It’s hard to miss: from multi-step skin routines to collagen smoothies, skin health is a hot topic.

Of course, salon pros already know that healthy skin is fundamental—a healthy scalp means beautiful hair. “A clean scalp is so important for your cells to regenerate and promote a good foundation for healthy hair,” confirms Sierra Kener, stylist at LA’s super-hip Nine Zero One salon and Biotera spokesperson.

Now clients are catching up. They’re starting to realize that their scalps need the same kind of TLC that they give the rest of their skin: “Clients are definitely asking for scalp-friendly solutions,” Sierra says. “Especially after a dry hot summer!”

Enter Biotera, a classic favorite with an all-new mission: salon icon Biotera, whose products you’ve been loving for years, has relaunched with a new scientist-certified line that’s all about keeping the scalp microbiome balanced.

“Scalp microbiome”—that’s a fancy term we’ve been hearing more and more in salon circles. Basically, the scalp microbiome is the invisible team of friendly microbes that keeps the scalp operating at its top potential.

Stylists are looking for products which support microbiome health because they want to help hair grow strong and glossy right from the root. “The health of the hair starts at the scalp,” says Sierra, “so being able to target the scalp with Biotera directly results in the clients having longer-lasting results of healthy hair!”

The Beautiful Science of Healthy Hair

Let’s get a little deeper into the science here. What exactly is a microbiome? We turned to Dr. Kristin Neumann, PhD, biologist and founder of MyMicrobiome for some insights.

“The microbiome is the ecological community of all living microorganisms that share our body space,” Dr. Neumann explains. “It’s one of the most complex ecosystems in the world.” Think of it kind of like the rainforest—a self-sustaining little world of checks and balances—except in your body.

In the salon, we care most about the scalp microbiome: the tiny world of microbes in our scalp that keep the hair cycle rolling merrily along, so new, healthy hair replaces the old right on schedule.

Lots of products throw the scalp off-balance, kicking out helpful microbes and leaving the scalp unable to regulate itself. Scientists want to get consumers away from the habit of blasting their scalps with the harshest cleansers available: “This is kind of a paradigm shift,” says Dr. Neumann. “What we want from the scalp microbiome is resilience. This is only achieved by using no products at all (which might disturb the balance just as much) or with products that respect the scalp environment.”

Biotera developed their new products with the help of top scientists and shared their results with Dr. Neumann and her team of microbiome-savvy experts for evaluation. “Their scientists did a really good job!” reports Dr. Neumann. “It’s really difficult to find even a few microbiome-friendly shampoos and conditioners—and Biotera came up with a vast collection of products that were passing our tests.”

Biotera certified products got the official stamp of approval: a Microbiome-Friendly Seal. That means consumers can trust that these products were rigorously tested and approved by expert microbiome scientists 

And it’s not just the microbiome pros who are raving. According to Penny James, board-certified trichologist, “The new Biotera formulas, enhanced with coconut oil, help to maintain a healthy scalp and leave hair feeling nourished and moisturized.” Trichology is the science of scalp care: that makes Penny an honest-to-goodness scalp expert—so when she gives the thumbs-up to a product, that’s a big deal.

Biotera products are made with pre- and postbiotic blends, plus signature beauty-boosting botanicals: all in all, this means they’re bringing the lab to the salon in a beautiful way.

Lasting Results Stylists Can Feel Good About

It all makes practical sense in the salon. “Biotera has helped me consider each client’s scalp microbiome,” says Sierra Kener.

In her experience, Biotera has what hair needs—and nothing hair doesn’t. “Biotera doesn’t weigh the hair down,” Sierra observes, “but at the same time it is still very moisturized and healthy.” She points out that Biotera collections are free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oils and dyes.

Biotera’s scalp-friendly products reflect an ethos we’re seeing more and more, that the work we do with clients in the salon doesn’t stop when they walk out the door: “Biotera has been helping keep my clients’ color vibrant,” says Sierra. “I’m achieving that ‘after the salon’ look weeks after their visit.”

That’s definitely one of the standout accomplishments of Biotera’s new line: in particular, Biotera Ultra Color Care, a color-targeted set of shampoo and conditioner, prolongs the vibrancy of color-treated hair up to 89%. You can thank its lab-backed formula—a blend of prebiotics and postbiotics, along with orchid extract—for that kind of color-preserving power.

Sierra feels like Biotera represents her own attitude as a stylist at one of young LA’s most in-demand salons: “Biotera has been allowing me to provide an elevated service,” she says. “As professionals we want our client to have the best results, not just when they leave the salon but at home and day-to-day.”

When we asked her what she’d like to tell other stylists about Biotera, Sierra had no doubts about it: “Biotera is vegan and PETA approved!” Biotera’s cruelty-free ingredients list and production methods mean that Sierra can maintain her ethos while achieving top-level results.

Check out Biotera’s science-backed microbiome-friendly haircare on Amazon.