COSMETICS BUSINESS LIVE
PANEL II
MICROBIOME MAPPING & WORKING WITH SKIN MICROFLORA
Moderator Sarah Parsons, Editor,
cosmeticsbusiness.com Panellists Dr Kristin Neumann, Co-Founder, MyMicrobiome Fanny Coste, Principal Consultant, Cosmebiome Barbara Paldus, CEO, Codex Labs
D
iving into the mysteries of the skin’s microbiome, this panel discussion brought together Dr Kristin Neumann of MyMicrobiome, which certifies
products and ingredients as microbiome friendly; Codex Labs, a bioscience-led skin care brand, which works closely with MyMicrobiome; and Cosmebiome, a consultancy specialising in the development of sustainable and microbiome- friendly cosmetic products and ingredients. The panel was moderated by Cosmetics Business’ Sarah Parsons.
What is the microbiome? Dr Kristin Neumann: The microbiome is the genetic content of all microbes that live in and on us, including viruses, fungi and bacteria. They work in close synergy with us and we have very different ‘landscapes’ on our bodies, so every area of our body has different conditions, pHs, temperatures, etc, and depending on the environment, different microbes grow. Fanny Coste: You really have to consider us as a planet with different climates. You have very dry zones, comparable to the desert, and you have very moist areas. But you also have to consider that the microbiome is not just on top of the skin: we have a microbiome in the layers, in the dermis, not just the epidermis. Barbara Paldus: It is also a system that is very flexible and very adaptable. The microbiome will change with the environment, for example the climate, the humidity and the temperature you are
24 December 2022
in. It also depends on the amount of sebum production and the hydration of your skin. And your gut microbiome is interrelated, so your gut microbiome communicates with your immune system as does the skin microbiome. You can’t look at them as a separate entity.
In terms of skin condition, how important is the microbiome? Neumann: The microbiome is crucial for healthy skin, but so is healthy skin for the health of the microbiome. It starts, in most cases, with the skin. If the skin has an issue it reflects in the microbiota and they go into imbalance and add to the problem. You can also disrupt the microbiome from the outside by using too many harsh products, medication, sun exposure, etc. The most dominant skin issues are eczema, psoriasis, acne, dandruff, dry skin and sensitive skin.
What are the key challenges in this space? Coste: On the formulation side, people think that the main issues will be preservatives. But it might not always be preservatives. They’re used in very tiny quantities, so other ingredients in much bigger quantities have a bigger impact, for example detergents, and you have a lot of issues with some of the emulsifiers. Often people don’t realise that the skin microbiome is very resilient. Everything will impact the skin microbiome, even water, but it will go back to a neutral state most of the time. The other area where I get a lot of challenges from my clients is to substantiate claims. That’s
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