Mother Dirt By AOBiome
The founders of Mother Dirt were concerned that kids’ and adults’ skin was becoming too clean. Beyond clean, skin was now sterile to the point it could not fight off irritants and germs.
While the world lauds any new product capable of getting rid of the very last bacteria on skin, in the mouth, and inside the body, these innovative thinkers believe being “too clean” actually makes the problem of maintaining good health a harder one to tackle.
Clean Generation
Old-world thinkers believe kids should eat a little dirt daily. They do not mean for their grandchildren to consume radioactive waste or pathogens, but their philosophy is that it’s okay not to clean with bleach every day and that a little food off the carpet into a toddler’s mouth helps her build immunity.
The newest generation of parents is also adopting this philosophy as they watch kids born ten years ago wrestle with all kinds of immunity issues and hear of hospitals dealing with outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Mother Dirt was born from the notion that a little dirt, far from hurting anyone, is actually good. They simply separate the good bugs from the bad.
Mother Dirt by AOBiome
Mother Dirt was launched in 2013 and adopted a researcher partner: AOBiome. The team at AOBiome supports Mother Dirt’s efforts to investigate healthy skin and skin bacteria.
Their premise is that this organ requires an abundance of good bacteria to fight bad bugs the same way a healthy gut needs good bacteria for proper digestion. AOBiome’s name comes from AOB or Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria. Clearly these aren’t the same bugs found in one’s gastric system.
Products at Mother Dirt
The first product out the door at Mother Dirt, launched in June of 2014, was the Mist costing $49. Customers could not get enough and the company sold out faster than they could re-stock online shelves. They increased supply and added to their line of products with a cleanser and a shampoo.
The Shampoo plus the Face and Body Cleanser are not live products. They have been designed not to interfere with AOB, however, which makes them very different from the usual shampoo and cleanser. Without AOB, these are less expensive to make, so cost just $15 each.
Storing AOB
As a product containing live bacteria, AOBiome Mist can’t just sit in your car and it’s not meant to become overly warm. Either method of storage would kill the bacteria which is the reason you bought your bottle of mist in the first place.
Keep it in the fridge ideally and it will last 6 months. At room temperature, you can use AOBiome Mist for 4 weeks before bacteria can’t survive anymore. Many people use their bottles of mist in far less than 6 months but you will probably need more than 4 weeks to exhaust your supply.
The cleanser takes off makeup and sunscreen as well as regular daily dirt. Don’t expect the shampoo to act like a conditioner, but Mother Dirt says you could be surprised after a few weeks of using their hair product. Conditioner could become an unnecessary expense.