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photo: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.com
photo: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.com

Cosmetic products that are gentle on the skin microbiome are more in demand than ever. No wonder, then, that the market is increasingly using the claim ‘microbiome-friendly’. Dr Kristin Neumann explains how to really measure microbiome-friendliness in products.

Interview with Dr Kristin Neumann,

Scientific Director,
MyMicrobiome,
Balzers, Liechtenstein,
www.microbiome-friendly.com 

COSSMA: How is a healthy skin microbiome defined, or one that is out of balance?

Dr Kristin Neumann: There is no definition for a healthy microbiome since the interpersonal diversity is very high and underlies manifold influences – and we even harbour many different microbiomes on our body and our skin. However, the skin-microbiome is healthy when it is in balance, and when the skin is healthy. The key to a well-functioning microbiome is equilibrium.

There are no good or bad microbes, but if the microbiome becomes unbalanced, useful microbes can turn bad by overgrowing the others, thus reducing overall diversity. The microbiome can communicate with our internal immune system, fights off infections, eases inflammation, and protects us from outside invaders. 

A skin microbiome out of balance is also called dysbiosis. Skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne, or dermatitis are always correlated with a dysbiosis. Here the chicken and egg question arises: which comes first, the skin condition or dysbiosis? I think we need to look at our body like we look at our planet earth: If an ecosystem changes, its inhabitants adapt to it.

To what extent can cosmetic products influence the skin’s microbiome?

The use of too many products can lead to a disbalance in the skin’s microbiome and thus to several skin conditions e.g., perioral dermatitis. This is a widespread disease which mainly affects women using too many different and non-microbiome-friendly cosmetics. It manifests itself as redness and inflamed pustules in the face.

The majority of cosmetics is still harbouring strong non-selective antimicrobial properties, which have some effect on the skin’s microbiome over time. Not only that, but the customer is layering several products a day. Ideally, we would use less and only mild products which are ‘microbiome-friendly’ and thus do not interfere with the existing microbiome.

What types of ingredients have the potential to have more of a negative impact on the skin’s microbiome?

All antimicrobial substances are potentially attacking the healthy balance of the microbiome – be it in the mouth by an oral wash or on the face by antibacterial face toner.

It also depends on the formulation of the product: The milder the ingredients, the less interaction with the microbes which can lead to a disbalance. Preservatives can be strong or mild antimicrobial agents, but also plant extracts or essences, certain oils, or other natural ingredients. Some minerals found in sunscreen are strongly interfering with the skin’s microbiota.

What does it mean when a product is declared ‘microbiome-friendly’? 

A ‘microbiome-friendly’ certified product does not interfere with the skin’s key-microbiota. It simply leaves it untouched. Such a product respects the balance both on the surface and in the deeper layers of the skin and thus fosters the basis for a beautiful, healthy skin.

How do the different skin regions on the human body differ in their microbiome?

The human body is like a planet, hosting a great variety of different ecosystems. The skin, at 20m2 (including all invaginations, wrinkles, pores, and hair follicles), comprises widely differentiated landscapes, each with a unique ecosystem.

The so-called desert areas of the skin (dry skin such as the buttocks, forearms, and parts of the hand) harbour the greatest microbial diversity including 19 different bacterial divisions with four main divisions (Actinobacteria (52%), Firmicutes (24%), Proteobacteria (17%) and Bacteroidetes (7%)). Interestingly, the dry skin sites harbour a greater phylogenetic diversity than the gut or the oral cavity of the same individual.

The greasy areas (sebaceous areas such as the forehead, behind the ear, the back, and the sides of the nostril) are mostly inhabited by Cutibacterium species. This bacterium usually is harmless, only fulfilling its duty to combat adverse colonisers. But with the arrival of puberty, the chemical composition of the skin, primarily on the face, changes due to the shift in hormones. This change sets off a struggle between the immune system and the Cutibacteria, leading to infected sebaceous glands and thus acne.

The humid jungles (moist sites such as the navel, the axillary vault, groin, folds of the buttocks, soles of the feet, hollow of the knee, crock of the arm) are home to the Corynebacterium and Staphylococci species. Although the microbial diversity in these areas is low compared to the dry skin sites, the number of microorganisms is the highest with about 15 million bacteria found within an area the size of a stamp. 

Since different areas need different treatment, there are various standards for each body area.

How can we ensure that a product is microbiome-friendly and that customers can rely on this statement?

‘MyMicrobiome’ is an independent control body that rigorously tests products and single ingredients for the impact on the skin’s microbiota. We have developed a standardised test which creates clear, significant results in-vitro, referring to the latest scientific findings. Our tests cover 80 – 90% of the microbes found on our skin, of course always considering the respective body area. The in-vitro tests are more sensitive and reliable than in-vivo studies, thus if a product passes our certification, it is safe to say it is microbiome-friendly on the skin.

What possibilities can labels offer?

A certification mark is creating trust with the customer and guarantees the microbiome-friendly quality of the product. 41% of European consumers find third-party verified certifications an influential factor when purchasing goods, including beauty and personal care products1.

In the cosmetics market there are many labels that promise a lot, but sometimes it is not clear what is behind them. What is different about the ‘Microbiome-friendly’ label? 

The ‘Microbiome-friendly’ label is the first certification mark for ‘Microbiomefriendly’ cosmetics and personal care products. It is not only a label, but a registered certification mark in 32 countries. We have to follow strict rules like publishing the certification results on our websites for transparency reasons. With this we closed a gap in a wild and ­un-­regulated ‘biome-cosmetics’-market.

What criteria are used to award the label? How long is the label valid after it has been awarded?

We look at four key criteria to make this assessment:

  • Microbial quality: This is a quality test of the product, making sure it is not contaminated with undesired microbes, such as E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus or Candida albicans. The test is carried out following the DIN EN ISO 17516 norm.
  • Balance test: On our skin, S. epidermidis keeps pathogenic microbes such as S. aureus in check. This balance must not be disturbed by the product. A coculture with both strains is mixed with the product for a certain time and then the ratio of the two microbes is compared with the untreated control group. This must not change in favour of S. aureus under the influence of the personal care product.
  • Diversity: The key-microbes of the respective body area are cultured. A co-culture of all microbes is mixed with the product to be tested and the change in diversity is compared with the untreated control group. The diversity of the skin microbiome must be preserved regarding the most important key microbes.
  • Vitality – direct and indirect: In this test the microbe-skin contact on agar plates is simulated. Here, each key microbe is directly exposed to the product. In another approach, the microbes are covered with an agar layer and the product to be tested is placed on this layer. This simulates the potential penetration of the product into deeper layers of the skin. The microbial growth of the two batches is compared to the untreated control group. The growth must not be significantly inhibited.

By performing multiple test types, it is possible to build an overall picture of the whole performance and safety of the product for the human microbiome.

The certification process takes about six to twelve weeks from contract signing to official certification. 

As long as the formulation is not changed, the label is valid without limitation.

How did you come up with the idea of creating this label?

I was always curious about how life works in its tiny details and ended up spending a lot of time in the 
lab, working with bacteria, and getting a PhD in microbiology. Working along with the microbiome topic, I could not resist diving deeper into this matter because I was concerned about the lack of knowledge that surrounded me. Therefore, I co-founded the company MyMicrobiome and created an education platform for laymen first. Realising how irregulated the so called ‘microbiome-friendly/-gentle pre-/pro-/postbiotics’ market was, we decided to develop a standardised quality seal to bring clarity to the confused consumer.

How long did it take from the idea to implementation and to the first awards?

It took us approximately nine months from the idea, through establishment in the lab and to the first certification with the ‘body standard 18.10’. Over time, we implemented more standards covering the different body areas, now with seven different standards for each body area. Yet, we are always expanding and adapting our standards to the latest scientific findings and customer needs. Right now, we developed the first microbiome-friendly certification for textiles like sheet masks, facial tissue, or diapers.

How is the market accepting this label? How many companies and brands already have it?

The label is accepted extremely well, above all in the US and in Asia. The K-Beauty trend in Korea as well as Skinimalism in US also  foster the demand for microbiome-friendly products. 

By July 2022, more than 250 products from 61 brands in all five continents became certified microbiome friendly.

Reference:

1 Global Data´s, Q3 2021

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