Cosmetics of the Living is Feï’s approach, which sees the skin as an ecosystem: a protective barrier, cells and micro-organisms that interact with one another. It invites you to choose skincare gestures with this whole in mind — to cleanse the skin, nourish it and support its comfort day after day.
A change of perspective that begins with a simple question: what does our skin really need?
Skin, an ecosystem to understand
The surface of the skin is naturally home to bacteria, fungi and other micro-organisms. Together they make up the skin microbiota. The word microbiome is often used in a broader sense, to describe these communities, their genes and their environment.
This microbial presence is part of the skin’s normal life. The relationships between micro-organisms and skin cells contribute to the way it works. Experimental studies have shown, in particular, that some skin bacteria can play a part in producing lipids that are useful to its protective barrier. These observations shed light on skin biology; on their own, they do not demonstrate the efficacy of a cosmetic product.
No two people share an identical microbiota. The face, the hands and the scalp offer different environments. Caring for the living also means taking this diversity into account, along with the way each skin reacts.
Why does the skin barrier matter so much?
The outermost layer of the epidermis forms a barrier that limits water loss and exchanges with the environment. It is often compared to a wall: the cells are the bricks, and the lipids that surround them the mortar.
This helps explain why skin can be both shiny and uncomfortable. The presence of sebum does not, on its own, guarantee sufficient hydration. Likewise, a feeling of tightness after cleansing does not mean the skin is any cleaner.
A suitable routine is therefore also judged by simple observations: comfort after rinsing, suppleness throughout the day and how well the products used are tolerated.
Does “of the Living” mean the products contain live bacteria?
Not necessarily. At Feï, Cosmetics of the Living expresses a philosophy of formulation and care. It should not be understood as a certification, nor as a claim that every formula contains live micro-organisms.
In particular, a Lactobacillus ferment named in a list of ingredients is not, on its own, enough to conclude that live bacteria are present. The vocabulary of the microbiome calls for this clarification: an ingredient derived from fermentation and a live probiotic are not interchangeable.
Nor are naturalness, texture or the number of ingredients enough to predict how well a formula will be tolerated. What counts is the product as a whole, and the way the skin responds.
How Feï puts this approach into three rituals
L’Essentiel: starting with cleansing
L’Essentiel — Purification Ritual is a 4-in-1 cleansing powder for the face, body, hands and hair. It is emulsified with a few drops of water before being applied, then rinsed off. The format offers a gesture that is both simple and sensorial: work up the lather in your hand, massage without pressing and rinse. The powder is kept dry, with the bottle tightly closed. It is not used as a dry scrub.
L’Élixir: caring for the skin after cleansing
L’Élixir — Vitality Ritual is Feï’s biomimetic microbiotic serum. Its formula notably combines squalane, plant oils, a vitamin C derivative and a Lactobacillus ferment.
L’Origine: the nutritional side of the ritual
L’Origine — In & Out Ritual is a food supplement combining microbiotic strains, fibres and vitamins C and B2. It forms the nutritional part of the Feï method, distinct from the products applied to the skin.