The secret ingredient inside your sake is skincare’s newest saviour. Since its accidental discovery as the solved mystery behind the soft hands of sake brewers, galactomyces ferment filtrate became the most coveted ingredient in Asian skincare. But what exactly is it?

As a special type of fungi, galactomyces is the byproduct from aspergillus oryzae, a yeast that’s added to ferment your sake during the brewing process. During fermentation, the yeast produces nutrient-rich substances. (It sounds nasty, but that’s where the good stuff comes in!)  After the sake is fully fermented, the fungus is filtered out. The byproduct of the filtered liquid is then dubbed “ferment filtrate”. Inside the filtrate, the excreted metabolites contain amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Plus, it’s loaded with organic acids and antioxidants. (That’s exactly what’s inside our Youth Therapy Concentrated Essence!) Most importantly, the nutrient-rich liquid contains probiotics, minerals and vitamins that can kill the harmful bacteria that damage your skin, restoring your skin’s inner luminosity, brightness and QQ plumpness. Why do you think workers who brew rice wine have such clear, smooth hands?

Once you apply galactomyces on your face, you will witness a transformation: Think smaller pores, less visible acne scars and an improvement in your skin’s ability to defend itself against external pollutants. On top of it, the antioxidants inside the ferment filtrate fill out fine lines and wrinkles (delaying the need for injectables!), slowing the process of ageing altogether. Due to the rich minerals, galactomyces ferment filtrate hydrates the skin (without the need of water); hence, reducing the appearance of sebum. Ta-dah!

Before you get the flawless skin you’ve craved for, sometimes a special ingredient needs a little boost. Here’s where we let you in on a little secret by our fans: If your skin’s feeling off balance, either too dry or greasy, you can indulge it in some TLC by sprinkling a few drops of Youth Therapy Concentrated Essence into your palms, and then patting and pressing it on your face.

Seventh Heaven

For the ultimate skin rescue (we’re looking at those of us with flaky, Accutane- or Tretinoin-treated skin), try using a galactomyces ferment filtrate toner with the cult 7 Skin Method. The latest Korean skincare trend that everyone is talking about, the 7 Skin Method involves layering an essence up to seven times, letting each layer absorb for three minutes in between. This indulgent process allows the actives to infuse and deeply hydrate skin. It is a low-cost, effective and highly relaxing regimen, which leaves your face looking glowy and moisturised instantly!

Afraid of overdoing it? Simply customise the routine to fewer layers as soon as your skin looks adequately hydrated, and even feel free to skip the rest of your skincare steps. Conversely, if you’re feeling as parched as a septuagenarian sunbather, try mixing things up with four layers of Youth Therapy Concentrated Essence, followed by two of our ultra lightweight Timeless Youth Elixir for bouncy, mochi-esque skin! Then, apply moisturiser and sunscreen.

See? Easy, breezy, beautiful clear skin. After all, who knew that fermented yeast can really unlock the key to flawless skin?