Pleine Lune: The Cleanser That Truly Supports Your Microbiome

1. Cleansing Your Skin: An Essential Step

Beautiful skin is, first and foremost, healthy skin. Thanks to scientific progress, we now understand the crucial role the skin microbiome plays in this quest for healthy skin. Choosing a cleanser that respects and nurtures this microbiome is no longer something to take lightly — it starts with understanding how it works. More than ever, cleansing morning and night has become essential.

That is why we wanted to formulate, for you, not just a cleanser, but a treatment-cleanser. Beyond cleansing, it must preserve the balance and good health of our cutaneous flora. The whole team invested deeply in its creation, and today we are proud and delighted to present it to you. Before diving into its composition, let’s take a short detour to explain the microbiome.

2. Cleansing and the Microbiome: Two Close Allies

Our skin — that wonderful waterproof, protective mantle — would be nothing without this battalion of billions of microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi, mites and parasites). Invisible to the naked eye, they live on the skin at all times and play a crucial role in defending it against constant external aggressors.

The microbiome, often also called the skin flora, is unique to each person. More than 1,000 bacterial species — not to mention viruses, yeasts and mites — have been identified in the human microbiome. The number of microorganisms increases with age. Bacteria, which make up around 90% of the microbiome and include more than 1,000 species, can reach up to one thousand billion. Beneficial "commensal" bacteria protect us and coexist permanently with pathogenic bacteria.

However, many factors influence the composition of the microbiome and constantly disturb its balance. This can allow pathogenic bacteria to take over. Indeed, an imbalance in bacterial composition (dysbiosis) triggers skin inflammation, which can lead to imperfections and potentially other skin conditions.

The microbiome is therefore complex, fragile, and exposed throughout the day to multiple aggressors. Protecting and nourishing it as much as possible is the first step toward healthy skin.

Every day and every night, cellular debris from dead skin cells (we shed more than one million skin cells per day), excess sebum, pollution, and more accumulate on the surface and clog pores. A cleanser’s role is to remove all these impurities. And our evolving understanding of the microbiome now takes us beyond cleansing alone: it requires paying close attention to the quality and composition of the cleanser.

It is also important to know that a cleanser does not replace a makeup remover. Only an oil-based makeup remover can completely dissolve makeup. And only a cleanser can remove the traces of that cleansing oil as well as impurities like pollution and dead skin cells. This is the principle of double cleansing: it ensures both thorough makeup removal and a perfectly balanced cleanse, leaving the skin healthy and ready to absorb day or night skincare.

3. A Hydrating, Remineralizing and Rebalancing Cleanser

Now we are ready to introduce "Pleine Lune", our cleansing powder. Why this name? Why a powder? And what are its actives and benefits?

By now, you know how deeply efficacy and sensoriality are part of our brand's DNA. We wanted this cleanser — the very first step of the beauty ritual — to feel like a gentle, delicious opening, whether for your night or your morning routine.

We loved brainstorming its name as a team. "Pleine Lune" (literally "Full Moon") gradually became the obvious choice: what could better express the softness and purity this product brings than the beautiful image of a full moon?

As for the texture, choosing a powder format was important to us to contribute, as much as possible, to water preservation and to limiting the energy costs linked to transportation. We also wanted it to be an easy-to-carry, travel-friendly product. After all, cleansing remains an essential twice-daily step.

Let’s now talk about the actives in our cleansing powder "Pleine Lune". Like all our products, it is built around a singular synergy of three precious skin actives.

A. Scallop Shell Powder: A Remineralizing Active

Yes — this may be the first time you hold scallop shell powder in your hands. It is even upcycled scallop shell powder sourced from beautiful Brittany, France. Shells that can no longer be consumed because they are chipped or broken are collected, cleaned and transformed into powder.

This powder is highly remineralizing for the skin, with a high content of calcium, magnesium and trace elements such as copper and zinc, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. It is therefore a precious ally for the health of the hydrolipidic film.

B. Chitosan

Chitosan is a natural active derived from crustacean shells (crabs, shrimp, etc.). It has an exceptional ability to maintain hydration by capturing and retaining water within different layers of the skin. It also has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, essential for keeping skin healthy.

C. The Pre & Probiotic Complex

A quick reminder, even if these terms are now widely used: a prebiotic is a substance that supports the growth of beneficial bacteria over harmful bacteria. A probiotic is a living microorganism (bacteria or yeast) that acts against harmful microorganisms. Prebiotics and probiotics therefore work in symbiosis: prebiotics feed and support probiotics by providing the nutrients they need to deliver their benefits.

It was therefore only natural for us to choose this symbiotic combination of pre & probiotics as a key active in our cleanser, combining plant-derived prebiotic substrates and probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacilli. Beyond its nourishing action, it helps reveal radiance by stimulating the skin’s natural defenses.