The gut-skin health connection may feel like common knowledge now, but when board-certified New York gastroenterologist Dr. Roshini Raj first developed TULA 10 years ago with probiotics at its core, she was way ahead of her time. While a lot of skin-care brands latch onto whatever the newest trending ingredient is, TULA has stayed tied to the science and efficacy of probiotic extracts, pairing them with other heavily researched ingredients like vitamin C.
TULA is the Sanskrit word for balance, and that’s just what the products help us do for our skin. “When we started, we literally were the only brand talking about it. Now, there is a skin microbiome conference like every month. It has become established, and there is so much real research, and everyone’s recognizing it,” says Dr. Raj. “To me, that’s exciting.”
Dr. Raj has always felt strongly about meeting people where they’re at in their skin-care journey—even if that means they don’t have one yet. “You have real life. You have real commitments. We don’t always have our perfect clothes on or perfect makeup done, but just in our real, nitty-gritty life, TULA can give you a five-minute break or a sensorial experience when you’re using moisturizer that makes you feel good,” she says. “I think those little moments really can help boost confidence and mental health,” and, of course, skin health.
TULA 10 Year birthday sale
From September 10 through September 17, TULA is taking $10 off full sizes of their best-selling products, including The Cult Cleanser ($34), all Eye Balms ($38-$44), 24-7 Moisturizer ($58) and Filter Primer ($38). So, it’s the perfect time to stock up. No code is needed—the savings will be applied at checkout on eligible items.
As another part of the celebration, TULA’s Moisture Hydrating Day & Night Cream got a glow-up for her 10th birthday with limited edition chrome packaging. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, TULA got a fresh look across the board, adding some fun, fresh colors and packing into the mix.
TULA loves sensitive skin
One of the reasons Tula is so widely beloved is that while it has powerful active ingredients—it’s never irritating. This is, in part, because the probiotic extracts in the formulas help strengthen the skin barrier so it stays plump and full of moisture, explains Dr. Raj. “Probiotic extracts also have a very calming, soothing effect on the skin. So it’s great for redness, hyperpigmentation and angry skin.”
The gut-skin-mind axis
The gut-skin and skin-mind correlations are often discussed, but rarely are they acknowledged as a triangle. “We now know that the mind or mood can affect our skin,” says Dr. Raj, noting that too we often wake up after an extra stressful day with a new breakout. “But I think there’s also this sort of three-way conversation between the gut and the mind, and then the mind and the skin.”
Dr. Raj gives the example of the sensation of butterflies in our stomach as a sure sign the mind and stomach are connected. “But even beyond those, we know that some of the same health neurotransmitters that are produced in our brain are also produced in our neck, like serotonin, for example, and all of those things can actually affect your skin as well. So transmitters, hormones, all of that can lead to either angry skin or calmer skin,” she explains. “If you have a calm gut, it can help with mood, which then, in turn, helps your skin as well.”
