The Skin Nerd: What is my skin microbiome and how do I protect it?

As much research has found, a balanced microbiome is crucial to the health of our skin, helping to provide protection from harmful environmental aggressors, while assisting in hydrating the skin and keeping moisture locked in.

The Skin Nerd

It’s not the nicest of thoughts, but our skin is home to trillions of microscopic ‘bugs’ which make up what we call the ‘microbiome.’ Creepy as it may sound, this community of microorganisms is crucial for keeping our skin healthy by supporting our skin barrier, which keeps external aggressors at bay. To add another responsibility to these little critters, the latest research has revealed that the microbiome could also play a part in how our skin ages.

According to a report published within Frontiers of Ageing, a positive link between microbiome diversity and age was found, alongside the finding that microbial diversity decreased with decreasing skin barrier function.* This study saw California-based researchers partner with L’Oreal Research and Innovation to conduct an analysis on research data collected from 13 studies on 650 women.