Humans have used microorganisms in countless ways throughout history - Korean fermented kimchi, Western cheese and yogurt, even ancient Egyptian fermented bread. Microbes are woven deep into daily life. And right now, these same tiny organisms are living on your skin, too.
The Microorganisms That Shape Your Skin's Ecosystem
Skin isn't just a simple outer layer - it's a distinct ecosystem home to countless types of microorganisms. A single square centimeter of skin can host anywhere from 10,000 to 1,000,000 microbes. That's where the term "microbiome" (micro + biome) comes from.
Not every microbe on skin is beneficial. Some, when they overgrow, become a source of inflammation. So which ones help, and which ones hurt?
The "Good" Microbes vs. the "Bad" Microbes
Cutibacterium - found mainly in oil-gland-rich areas of the face. It promotes the skin's own natural antioxidant activity, helping slow visible aging, and breaks down sebum to help deliver moisture and nutrients to skin. Overall, it supports healthy-looking skin.
Corynebacterium - found mainly in humid areas of the face. This microbe is linked to inflammatory skin responses, particularly when it overgrows in damp areas. As its proportion increases with age, it can also negatively affect skin elasticity.
Skin Aging and the Microbiome
As skin ages, Corynebacterium tends to increase while Cutibacterium tends to decrease - contributing to dryness and loss of elasticity. If we've long assumed that wrinkles and sagging come purely from age or UV exposure, the microbiome adds another piece to that picture.
This is the thinking behind "microbiome" skincare: rather than just adding hydration or firming ingredients, the goal is to improve the skin's ecosystem itself, by adding beneficial microorganisms to help rebalance the microbial community.
What's Next?
Using microorganisms in skincare might not sound familiar yet, but as we've grown comfortable with the health benefits of microbes in food and supplements, it may soon feel just as natural in skincare. The next phase for microbiome skincare likely moves beyond surface-level care toward actively maintaining and improving the balance of skin's microbial community - potentially even personalized formulas based on an individual's own skin microbiome.
SkinStandard's research lab has also spent years researching microbiome-balancing formulas for its partner brands, and we look forward to sharing that work directly with you before long.
Reference: [1] The Skin Microbiome: Current Landscape and Future Opportunities (mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/4/3950)
