Your Skin’s Microbiome

Posted by Salina Wright on

A healthy skin microbiome, which prefers the acidic environment your skin provides, helps your immune system out. 

Your skin could be left vulnerable if your skin’s microbiome has been damaged in one of many ways: soaps, incorrect or overuse of antibiotics, harsh skincare products.

Modern hygiene practices—such as daily showers or baths and the use of aggressive soaps and detergents—along with less healthful diets. 

FROWNIES has been leading the skincare industry to health by focusing on the skin's microbiome.  Are you in the know? The new leading skincare topic is bacteria! More specifically the skin’s microbiome. The microbiome has been getting a lot of buzz worthy attention lately. 

The perception of the skin as an ecosystem — composed of living biological and physical components occupying diverse habitats — can expand our understanding of the sensitive balance between host and microorganism. Disruptions in the balance on either side of this equation can result in skin disorders or infections.“Awareness of the skin’s microbiome is still in its infancy, but it’s being helped by the fairly well-established understanding of the gut microbiome. The concept of taking probiotics for a healthy gut is now shifting to, ‘Okay, how do we do this for skin?’

You can see how it is unfolding on social media, consumers are fully aware of the value of preserving their skin microbiome. Top issues include dry and sensitive skin, from redness and rashes to eczema and psoriasis; aging concerns like wrinkles, expression lines, and crow’s feet; and the consequences of oily skin: blackheads, pimples, scars, and their respective treatments.

Frownies CEO and Naturopath, Kat Wright started formulating an entire skincare line with ingredients that naturally protect the skin, Kat wanted to help, she wanted to help others regain health and possibly find the nutrients that the body needs to thrive. She knew through decades of experience of studying and teaching natural health and plant healing, the power of the body. Holistically protecting the body would start with the skin since it is the body’s protective layer, constantly interacting with the surroundings. 

Frownies has been sharing the importance of a holistic approach to skin and the savvy beauty brands are listening. Recently there has been an influx of microbiome-friendly skincare products hitting the market. Research about the human body’s microbiome has vastly expanded in the last decade. Discoveries about how microbes affect our health is now considered key to staying healthy and having healthy skin; through a diverse skin microbiome. The general public is starting to understand the natural innate resilience of the skin is in the skin/microbiome relationship. As people become more and more educated on the skin/microbiome relationship, we naturally want to be mindful of nourishing and protecting the microbial environment of our skin.

The reason is simple. The skin is the body’s largest organ, the outermost layer, the first and also sometimes the last measure the body has against environmental elements, infection, toxins, the loss of moisture, and the ability to absorb minerals, and nutrients.

At the very front of that frontline is what’s known as the visual stratum corneum, or the uppermost part of the outermost part, the nonliving layer of the epidermis and also the most active area of the skin organ, this is the site of the skin's microbiome. This part of the skin barrier is in constant contact with the presenting environment, and it works with what it comes in contact with to provide protection, to trigger or fine tune immune response, and to provide nutrients to skin cells.

Understand environmental factors are extremely specific to the each individual. Maybe an obvious factor would be genetic differences but differences such as occupation, clothing selection and antibiotic exposure, can dramatically effect the skin microbiota. Sadly it is safe to say most products are not safe. Cosmetics, Cleansers, hygienic and anti-aging products, masks, nail polish, moisturizers, lets just say every and any product you may use or even come in contact with, may be factors largely contributing to the vast variation of skin microbiota. This is the reason why some are so disheartened over skin imbalance. 

For some still, the logical response to a presence of bacteria would have been scrub scrub scrub it away, but the more we learn about our skin’s microbiome, the more we find these organisms appear to be more friend than foe. An imbalance in the "good" and/or "bad" bacteria can result in an under or over population of the bacteria needed for healthy functioning skin. This can result in pathogenic bacteria that inhibit balanced skin. 

The new pandemic is an obvious addition to society's already established obsession with antibacterial cleansing products. We constantly stress and strip our skin because the lack of awareness about harsh ingredients and how they destroy the skin's microbiome health. This shows we do not yet understand that our skin microbiomes are part of us, the whole. 

Over cleansing, over treating, or over using products can congest, strip, or break down a healthy, balanced skin microbiome. Exfoliation and peels do reveal new skin cells, but they also eradicate oils and microbes that moisturize, balance, and protect against skin damaging factors.

Your skin is colonized by millions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Just as the microbes in your gut have an overall impact on your health, microbes on your skin impact your overall skin health, from the way it looks and feels to its ability to serve as a protective barrier between your body and the outside world.

Unfortunately, popular hygiene practices absolutely strip our skin microbiome. The layers of harsh chemicals we apply to our skin can eliminate the “good” bacteria with the “bad.” Skin conditions like rosacea, acne, and psoriasis can be caused or exacerbated by a skin imbalance. There is evidence that a balanced skin microbiome can be effective in fighting against some skin cancers. Other studies point to a correlation between skin microbiome health and overall immune function.

Frownies products are efficient enough to cleanse away dirt make-up and environmental pollutants and nourishing enough to  help protect and rebuild the skin. 

Use Frownies Face Wash twice daily and remove make up with Frownies Skin Serum to soften and nourish while you wipe away make-up residue.  Apply Frownies Moisturiser Face and Neck and you are set to go for the day, you can add make-up or not. At nighttime the same protocol will get you set for the bodies evening regeneration. 

Salina Wright

← Older Post Newer Post →



Leave a comment