balance. Family-self balance. Sanity-Sangria balance. And then there’s that other (big) thing: Science. Facts over fear. Empirical evidence. Expert advice. Along with accepting an OCD attitude toward hand washing and scavenging for toilet paper, this is our right here, right now reality.

What does all this have to do with skincare?

Personal care products grounded in these two principles—balance and science—and that lean into transparency and simplicity are what we need right now. And that’s where Mother Dirt strides in. It’s a skin and bodycare line that packages an ecologically thoughtful, scientific approach to healthy skin into one clean and straightforward product line. 

Founded by MIT scientists, Mother Dirt pioneered a probiotic approach to keeping skin clear,  balanced and beaming. Rather than chemically stripping skin of naturally beneficial bacteria, their biome-friendly formulas aim to keep the ecosystem that is our “skin microbiome” intact. To get even more technical, their patented Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria (AOB) found in their cornerstone AO+ Mist is formulated with a live “peacekeeper” bacteria clinically proven to restore balance to problem skin and replenish dehydrated skin. 

So all that heady information aside, are the products all that? 

Ah, yeah. You know I’m a bit of a product junkie and in all my 12+ years reviewing and writing about beauty products, I’ve got a say, I’m stunned that I’ve actually found something that lives up to the hype. I’ve been religiously using three of their key products over the last couple weeks and in spite of the high-octane stress of the times (and losing my part-time job and homeschooling a 7-year-old…) my skin microbiome is in good shape.

Now my hair, that’s another issue. 

But on to the goods….

Mother Dirt Biome-Friendly Foaming Cleanser

This unassuming, plant-derived foaming cleanser goes deep without stripping the skin of that delicate biome we’ve been talking about. Skin feels clean and calm, not tight and irritated. And who doesn’t love a little foam at the end of a long day of entertaining a first grader?  Get Mother Dirt Foaming Facial Cleanser for $24.

Mother Dirt AO+ Mist Live Probiotic Spray

The hero of their product line, Mother Dirt AO+ Mist contains a live culture of AOB, the good bacteria that battles the bad. Ideal for all skin types—dry, oily, problematic and  sensitive—the mist is clinically proven to improve skin tone and texture in 4 short weeks. Get Mother Dirt AO+ Mist for $69.

Mother Dirt Biome-Friendly Moisturizer

I will make you a bet that you have not met a moisturizer like this one. Mother Dirt Biome Friendly Moisturizer has a clear, serum-type consistency that leaves skin soft and glowing without feeling thick and heavy. Vegetable-derived ingredients include squalane from olives and caprylic/capric triglyceride from coconuts. Paired with the AO+ Mist, this hydrating hero helps maintain healthy skin. And I love it. I’m putting it on my stranded-on-a-deserted-island list. Get the Mother Dirt Moisturizer for $48.

The collection also includes a concentrated body wash, shampoo, a rich shaving butter and a heavenly lemongrass-scented body oil. All their plant-based formulations are hypoallergenic, non-irritating, clinically-tested, allergy-tested, dermatologist-reviewed and made without added preservatives.

Until next time, be well.

Already a Mother Dirt fan? Let us know how it works for you in the comments below.

Photos courtesy motherdirt.com.