Implications and Applications

Research & Concept¶

This final project is grounded in long-term practice with fermentation as a method for education, research, and product development.

The work explores kombucha-based fermentation as a living biofabrication system and investigates how vegetable-based pigments obtained through fermentation can be transformed into cosmetic and skin-contact materials.

Rather than presenting a finished cosmetic product, the project focuses on the research and development process of probiotic, biologically compatible, and skin-supportive cosmetic materials.

Background & Motivation¶

During previous work for a probiotic food brand, I experimented with coffee kombucha–based skin-nourishing masks and peelings.

In particular, a freeze-dried peeling developed from fermented coffee grounds remaining after kombucha production resulted in very successful outcomes.

However, these experiments lacked the conceptual, research-based, and biofabrication-oriented framework that this project now provides.

This final project offered the opportunity to transform intuitive practices into a systematic, experimental, and openly documented research process.

Research Question¶

This project is driven by a question that concerns all of us:

Is it possible for materials that come into contact with our skin to be produced through natural, living processes that are more compatible with our biological systems?

At its core, this research investigates how materials that nourish and support the skin can be derived from biological systems, nature, and the outcomes of fermentation processes.

Methodology & Process¶

The project consists of several key stages.

Stage 1 — Kombucha-based vegetable fermentation¶

Vegetables are fermented using kombucha culture as a starter.
This stage is based on fermentation methods previously tested and validated through successful results.

Stage 2 — Freeze-drying into pigment powders¶

The fermented materials are stabilized using freeze-drying and transformed into pigment powders.
This method has also been previously tested, observed, and proven effective.

Material Applications¶

The resulting pigments are combined with biopolymer carriers to develop experimental cosmetic material prototypes, including:

makeup powders
skin-contact patches
masks
film-based cosmetic materials

The goal is not to make medical or therapeutic claims, but to explore the potential of responsibly developed, biologically compatible cosmetic materials.

Expected Outcomes¶

The expected outcomes of this project include:

a natural pigment library derived from kombucha-fermented vegetables
probiotic cosmetic material prototypes
open recipes and documented processes to support future research

These outputs aim to serve as a starting point for both academic inquiry and further product development.

Future Research Directions¶

Future research questions include:

How can freeze-dried kombucha be integrated into skin-contact patches, masks, and films as an active biofabrication component?
How can these biological films interact with e-textile systems responsive to humidity, temperature, or pH?
How can kombucha-based fermentation be further developed as an independent biofabrication method?

Slide Show¶

References & Inspiration¶

Designing Interactions with Kombucha SCOBY – Fiona Bell et al.
Exploring Biofoam as a Material for Tangible Interaction – Eldy S. Lazaro Vasquez et al.
Light Tissue – Sofia Guridi
Fabricademy and Fab Academy alumni projects

Why, What, Who, When, Where?¶

Why
To rethink cosmetics as biologically compatible, living, and supportive systems.

What
Kombucha-based vegetable fermentation, freeze-dried pigments, and cosmetic material research.

Who
İpek Kuşcu.