When it comes to skincare science, the literature is evergrowing and the interest unparalleled.
New information is constantly coming to light that debunks what we thought we knew about the skin and how to look after it. Over the past few years, our team of scientists have found themselves intrigued by the living microorganisms that inhabit the outer layer of the skin.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and serves as the first layer of defense against external forces. On the surface of the skin sits an organic ecosystem made up of trillions of good bacteria that come together to keep our skin healthy. This ecosystem is called the skin microbiome.
You might associate the term bacteria with negative connotations, but let’s start by removing the misconception that all bacteria are bad. In fact, the majority of the human body is made of bacteria that allow us to be healthy.
Just like your fingerprints, your skin microbiome is unique to you. It is dictated by the country you live in, the degree of pollution you are exposed to, the skincare products you use on a daily basis, and the degree of UV rays you subject yourself to. Even your diet can impact your skin microbiome, which shouldn’t be a surprise as you must have heard of the correlation between eating certain foods and the impact they have on the appearance of the skin.
What does the skin microbiome do?
Fight infections
Control inflammation
Boost your immune system
Maintains the health of your skin
It is important to understand that the skin microbiome is made of living microorganisms that need to be looked after. When bad bacteria grows and outbalances good bacteria, it can lead to skin conditions like rosacea, acne, skin sensitivity, and others.
What is a balanced skin microbiome?
A balanced skin microbiome refers to when the bacteria on the skin are well divided up and no one bacteria is overpowering another. It may sound incredibly complex, but it’s truly a simple concept. Each bacteria has a role to play and should not step outside of its role and optimal volume. When some bacteria overpower others, you will see the physical signs by way of more texture, pigmentation, sensitivity, and other visible skin traits that you will spend far too long trying to decode.
You may run to find products to make the appearance of your skin smoother and supple, but if you don’t understand why you’re looking for certain skincare products, you’ll struggle in figuring out where to turn your attention.
An imbalanced skin microbiome can be easily targeted with the help of sound ingredients fused together to target your specific skin needs. In fact, it has been researched and found that the use of prebiotics and postbiotics can be incredibly effective in fostering a healthy skin microbiome.
You might wonder what prebiotics and postbiotics are.
You might even have heard the term probiotics thrown around by skincare companies or even dietitians.
At their core prebiotics are molecules that are food for nurturing good bacteria to grow, whereas postbiotics are the byproduct of fermented live bacteria (probiotics) or inactivated microorganisms. These ingredients supplement the skin microbiome and feed good bacteria within the skin to grow and nurture the skin, resulting in healthier skin.
If you want a skincare product that will supplement your skin with the prebiotics and postbiotics that your microbiome needs, check out our face mask for the supplementary boost you’ve been missing.
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Lexicon
Skin Microbiota: an organic ecosystem made up of trillions of good and bad bacteria that sit on the surface of your skin.
Skin Microbiome: refers to the collection of the genome from all the microorganisms that sit on the surface of your skin.
Bacteria: bacteria are single-cell organisms that live everywhere on earth, including on the surface of the skin.
Microorganisms: microscopic organisms that are found all around us and even inside our bodies. Also known as microbes, microorganisms include a massive range of organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
Prebiotic: Prebiotics act as food for the microorganisms on the skin and the rest of the body. Prebiotics help to allow good bacteria to grow and thrive.
Postbiotic: Postbiotics are the byproduct of fermented live bacteria (probiotics) or inactivated microorganisms.
Probiotic: Probiotics are living microorganisms that confer benefits to the host when applied to the body.
Reference list
Byrd, A.L., Belkaid, Y. and Segre, J.A. (2018). The human skin microbiome. Nature Reviews Microbiology, [online] 16(3), pp.143–155. doi:10.1038/nrmicro.2017.157.
Patel, R.M. and Denning, P.W. (2013). Therapeutic Use of Prebiotics, Probiotics, and Postbiotics to Prevent Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Clinics in Perinatology, [online] 40(1), pp.11–25. doi:10.1016/j.clp.2012.12.002.
Sfriso, R., Egert, M., Gempeler, M., Voegeli, R. and Campiche, R. (2020). Revealing the secret life of skin ‐ with the microbiome you never walk alone. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 42(2), pp.116–126. doi:10.1111/ics.12594.