Did you know your skin is your body’s largest organ, and it protects your internal self from the external environment, including toxins and pollutants, in the same way a shield would? Your skin protects you using an intricate, delicate balance of good bacteria which regulates your skin’s natural barrier.

Meet Your Skin’s Microbiome

The skin’s microbiome, also known as skin flora, has over 1000 types of microorganisms, including fungi, mites, and bacteria, living on your skin. They are harmless, and mostly beneficial, creating a mini ecosystem of bacteria which affects how the skin functions. The microbes, unseen, but there, play an important role in helping your immune system defend your body from the unhealthy bacteria you come in contact with every day.

The microbes survive on the salt, water, and oil your skin releases to keep cool and lubricated. These microbes vary from your face, to under your arms and between your toes, producing vitamins, hormones, and chemicals which help to preserve not only your skin barrier, but your immune system, and your appearance.

The Importance of Balance

A healthy skin microbiome protects against irritants and locks moisture in. It helps support your skin’s protective barrier and prevents dryness, irritation, rosacea, psoriasis, acne, and other skin issues. Conversely, a skin microbiome which is struggling or compromised leads to an imbalance that will include a loss of elasticity, uneven skin tone, and can accelerate other signs of aging,

cause additional skin problems, or worsen existing ones. If the skin microbiome is stripped of its microbes, or good bacteria is overtaken by bad bacteria, the balance is thrown off and can lead to skin irritation. This makes the microbiome vulnerable, and damage can lead to further skin irritation and less protection from environmental factors.

How to Support Your Skin’s Microbiome

Your skin’s microbiome can be helped by avoiding or not overusing harsh ingredients in your skincare. Use microbiome friendly skincare to gently nourish, and help support your barrier instead. Be sure to wash your makeup off fully at night, as excess residue and oils can leave your skin battling bad bacteria build-up! Avoid antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers when

unnecessary, such as at home. Wear natural fibers like cotton, or looser clothes, as most synthetics, and overly tight fabrics can interfere with your skin’s ability to sweat and produce good bacteria.

Healthy Guts = Healthy You

Don’t stop now! Help rebuild your microbiome from the inside out by boosting your gut microbiome. Deep inside you, in your digestive system, there is another microbiome, and this one supports your overall health and glowing skin too. Probiotics provide your digestive system with healthy bacteria aiding with digestion and inflammation. Focus on a healthy gut by adding probiotics into your diet through probiotic-rich food, like yogurt. They help the existing good bacteria in the gut thrive and multiply.

Crazy about Kombucha

Kombucha also helps balance your gut microbiome. It is a fermented tea, which has all the health benefits of regular tea plus probiotics. Kombucha is made by adding bacteria, yeast, and sugar to either black or green tea, then left to ferment for a week, or sometimes longer. Teas not only help keep your complexion clear and glowing on the outside, but boost immune systems and fight inflammation. This makes Kombucha an important ingredient in helping to support your digestive system and your skin’s microbiome.

Help your skin get healthy with bacteria balance by reaching out to Glow Spa about microbiome friendly skincare products, and get ready to glow!