Why We Made This: Rescue Tonic

New product development at MARIE VERONIQUE starts with formulations which address several fronts simultaneously: in addition to solving the problem at hand, the solution should correlate with at least one of the twelve hallmarks of aging. This is relatively easy to do since the major aging marker, chronic inflammation, lies at the heart of most skin conditions, whether age-related or not.

RESCUE TONIC is a good example of Marie Veronique’s rationale– Rescue Tonic’s focus is on microbial dysbiosis, an aging marker with a strong link to skin disorders originating from inflammation. These inflammatory conditions, all going under the umbrella of troubled skin, run the gamut from acne breakouts, adult or adolescent, acute or recurring, redness, especially chronic as happens with second stage rosacea, and rashes due to dermatitis, including perioral dermatitis. Problems also arise with overuse of aggressive topicals, or suppressive antibiotic and antimicrobial treatments, which sometimes use steroids. Estheticians encounter such problems regularly in their practices, with clients frequently coming to them as their last resort, after they’ve exhausted all the conventional treatment options available to them. Ironically, these invasive treatments all too often mark the beginning of their problems.

Conventional Treatments

Conventional treatments for breakouts and dermatitis, such as antibiotics, benzoyl peroxide, and alpha or beta hydroxy acids can be effective in the short term, but frequently there’s a downside in terms of side effects. Aggressive approaches can disrupt the skin’s microbiome, leading to barrier dysfunction which in turn creates increased levels of dryness, irritation, and inflammation. Certain antimicrobials like benzoyl peroxide can create vicious cycles of flare-ups followed by periods of remission, with each recurrence of the acne being worse than the last. These repetitive on-again off-again cycles result in microbial imbalance, or dysbiosis, which undermines long-term skin health.

The thinking behind Rescue Tonic is quite novel, even revolutionary. Rather than seeking to simply suppress symptoms we investigated the source–it was essential to know the causes behind the symptoms. Once microbial dysbiosis had been identified as the source, then it was a small step to seeing that the solution lay in changing the microbiome landscape. Short term relief may result from suppression of symptoms, but long term relief, the outcome desired by all, requires going from a state of dysbiosis to a state of homeostasis. Once the balance has been reset the symptoms are much less likely to recur. 

Microbial Dysbiosis

The common denominator of the skin problems described above is microbial dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is a state of imbalance in the composition and function of the skin microbiome. The skin microbiome is a diverse community of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that live on and in the skin. The commensal microbes play a crucial role in maintaining skin health by protecting against pathogens, supporting immune function, and contributing to barrier function.  

The problems begin when the microbial composition of the microbiome is disrupted, for example by an invasion of Staphylococcus aureus, a common pathogen. In a balanced microbiome, the pathogen would be kept in check by its cousin Staphylococcus epidermidis, a commensal bacterium found in every healthy skin microbiome. S epidermidis employs AMPs (antimicrobial peptides) to zap invaders. But in a microbiome depleted of sufficient commensals, S aureus can take over, and it is one of the worst of the invaders. Why is this? Because it has the power to create biofilms.  

Biofilms

Biofilms are protective shields formed by pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. These biofilms have a number of strategies that protect the pathogens from warrior-treatments sent to eliminate them. They can hide in their protective bubbles, and they can even send out scouts to see when the coast is clear after an antibiotic treatment has run its course. This is why acne, dermatitis, and chronic inflammation often return following a cessation of symptoms, and the problem appears to have been resolved. The clever microbes haven’t been eliminated; they’ve gone into hiding.

Many conventional products attempt to eliminate bacteria broadly, which is also very disruptive to microbial balance. The short term solution can create long term problems. The microbiome may be slow to recover functionality because beneficial microbes are slower to return than their more opportunistic neighbors, especially the biofilm formers.  

Rescue Tonic works better in the short term because it breaks down biofilms to eliminate pathogens completely. It works better in the long term because it does so without harming essential skin flora, thus accelerating the restoration of a healthy, resilient microbiome.

Introducing Rescue Tonic

Rescue Tonic is a temporary recovery-phase treatment designed to resolve skin symptoms associated with microbial dysbiosis.  

It disrupts biofilms, thus eliminating biofilm-forming pathogens long-term. Once a healthier terrain is created, with beneficial microbes predominating, you can transition back to your daily maintenance products such as Balancing HypoTonic or Pre + Probiotic Daily Mist.

Key Benefits + Ingredients

Biofilm Inhibitors

• Xylitol: Prevents the formation of biofilms
• Manuka + Neem Oils: Disrupt existing biofilms and reduce pathogenic load

Microbiome Support

• Streptococcus Thermophilus: Postbiotics help balance the microbial community on the skin by:
  • Inhibiting harmful bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus.
  • Promoting beneficial microbes like Staphylococcus epidermidis.
  • Postbiotics (e.g., lactic acid, peptides, SCFAs) help strengthen the skin’s natural barrier by promoting ceramide production, balancing skin pH, and enhancing hydration by supporting natural moisturizing factors (NMFs).
• Milk peptides: Hydrate and fortify barrier function

Antioxidant + Anti-inflammatory Support

• Silymarin Phytosomes: reduce oxidative stress, help reduce pore congestion

Moisture & pH Optimization

• Maintains an ideal environment for healthy microbial balance

Example regimens of how to best incorporate Rescue Tonic:

• Acne: Treatment Cleanser → Rescue Tonic → Treatment Serum/Gentle Retinol Night Serum → Treatment Oil + ColorFree Zinc Sunscreen
• Dermatitis/Rosacea: Pure + E.O. Free Oil Cleanser → Rescue Tonic → Barrier Restore, Soothing B3 Serum, Multi-Retinol Night Emulsion → Barrier Lipid Complex → ColorFree Zinc Sunscreen
  

Additional Tips: 

• Use it in place of Balancing HypoTonic or Pre + Probiotic Daily Mist during flare-ups
• Apply after cleansing, before serums or oils
• Switch back to Balancing HypoTonic after 2–3 months of stable skin
• If symptoms return, reintroduce Rescue Tonic as needed

Conclusion

We made Rescue Tonic at the request of people suffering from dermatitis-type symptoms that kept returning, no matter what they did. In fact, the more they tried, the worse things got. By targeting the cause rather than suppressing the symptoms we broke the vicious cycle of flare-ups followed by temporary relief followed by even worse flare-ups, and in addition dispensed with the compounding of symptoms that can accompany microbiome dysfunction.

Rescue Tonic solves problems associated with microbial dysbiosis in ways that are novel, innovative and effective. Breaking down biofilms rather than conducting random slaughter on pathogens and innocents alike is an elegant solution that is win-win–the beneficial microbes win because they are left to thrive, while people who experience relief after years of disappointment are the even bigger winners. 

Shop RESCUE TONIC at the link below.

Any topic discussed in this article is not intended as medical advice. If you have a medical concern, please check with your doctor.