Microbiome Skincare: Your body’s invisible shield

Microbiome skincare is the latest trend in cosmetic science, but what is the Skin Microbiome. The skin microbiome is a complex ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms that reside on the surface of your skin, acting as an invisible shield. This diverse microbial community plays a crucial role in maintaining your skin’s health by protecting it from harmful pathogens, regulating the immune system, and preserving skin moisture. A well-balanced microbiome helps prevent common skin issues like acne, eczema and premature ageing.

The Critical Role of the Skin Microbiome and Microbiota-Friendly Skincare

As Lisa Franklin explains, “The skin microbiome is an intricate and crucial part of our overall health and Microbiota-Friendly Skincare plays a pivotal role in preserving and balancing this healthy body function” The skin microbiome is similar to the gut microbiome in its importance, influencing the immune system, skin appearance and overall wellbeing. By maintaining a harmonious balance between good bacteria and other microorganisms, the skin microbiome helps support skin health and provides a protective barrier against environmental threats. 

Skin Microbiome: Your Body’s Defence and Invisible Shield

Your skin microbiome plays a pivotal role in protecting your body from harmful pathogens by occupying space and using resources that potential invaders would need to thrive. It also helps regulate your immune system, teaching it to differentiate between harmful pathogens and harmless substances. This function of the microbiome is key to preventing inflammatory skin conditions and maintaining overall skin health.

How to Support Your Skin Microbiome

1. Prebiotic Skincare: Prebiotics provide the nutrients needed to support the beneficial bacteria on your skin. Prebiotic-rich skincare products often contain plant-based sugars and oils that nourish your skin’s microbial community, promoting a healthier, stronger skin barrier.

2. Probiotics in Skincare: Probiotic skincare introduces beneficial live bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to the skin. These help reduce inflammation and calm the skin. Due to the presence of preservatives in most skincare products, live probiotics are not always feasible, but probiotic by-products can offer similar benefits.

3. Postbiotics: Postbiotics are the beneficial by-products produced by probiotics, including enzymes, peptides, and short-chain fatty acids. These compounds enhance skin texture, balance the pH, and strengthen the skin’s protective barrier.

4. Lifestyle and Diet: Beyond topical skincare, lifestyle choices like maintaining a healthy diet, staying hydrated, and managing stress can greatly impact the balance of your skin’s microbiome. Using gentle skincare products that avoid harsh chemicals is also essential to preserving the delicate balance of microorganisms on your skin.

FUNCTIONS OF THE SKIN MICROBIOME

Protection against Pathogens

The skin microbiome acts as your body’s first line of defence against harmful pathogens by occupying available space and utilising resources, effectively crowding out potential invaders. This microbial barrier is essential for preventing infections and maintaining skin health.

Regulation of the Immune System

Your skin microbiome also regulates the immune system by teaching immune cells to distinguish between harmful and harmless substances. A balanced microbiome helps prevent the immune system from overreacting, which can cause inflammation and other skin conditions.

Skin Health and Nutrient Production

The skin microbiome contributes to overall skin health by maintaining the pH balance, producing antimicrobial substances, and assisting in wound healing. Certain bacteria within the microbiome can also produce vitamins and other nutrients beneficial to skin health, aiding in hydration and resilience.

Microbiome Skincare and Treatments

Biome-Balancing Cream

Products like Lisa Franklin’s Prebiotic-rich Biome-Balancing Cream are designed to support the skin’s natural microbiome by creating an environment that allows beneficial microorganisms to thrive. This cream helps restore balance and reinforces the skin’s defences, addressing sensitive skin conditions caused by microbiome imbalances.

When the skins beneficial micro-organisms become imbalanced sensitive skin conditions occur as a result and this can occur for many different reasons from hormone imbalances due to the menopause through to environmental changes. By providing biostimulation of the skins natural defences and beneficial microbial flora the Biome Balancing Cream offers gentle protective conditions for microbiota to thrive and help to improve sensitive skin concerns. To further enhance and enrich its biome balancing benefits we have included some complementary extracts and peptides.

BYONIK® Pulse Triggered Laser 

This advanced facial treatment adapts its frequency to individually provide a calming and reparative effect to reduce inflammation, as well as anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-candida benefits, working to support and normalise the skin’s microbiome often disrupted by UV light, changes in the environment and pollution.

This unrivalled method incorporates award-winning patented technology as a skin regenerative solution to ‘biohack’ the skin cells, to stabilise barrier function and to boost cellular mitochondria, immunity and resilience restoring cellular energy delivering an immediate biolifting effect, whilst simultaneously targeting the ageing process.