Skin Microbiome 101

By: Alanna Tran, Founder, CEO, and Chief Scientist of BiotechBeauty®

Over the past few years, the term "microbiome" has been popping up more frequently among new skincare brands. But, the science behind this topic hasn't become mainstream yet.

Welcome to Microbiome 101—where we'll teach you what it is, why its health is important for your beauty goals, and how you can nurture it to achieve a balanced, healthy ecosystem on your skin.

Defining the Microbiome

The skin microbiome is a symbiotic community of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and yeast that live on the top layers of our skin. Everyone's skin microbiome is unique, as the types and levels of microorganisms present are influenced by a multitude of factors including:

Age
Diet
Hygiene practices
Gender
Climate
Environmental pollution

We know—it sounds gross to think about wanting to balance bacteria on our skin, but think about why we drink kombucha (besides that fact that it's such a delicious sweet treat).

We know that fermented foods such as kombucha contain probiotics that can increase our "good" gut bacteria, which can help decrease levels of "bad" bacteria, resulting in improved gut health.

Effects of the Microbiome

The same applies to our skin's microbiome. When this ecosystem exists in harmony, it:

Helps maintain our skin's health by sustaining a balanced pH
Releases compounds to prevent overgrowth of pathogenic microflora
Produces molecules (such as lipids) that fortify and nourish our moisture barrier
Acts as our skin's first line of defense in locking moisture in and keeping pollution and irritants out

Studies show that a balanced microbiome results in:

Less skin irritation
Reduced redness
Decreased oil production

On the other hand, imbalances in the microbiome can lead to several health issues, including:

Rosacea
Eczema
Atopic dermatitis
Psoriasis
And the condition that's plagued many of us since high school—acne

How can we Care for our Microbiome?

So, here's how to start caring for our little microbiome friends starting today:

Avoid using topical alcohols, harsh toners, exfoliants, or cleansers that strip away the natural oils from the skin.
- Look for mild cleansers that don't disrupt the skin barrier by gently removing dirt and grime.
Incorporate products that contain prebiotics and postbiotics.
- These ingredients can help restore and maintain the balance of our skin microbiome by feeding the healthy bacteria and providing them with a nice environment to live in.
Hydrate inside and out.
- Yes, we're probably not drinking enough water each day (go chug a glass right now), but we're mainly referring to topical moisturization.
- Squalane oil, the sustainably produced version of the body's naturally-occurring Squalene, is a hydration hero clinically proven to increase diversity within the microbiome.
- Add Squalane into the daily lineup through skincare or any of BiotechBeauty®'s makeup products.
Since makeup sits on our skin all day, make sure this is benefitting our microbiome with skincare-makeup hybrids!
- BiotechBeauty®'s microbiome-friendly moisturizer, multi-sticks, bronzers, and highlighters are great options to bring prebiotics, postbiotics, and barrier-repairing ingredients into our everyday makeup routines.