Microbiome

Skin Microbiome 101

What is the Skin Microbiome?

Your skin’s microbiome is essentially the aggregate of all microbes living on or within your skin. It can help to think of our skin as an ecosystem. We actually have many living organisms that reside on our skin (and various other places in our body). As the largest organ in the body, the human skin contains many different colonies of living organisms, and actually has many beneficial effects on your skin health.

What Causes Imbalance in the Skin Microbiome?

Rather than nourish skin, traditional skincare has worked against it and disrupted its natural biological state by stripping away the good bacteria. Your beneficial bacteria love a natural pH level of 5, but many soaps contain harsh ingredients with a pH of 10. These high levels of alkalinity can both damage the skin barrier and throw off the necessary environment that beneficial bacteria need to thrive. While this a popular reason that your microbiome can become unbalanced, there are other factors as well, including stress and diet.

Improving Your Skin Microbiome

Many skin care techniques, applications and strategies nowadays are geared towards improving your skin’s microbiome. Establishing an effective skincare routine (which keeps the skin's pH balanced) is one of the most important steps you can take in promoting a healthy skin microbiome. Hydration, eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep are also key to maintaining your skin’s health in addition to supplemental and topical probiotics.

What are Probiotics?

In short, probiotics are live microorganisms that offer health benefits -- including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Also known as good bacteria, probiotics for your skin work similarly to those intended for gut health by restoring essential bacteria and rebalancing the skin microbiome.

How Mother Dirt Probiotic Skincare Works

Probiotic skincare aims to put good bacteria back on the skin's surface to help balance and brighten the complexion. It also helps nurture the skin microbiome and works with your sweat to keep pH levels in check. Our patented ingredient, live AOB, interacts with ammonia naturally found on your skin and in sweat to produce two powerful byproducts - Nitrite and Nitric Oxide - that are essential to a balanced skin microbiome.