Make your skin as fresh as a styrofoam tub of fermented beans!

Many people are not too crazy about the fermented soy beans known as “natto” in Japan, what with their aged-cheese-like smell. For me, however, it’s the texture that makes me want to gag every time, with a fibrous sliminess similar to okra or yamaimo, and an overall mouthfeel of regurgitated beetles.

Image: SoraNews24

And yet despite the revulsion that feeling creates in my mouth, I could see that very same texture working very well as a lotion or soap. So a new line of soaps made with natto-derived ingredients and aptly named Natto, makes a lot of sense.

Of course, none of these products will leave you smelling like natto because the chemicals responsible for that notorious scent are not included in Natto. Instead the products are all based on polyglutamic acid, which is the substance responsible for natto’s stringy goo.

▼ Natto Face Soap

Natto also includes “natto gum,” a substance which also goes by the name “shokubutsusei collagen” or “vegetable collagen”. Vegetables don’t actually contain collagen and neither does natto, but natto gum is given that nickname because its effect on moisturizing skin is said to rival that of actual collagen.

There’s a bunch of other good stuff in Natto as well, such as fermented soy milk liquid, hyaluronic acid, and even the extract of natto’s gooey cousin okra. It comes in four forms: Natto Face Soap, Natto Body Lotion, Natto Face Lotion, and Natto Gel.

▼ Natto Gel

In addition to the smell, these items differ from real natto in that they do not leave a sticky feeling and penetrate deep into the skin for effective moisturization. The Natto line is made by Suzuki Herb Laboratory in Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, which is famous in Japan as a leading producer of natto and takes great pride in it. The products were developed a few years ago and mostly sold locally or through the Suzuki Herb Laboratory website.

▼ Suzuki Herb Laboratory

But for one day only they will also be sold at the Ibaraki Sense store in the Ginza area of Chuo, Tokyo on 17 July. It’s surprising they didn’t choose the previous Sunday of 10 July, which is frequently referred to as Natto Day because the numbers “7” and “10” together can kind of be read as “na-to.”

It seems that even the most sacred day of natto can’t beat the foot traffic of a long weekend, but don’t let that stop you from slathering on some of the amazingly healthy effects of natto on your skin. Even though you’ll never catch me eating it, I’m more than willing to give it a try on these sunburns I’ve been nursing.

Source: PR Times 
Images: PR Times (Unless otherise noted)
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