What if we could cultivate our own skincare at home? Or take one step further, and actually reconnect with the things that heal us? In a world where self-care has become synonymous with expensive products and twelve-step routines, a new approach is emerging that could transform our relationship with our skin.
Namita Bhatnagar is the founder of Co-culturing Rituals – Biosoothe and one of the 11 winners of the Redesign Everything Challenge. Her research project focuses on the potential of photosynthetic materials, with applications that exceed far beyond traditional skincare. Through her experiments, she collaborates with microorganisms to explore how photosynthesis can benefit human health and wellbeing, with the goal of revolutionising our healing processes. This innovative material research stems from the discovery that bacterial cellulose provides an optimal scaffold for growing microalgae. By combining these two elements, Namita has created a range of bio-composite materials known as Biosoothe, a photosynthetic wonder with significant potential in wound healing, skin repair, and skincare.
We met with Namita during the Redesign Everything Challenge Sprint to learn more about her project, her love for traditional medicine and her goals for the future.
Growing new materials with the help of living organisms. Photo: Co-culturing Rituals – Biosoothe.
Hi Namita, can you describe your project for us? How did the idea first come about?
I’ve always been very interested in home remedies and traditional healing methods. And when I was doing my Masters, I studied biodesign, where we learned how to work with living organisms to make design systems. I was quite intrigued with the idea of merging synthetic biology with ancient practices, and I really liked the materials I was working with. So, in a way it feels like the idea for Co-culturing Rituals found me, not the other way around.
Currently I am developing a bioreactor. It has three chambers. We allow bacterial cellulose to grow in one chamber and microalgae to grow in another. They then come together to make a material in the centre, which we call Biosoothe. This biocomposite is made of bacterial cellulose and algae, making it a living, breathing, photosynthetic material.
The cool bit is that it transmits oxygen directly onto your skin. Depending on the strain of algae, it could have different benefits. Some are good for undoing UV damage, others for preventing wrinkles. one of my hypotheses is that as a material it could also be good for skin repair. And, not just in skincare, but also for wounds.
“I was quite intrigued with the idea of merging synthetic biology with ancient practices.”
What is the problem you’re trying to address or redesign?
I think I’m trying to redesign our relationship with the things that heal us. Also, I’m looking into the the cosmeceutical industry at the moment, These days, you see an adoption of very elaborate skincare routines and a lot of times people don’t tend to pay a lot of attention to the mystery ingredients in products. There is a lot of information readily available online but there is also misinformation as well as information overload. There is a kind of hyper-consumerism attached to current trends .
With re-imagining self-care rituals, I am trying to shift the focus from convenience. I feel that making production processes visible can change behaviours of consumption. We can have a very interesting relationship with our products, and more so if they are living. So I don’t know what I’m redesigning exactly but I would say maybe it’s the ritual of self-care.
Biosoothe is made from microalgae and bacterial cellulose. Photo: Co-culturing Rituals – Biosoothe.
Can you tell us more about the material you’ve developed? What does it feel like?
Biosoothe is a soft film. I would say, texture-wise, it feels very similar to the sheet masks that you put on your face. Which is another thing that it could be a replacement for. It is also completely biodegradable. I’ve been tossing it in the soil of my houseplants and it completely disappears. It’s good for the plants, actually. I think my plants are thriving.
What is something surprising you’ve learned from the organisms YOU work with?
What I found really interesting was that they seem to have their own personalities. At this stage, I’m working with nine different strains of algae, and they each have their own personality. They have their own temperaments. They need very specific kinds of care. They like to eat very different things, and I think that’s quite cute, and learning about each one of them has been very sweet.
“At this stage, I’m working with nine different strains of algae, and they each have their own personality.”
Living cells under a microscope. Photo: Co-culturing Rituals – Biosoothe.
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR interest in traditional practices COMES FROM?
Growing up, I lived with my grandparents, and they were big on ayurveda and home remedies. So, if your stomach was hurting, you’d go to the backyard, and you would take the tulsi leaves out and you put it in your tea. You didn’t go to the corner shop to buy painkillers. And my parents are doctors, so it’s not like we didn’t have access or information about medicine. It was very much just about relying on things that you’ve grown, relying on things that are natural. I remember there was always an element of apothecary, and you would just always rely on your kitchen for the things that you needed.
So that was definitely quite a present, but invisible part of my life growing up. I didn’t give it much importance back then because it felt so natural and seamless. But then when I moved and I started living alone, I realised how much I missed it.
“I hope we can rethink skincare together. In a way where we can work towards more sustainable industry practices, or even try to grow our own remedies.”
Lastly, what is the message that you hope people will take away from this project?
I would say, just be mindful of what you’re putting in and on your body. And don’t overcomplicate your rituals. I think skin is a very beautiful and fairly resilient organ. I hope we can rethink skincare together. In a way where we can work towards more sustainable industry practices, or even try to grow our own remedies.
I would also like to add that, if anyone wants to reach out and help me on this journey, please do!
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This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Words by Dune Daffin, interview by Natasha Berting and Chieri Higa.
Portrait of Namita by Anisa Xhomaqi.
Biosoothe materials and processes on display. Photo: Co-culturing Rituals – Biosoothe.