What is the skin microbiome? And why is it important?
When you hear the words “good bacteria” and probiotics, you probably think of your gut health. But just like your gut, your skin has a microbiome, but it’s often forgotten or even unknown, causing it to be neglected. But what exactly is the microbiome? Is it really that important? And how should you manage yours? Don’t worry, we’re here to help.
What is your skin’s microbiome?
The skin microbiome consists of the community of organisms that live on your skin, including a range of bacteria, viruses, and fungi, collectively known as the skin flora. Together, they create an ecosystem that ensures that the function and health of your skin is maximized, such as your skin’s ability to absorb skincare products, as well as its overall appearance. When you think about it, the complexity of the microbiome is staggering: billions of bacteria and countless strains that work together in harmony most of the time.
The job of the microbiome is no walk in the park, as the skin itself is a pretty hostile place. Their natural acidic pH makes them perfect for fighting harmful bacteria, and the natural production of sebum (the oil in your skin) makes them highly antimicrobial.
Luckily, our skin is bilingual, so different parts can communicate with each other. The skin’s bacteria can communicate with the skin’s immune system, which in turn can communicate with the bacteria in the gut. This line of communication between the skin and various aspects of the body stays balanced and ensures a fully functional, happy microbiome.
What does the skin microbiome do?
A lot.
All day long.
Every day.
These meniscus organisms work around the clock to protect the skin from daily aggressors like UV rays, harmful bacteria, and free radicals. The skin is colonized with unfriendly microbes, which the microbiome must combat while regulating pH levels. While combating all of this, it also delivers nutrients and important skin lipids to the skin and helps form the skin’s protective barrier to keep it healthy and balanced.
You have to admit, this sounds like a pretty big task.
Why is your microbiome important?
The microbiome is important for ensuring your skin is cared for and able to function properly throughout the day. Since our faces are relentlessly assaulted by environmental aggressors like pollution and UV rays every day, we subconsciously rely more on our skin’s microbiome to heal any damage done. By damaged, I mean skin that looks dry, dull, and lifeless, and signs of premature aging like fine lines and wrinkles become apparent. That’s why we need to take the time to do our best to care for and protect them. When the skin flora fails to form a protective barrier for the skin, some skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis emerge, with dry, itchy and uncomfortable patches appearing on the body, and the aforementioned daily stress can make things worse.
There are some simple ways to restore the skin microbiome, which we will now cover.
How do I restore my skin microbiome?
The skin flora prefers an acidic environment that the body naturally provides. There is a connection between the skin’s immunity and its overall appearance and function in everyday life, making it more susceptible to pathogens that start to grow and make the skin vulnerable. The skin microbiome can be damaged in a number of ways:
Soaps
Harsh skin care products
Environmental factors
Improper and overuse of antibiotics
There are several ways to restore and maintain the skin microbiome:
Don’t cleanse too much
A good skin care routine will keep your skin looking and feeling great. However, remember that there can be too much of a good thing. Over-cleansing your skin with harsh cleansers or exfoliating too often or too harshly can strip your skin of healthy microbes, allowing unhealthy pathogens to spread to your skin, which is a problem. Even dry skin can cause damage. So pat your skin dry rather than rubbing it vigorously with a towel.
Choose your products carefully
There are many products that are not friendly to microbes. Antibacterial soaps are a big culprit for disrupting your skin’s microbiome. You’ll also find that many moisturizers contain ingredients that can also cause skin problems. Use a gentle, fragrance-free formula with hyaluronic acid to help lock in moisture and hydrate your skin, maintain a protective barrier, and help the microbiome perform all of its various skin-protecting tasks.
It can be very helpful to choose products that are gentle on your skin and contain probiotics. We wrote a blog post on this topic where you can learn more about the benefits of probiotics for skin and how they can help your skin.
Don’t be afraid of germs
If you feel a little panicked at the thought of having bacteria on your skin, I can’t blame you. For years, we’ve been told to focus on killing bacteria, which can cause your skin to lose everything valuable to your overall health. Say hello to your microbiome and encourage the good bacteria to stay with nourishing ingredients and a good skincare routine.
Pay attention to a healthy diet
A diet rich in vegetables, protein, and good fats leads to a healthy gut, which ultimately leads to a healthy skin microbiome. Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, as dehydration is the biggest killer of your skin microbiome.
How to protect your skin’s microbiome?
By following the steps outlined in the previous section, you can protect your skin’s microbiome. If you incorporate these steps into your daily routine, they will soon become a natural habit. Here are some additional precautions to protect your skin’s microbiome:
Use SPF 30 or higher every day, even on cloudy days
Remove makeup every night before bed
Use skincare products that are appropriate for your skin type to prevent irritation and reactions
Focus on looking for products with nourishing ingredients such as: B. Probiotics, which help protect the bacteria on your skin
Now you know more about your skin microbiome. It’s worth noting that most of us don’t know about something that contains hundreds of thousands of different strains of bacteria and plays such an important role in skin health, except for you, because your skin is more sticky. Now let everyone know that bacteria is not actually that bad!
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
