The Victory Serums Pathway Will Change You!

The human microbiome represents the new frontier of medicine. It is a collection of hundreds of trillions of bacterial, viral, fungal and other living cells that exist symbiotically with human cells. The microbiome influences nearly every aspect of human physiology and even gene expression. A quick search of any disease or medical condition with the word ‘microbiome’ beside it, will nearly always show a study is being done linking it to microbiome health. We know that if the microbiome is disrupted or becomes unbalanced, we see disease and loss of health and vitality. The scalp has its own unique microbiome that needs to be nurtured. By nurturing the scalp microbiome, we rebalance the natural habitat, correct imbalances and restore the natural function of the skin.

I met Matt a few years ago on his quest to cure his own long standing dandruff issue. As a compounding pharmacist and skincare formulator with a special interest in skin microbiome health, I helped him develop a range of products for him to use on his scalp. I have been treating, acne, dermatitis, eczema and rosacea for a long time with exceptional and published results. I still use and dispense medications to treat skin conditions, but the primary focus is put on correcting the underlying imbalances in human and microbiome physiology first.

Matt’s scalp products were designed to restore a natural pH of the scalp, feed the microbiome and keeping out ingredients that could disrupt a healthy microbiome such as high levels of preservation. This was in direct contrast to other dandruff products which he had used that were focussed on ‘killing’ microbes and designed around principles of excessive preservation for long term warehousing. They also had an industry standard focus on the appearance and smell of the product. I should mention that the initial products we formulated for Matt were far from an ugly, smelly poultice – but focus was put on efficacy rather than elegance.

Needless to say, Matt had a very positive response to his microbiome-based dandruff therapy and documented all his results. You will read about this and his journey through the book.

It excites me being a part of Matt’s journey and his passion for sharing this with the world. His final products are disruptive to the way we – as health practitioners - currently look at scalp care and dandruff control. They are essentially non medicated and focus on harnessing the power of the microbiome to improve scalp health.

I congratulate Matt on pioneering and championing what is essentially a new therapy in dandruff control. I am sure his work will change the lives of many suffering from dandruff and scalp conditions.

I first met Matt at an eCommerce conference where he presented the launch of Victory Serums - a brand built not around hype, but around solving a real problem that he’d lived with for decades. What stood out that day wasn’t just his product - it was the way he spoke: calm, confident, and deeply committed to learning, improving, and finding better answers. He wasn’t there to sell. He was there to share a solution.

I introduced myself after the session, and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. At first, it was founder to founder. But over time, we discovered a deeper connection - we’d both come from Defence. I shared my work running a local veterans’ group, and when I later began the Veterans Catch-Up podcast through Historic Military Interviews, Matt was the very first guest I invited on.

That conversation went far beyond skincare. We walked through his journey - from starting out as a Radio Technologist Apprentice in the Royal Australian Air Force and later being deployed overseas in active service role, to making his first big career shift into civil aviation. Matt spent over fifteen years in Dubai working as a Flight Simulation Engineer with Emirates Airline, before heading back to Australia, switching careers again into financial services as an Australian tax planner. Now, he is diving into something completely new with his ecommerce brand, Victory Serums. Along the way, he said something that stuck with me:
“Coming from a defence background, we support each other. It’s a brotherhood, a sisterhood - and when push comes to shove, these kinds of people are going to be there for you no matter what. And that’s really special.”

That mindset is woven through everything he’s created here.

What resonates most with me is that Victory Serums is more than just product. This is a structured, science-informed reset. Matt starts where few skincare brands dare to go: with gut health screening - helping you identify deeper underlying issues that no shampoo alone will ever fix. For anyone who’s tried everything and still struggles with chronic scalp or skin issues, this 12-week program offers clarity, tracking and real answers - not just another cycle of symptom management.

As the founder of Voortrekka Australia, I know the power of building something out of lived frustration. Just like we did - designing a better, organised way to camp - Matt’s built Victory Serums to solve a personal problem with practical, tested tools. No gimmicks. No fluff. Just real structure and long-term results.

If you’re holding this journal, you’ve already made the first move. Stick with it. You’ll learn more about your body in 12 weeks than you have in years - and that insight lasts well beyond the program.

Food is thy medicine. These are words to live by to keep the doctor at bay.

The modern-day diet has become overrun by the expectation for convenience and choice. Where our ancestors once grew their own food and used whole ingredients, we now have unlimited availability of products on the supermarket shelves to choose from, a large percentage of which are destroying our microbiome and gut health.

Knowing how and where our food is grown is key to our personal health and longevity. We need to connect with local growers and producers developing a connection to our food source. How is it grown? What sort of soil is it grown in? Is it genetically modified? Is it grown using regenerative practices? Is it chemical free?

These are all important questions we should ask about the food we are eating because ultimately these choices are shaping our long-term health. Microbiome and bacteria are not only important to humans but also to the soil in which our food is grown. Healthy soil = nutrient dense food.

Reading ingredient labels is also key to educating ourselves about what we are eating. If you don’t recognise an ingredient or it has a number forget it. Support local farmers and markets, buy whole ingredients from bulk foods stores and buy seasonal ingredients. Eating seasonally as our grandparents did is how nature intended unfortunately, we have become accustomed to having produce available at all times of the year due to chemicals promoting shelf life, transportation and cold storage facilities. Ultimately convenience has become detrimental to our overall health.

The connection of food to good health is key. We also need to recognise the importance of the environment we live in. What cleaning products do we use around the house, what products do we use for personal hygiene and skin care. Our skin absorbs a large amount of chemicals into our bodies destroying our micro biome. Just as we need to focus on good food choices it is as important to make considered choices within our home to reduce the risk of illness and long-term health conditions.

The foundation of Victory Serums is recognising what we are eating and how it is produced or grown may be the cause of a dry scalp. It is refreshing to see a skin care product using a holistic approach to finding the source of the problem rather than attempting to fix the problem with increased amounts of a pharmaceutical product.

I believe this reset will have a flow on effect through all facets of life increasing awareness of what our bodies are exposed to and the effect that has on our overall health. It will highlight the relationship we have with food and the long-term effects of what we eat has on our health.

Get back to basics. Strip it back. Eat good food. Eat seasonally. Use whole foods. Cook from scratch. Connect with your food and you will connect with your health.