A healthy skin microbiome is bio diverse. When unbalanced, it cultivates a variety of complexion conditions ranging from acne to rosacea. Novel discoveries in the field of the human microbiome have ignited the development and marketing of personal care products that boost the climate of the skin microbiome to help keep the skin barrier healthy and hydrated. The beauty business isn’t a stranger to the microbiome. In fact, the first reference about microorganisms was way back in 1877 when French Chemist Louis Pasteur observed, “Microorganisms are necessary for a normal human life.”

In 2000, Nobel Prize winner Joshua Lederberg defined “microbiome” as “an ecological community of commensal, symbiotic and perhaps pathogenic microorganisms that inhabit the human body, determining health and disease.”

The beauty industry has taken notice. According to trend forecasting platform Spate, the term “skin barrier” has 24.1K average monthly searches, up 41.5% year on year based on US Google Search data that compared the last 12 months ending August 2021 vs the 12 months prior. The term “postbiotics” is on the rise with 2.6K average monthly seasons and soaring 96.8% in growth, according to Spate. This is noteworthy for marketers as the actual term “microbiome” had 126.1K average monthly searches but declined 8.6% and “skin microbiome” slipped 2.3% to 2K average monthly searches.

A Face Forward Approach

Consumers are facing the music when it comes to skin woes due to stress or climate. According to Rachel Rose-Mansfield, a scientist at P&G and spokesperson for the company’s new science-based skin care line Dermageek, Cleveland, OH,  “As we know, one of our skin’s many functions is to protect our bodies from outside threats and it can only do so when healthy. Repeated insults from the outside world can alter skin’s pH and damage the microbiome and moisture barrier over time, leaving it vulnerable to dryness, irritation or inflammation. Most dermatologists recommend a daily skin care regimen that includes gentle cleansing, protection and moisturization to keep your skin healthy. This will help maintain a stronger moisture barrier and keep your skin looking hydrated and healthy.”

Dermageek designed its pH balanced Gentle Facial Cleanser, Nourishing Facial Moisturizer with Sunscreen (SPF30) and Nourishing Facial Night Cream with these daily needs in mind. The Fortifying Serum with 3.5% Vitamins + Antioxidants also leaves skin feeling revitalized, while the antioxidants fight surface free radicals, said Rose-Mansfield.   

The skin’s microbiome impacts its overall health, appearance and feeling, observed Beth Ann Catalano, president and CEO, Ahava North America, New York. She told Happi, “An unbalanced microbiome weakens the skin’s barrier, resulting in moisture loss and increased penetration of environmental aggressors and allergens that can affect the skin’s sensitivity, dryness, as well as the development of skin disorders such as atopic dermatitis and eczema.” 

This month, Ahava rolled out its Pre + Probiotic Body Line. Enriched with a patented Synbiotic Complex, containing prebiotics and probiotics, the body line aims to nourish, hydrate and reinforce the skin barrier, while protecting against skin disorders. Probiotic skin care products work in the same way that probiotic food prevents and treats intestinal problems, according to Ahava. They deliver a topical dose of probiotics that helps skin balance its ecology. The new line includes a body lotion, hand cream and foot cream.

Both prebiotics and probiotics have their own role in balancing the skin’s microbiome and keeping it intact. The probiotics add good bacteria and are active dirt removers that clean the skin on a microscopic level, while the prebiotics stimulate the growth of existing good skin bacteria resulting in a stable and healthy microflora that maintains smooth and healthy skin, said Catalano.

“The topical application of these probiotic products can help rebuild and reinforce the skin’s barrier, promote its health and help it stay hydrated,” she explained.

According to Dr. Laura Marinelli, PhD, Baltimore, a microbiologist and scientific advisor for indie beauty brand Ellis Day Skin Science, to maintain a healthy and balanced microbiome, it is imperative to incorporate “skin-native” ingredients into the daily beauty regimen.

“The skin microbiome is a wild, complex phenomenon, but always seeking to maintain balance,” she told Happi. “The skin microbiome protects your skin from unfriendly organisms, helps manage your skin’s pH, and maintain your skin’s important barrier function from the outside world and its assaults like pollution, extreme temperatures and even the products you put on your skin.  The skin microbiome also produces skin nutrients and essential skin lipids. All of these things contribute to maintaining healthy skin.”

According to Marinelli, the skin microbiome may be impacted by the actual ingredients used in skin care or cosmetic products like fragrances, surfactants, parabens or alcohol.

“Since maintaining balance between all the microorganisms in your skin microbiome is important, we should aim to use skin care products with ingredients that are ‘resident’ or ‘native’ to your skin microbiome and that, therefore, help to support, maintain and nourish the balance among all the living microorganisms there,” she said.

Ellis Day Skin Science recently rolled out a Hydrating Phage Serum and Chill Face Spray—both boost the climate of the microbiome, according to Marinelli.

New Products
Anti-aging brand Vichy Laboratories is expanding its skin care portfolio with Minéral 89 Prebiotic Recovery & Defense Concentrate. Joining the Minéral 89 product collection, Vichy Minéral 89 Prebiotic is formulated to help fight visible signs of aging brought on by stress.

“Stress has a damaging effect on the skin barrier and the skin’s ability to repair itself, and it’s critical to find products that aid in restoring balance,” said Dr. Marisa Garshick, a dermatologist and consultant for the brand. “The powerhouse ingredients in the new Vichy Prebiotic Recovery & Defense Concentrate are clinically proven to help counteract the impact of stress and other exposome aggressors and noticeably improves the look and feel of skin.”

Dermatologist-tested and suitable for sensitive skin, Minéral 89 Prebiotic Recovery & Defense Concentrate delivers clinical results of 45% increased radiance, 28% improved texture and 23% reduction of fine lines in four weeks, leaving skin looking more youthful. The serum recovers healthy looking skin and defends against visible signs of stress, including dryness, dullness and fine lines.

According to Vichy, the serum is formulated with volcanic water, naturally sourced from French volcanoes and clinically proven to strengthen the skin’s natural defenses from exposome aggressors; 5% vitreoscilla ferment, a nutrient-rich component of non-living bacteria known to have skin barrier recovery properties; and 4% niacinamide and vitamin E, antioxidants known to help visibly even skin tone.

In fact, it’s all about balance. Indie brand Dermala’s new Oat So Sweet Daily Moisturizer is formulated with prebiotics and postbiotics to balance and restore the skin microbiome. With key ingredients such as colloidal oatmeal, niacinamide, licorice root extract, ceramides, avocado oil and green tea leaf extract, the product hydrates and plumps the skin without clogging pores.

According to the company, the patented SE Microbiome Complex and SE Sugar Complex are the true differentiators of this moisturizer. They provide naturally-occurring prebiotics and postbiotics that support a balanced microbiome by killing C. acnes, the acne-causing bacteria, while promoting the growth of S. epidermidis, the healthy, acne-fighting bacteria.

Bea’s Bayou’s new herbal and probiotic beauty collection treats the body from head to toe. This New Orleans-based company is owned by social-worker-turned-entrepreneur Arielle Brown. Her DIY product created for her own seborrheic dermatitis spawned her growing business.

“Probiotics have long been respected in gut health, but growing research and my experience with my own skin tells me that probiotics can also be a key in relieving severe scalp and skin problems. I tried diet changes, prescriptions and so many types of products until I decided to make something myself in frustration, thinking that there had to be something better,” she said.

Bea’s Bayou currently offers its Good Biome product line which consists of its bestselling Scalp Solution; water-based Flourish Scalp Oil featuring prebiotic radish root and follicle-stimulating oils and extracts; Face Solution, a lightweight natural serum; Toning Mist; and Get Glowing Mist—all with probiotic benefits.

Indie beauty brand Hero Cosmetics is targeting complicated complexions with Force Shield, a new skin care line sold at Target that balances the microbiome. The Force Shield skin care collection includes serum, mist and acne SPF. Clinically tested and non-irritating, the products are free of skin-drying alcohols and artificial colors.

BlueMercury’s 111Skin brand added a microbiome blemish mask for acne-prone consumers. According to the company, this gentle exfoliator clears and calms blemishes and imperfections. A pre- and postbiotic formula regulates bacteria within the skin’s natural microbiome for a fortified and balanced barrier. It is formulated with AHAs, postbiotic and prebiotic complex, rosemary hydrolat and colloidal silver.

BeautyStat is expanding with its first facial cleanser, Universal Microbiome Barrier Balancing Cleanser. According to the company, what makes this patent-pending cleanser stand out from traditional facial cleansing products is MicroSilver BG. Developed by German chemists for treating specific skin issues, MicroSilver BG is a unique and patented form of pure, medical-grade silver that offers powerful cleansing, as well as newly discovered anti-viral and anti-microbial properties to help, eliminate and defend against dirt, germs and stronger environmental aggressors. After rinsing, this pure silver powder, distributed via large micro-particles, remains on the surface of the skin where it is needed most. This invisible veil shields against unwanted dirt and germs while natural skin flora—aka the microbiome—is protected and balanced.


Stop Inflammaging

Since the start of the pandemic, consumers have been seeking ways to reduce inflammation to help combat the stress of a change of routine, lack of sleep and improper diet due to the munchies. One way to help the skin and improve the microbiome is to fight the signs of inflammaging with the new skin care line—AveSeena, a gender-inclusive skin care line for sensitive complexions. The product line is powered by a cocktail of phytonutrients that includes bakuchiol, vitamins, peptides, plant oils and botanicals.

“AveSeena is an ultra-powerful, ultra-gentle natural skin care solution specially formulated to combat signs of inflammaging from the skin’s surface to underneath,” said AveSeena’s Founder and CEO Dr. Ebru Karpuzoglu, Athens, GA. “AveSeena is for anyone experiencing signs of inflammaging, and this can mean a lot of things. Does your skin look tired, irritated and feel sensitive? Do you prefer dye- and fragrance-free? Are you exposed to a lot of stress? Is your skin blemish or inflammation-prone?”

AveSeena’s “Dermoimmuno” wellness technology works to visibly support all four pillars of the skin—the physical and chemical barrier, its microbiome and skin immune balance—that help calm signs of inflammaging triggered by stress and pollution.

Environmental pollution, toxins, stress, fatigue, sun damage, blue light, chemical irritants and lack of sleep are the culprits for this chronic micro inflammatory response, noted Karpuzoglu.

Inflammaging can accelerate signs of skin aging by virtually degrading collagen and elastin and inhibiting the innate ability to renew and repair leading to weaker and vulnerable first line of defense, Karpuzoglu added. Reversing or stopping inflammaging is possible.

“A healthy immune system is the foundation of glowing and beautiful skin,” explained Karpuzoglu. “However, if inflammaging is not controlled, it will continue causing more inflammation. It is a vicious cycle.”

AveSeena features six products: Gentle Gardenia Anti-Pollution Gel Cleanser, Honeyactive Beauty Mask, Green Caviar Facial Oil Elixir, Supreme Recontour Eye Concentrate, Ageless Perfection Cream and Micro Algae Immun-B3 Serum. All products are “clean certified,” dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-tested, synthetic fragrance- and dye-free, cruelty-free and immunologist formulated.

Can’t stomach breakouts or lackluster skin? There’s a real connection between gut health and skin health. The Nordic beauty experts at Lumene understand this and have created new formula innovations that address the skin’s microbiome and how to keep it all optimally balanced for healthy skin. Lumene is aiming to help balance functioning skin flora and break down the trio of “biotics” (pre-, pro- and postbiotics).

Users can harness the power of prebiotics to promote radiant, glowing skin with the new Lumene Nordic Hydra [Lähde] Moisturizing Prebiotic Oil-Cocktail from Lumene. This intensely moisturizing oil-cocktail is infused with Nordic bilberry seed oil to nourish skin; organic Nordic birch sap to moisturize and protect; Arctic spring water, which is pH friendly; and prebiotic Finnish oat xylitol, to complement skin’s moisture barrier and microbiome. Specifically designed for dry and dehydrated skin, the nurturing bi-phase formula hydrates the skin leaving it soft, supple and smooth, said the company.


Protect the Barrier

Norwex is a Norwegian cleaning and personal care brand with over a quarter-century legacy of natural products for the home. It expanded its popular Lysere line of personal care products with the prebiotic deodorant and moisture-rich body lotion.

The clean beauty and vegan deodorant is said to fight odor for up to 48 hours. Inulin and fructose are a prebiotic blend that promotes the growth of good bacteria already present on the skin, said the company. Additionally, Lysere’s prebiotic deodorant contains antioxidants including red algae, bilberry, lingonberry and sea buckthorn to help fight free radicals and maintain its natural pH balance. Certified organic ingredients, including aloe vera, tea tree leaf oil and cocoa butter, soften and smooth while helping control underarm odor.

“Sweat is actually odorless until it mingles with odor-causing bacteria that hang out around dark, warm underarms,” said Christine Lee, US director of product development at Norwex, Dallas. “But beneficial bacteria, when healthy and thriving, can easily crowd out these odorous types to help neutralize odor, as opposed to pore-clogging chemicals from other products that disrupt the natural sweating process.”

In addition, Lysere’s body lotion is dermatologist-, skin irritant- and allergy-tested, and free from parabens, phthalates, GMOs, gluten, formaldehyde, synthetic dyes and fragrances. With a deeply hydrating blend of plant oils, this nurturing, protecting lotion is said to be clinically proven to help revive the skin’s appearance and bring it to its optimal state: hydrated, restored and naturally glowing.

What’s Next?
At press time, indie beauty brand Dr. Elsa Jungman is conducting a pilot test program online at https://dr-ej.com/pages/microbiome-test. According to Jungman, who founded her eponymous skin care line in 2018, the test is a useful tool to help consumers understand their skin care needs. Users swab their skin for a week, send in the results and receive a report on their skin along with product recommendations.

The Dr. Elsa Jungman line includes two cleansers and three serums. According to Jungman, her microbiome-friendly line takes a “less is more” approach to healthy skin.

Dr. Marinelli of Ellis Day Skin Science sees a bright future for the microbiome sector.

“I think that we will continue to see a lot of interest in products designed to care for and protect your native skin microbiome, including the use of natural skin-native ingredients and compounds to nourish the good bacteria on your skin,” she told Happi. “In parallel, I anticipate a declining interest in ‘probiotic’ skin care, as consumers are becoming more aware that such products don’t actually contain live probiotic bacteria and certainly not the bacteria that are normally found on healthy skin.”

Skin barrier boosters will also take form in facial masks, according to industry observers at Fact.MR. The market research firm predicts that global beauty facial mask sales will grow 8% a year to top $14 billion by the end of 2031. According Fact.MR, “new and improved” beauty facial masks that are easy to use and remove and give better results are driving the sales of these products.

Important players have been spending considerably on research and development to come up with newer ways to produce more user-friendly products and masks that are easy to use and peel off. Such enhancements, and others, will drive demand for beauty facial masks in the medium- to long-term forecast period.

“Inclination toward grooming has increased over time. Thus, beauty routine is done on daily basis by men and women of all ages,” said Nandini Roy Choudhury, senior research manager, food and beverage and consumer goods, Fact.MR, Dublin, Ireland. “In addition, beauty facial masks made with natural ingredients is driving the demand for the same.”