What is The Skin Microbiome & How Can Skin Care Keep it Balanced?

Discover what the skin microbiome is, how to improve the skin microbiome, and our recommended skin care products.

If you’ve ever taken a probiotic, eaten yogurt, or sipped on a glass of kombucha, you were feeding the trillion-strong community of benevolent microorganisms that make up your gut microbiome. Breaking new research around the skin benefits of a balanced skin microbiome has made it a popular topic for both the health and beauty worlds. You may already know about the importance of the microbiome that exists in the gut. What you may not know is that the skin also has its own microbiome. Our Lancôme experts break down exactly what is the microbiome and how we can take care of it below.

What is the skin microbiome?

Invisible to the eye, the human skin microbiome is an ecosystem of microorganisms that live on the skin's surface. This beneficial living ecosystem, made up of thousands of different microbial species, is essential to our health. Whilst it is mainly composed of skin bacteria, it also contains yeast, fungi and viruses. It is synergistic with skin, meaning its balance is fundamental to our skin's health, comfort and appearance.

What does the microbiome do for our skin?

Our skin microbiome's balance is essential to the skin's health, comfort and appearance. We recently discovered that a balanced microbiome supports our skin's ability to defend and recover. Essentially, it's one of the skin's first lines of defence from the world around us.

How do you improve the skin microbiome?

As with any ecosystem, the microbiome is affected by the world around it. Larger factors like climate, age and lifestyle can change its make-up, as can small, individual factors like shower habits. By providing the skin microbiome with prebiotics, which is “food” for micro-organisms, we can nourish it with skincare ingredients that are essential to its balance.

Thanks to our advanced microbiome research, we now have a deeper understanding of how a balanced microbiome is essential for the skin's health and appearance. At Lancôme, we've already begun tapping into the potential of skin microbiome science with the new enriched formula for the Génifique range, which contains a complex made of 7 beneficial pre and probiotic fractions and acts on the skin microbiome.

Which microbiome skincare products are recommended?

The Génifique anti-aging skincare range is designed to promote skin that is both visibly stronger and younger-looking. Whether you're in need of a face serum, eye cream, night cream or face mask, Génifique is not only pioneering in the field of microbiome science—it helps usher in the future of skincare. We've highlighted our favourite microbiome-friendly products below:

Face Serum

Lancôme's iconic anti-aging serum, Advanced Génifique, activates visible signs of youthful skin and has become an anti-wrinkle skincare essential for women around the world. Our best-selling anti-aging serum comes enriched with millions of pre and probiotic fractions, including Yeast and Bifidus-Extracts, to strengthen your skin’s barrier and improve texture, radiance, elasticity and firmness. It’s suitable for a variety of skin types, particularly mature and aging skin.

If you’re experiencing dryness, redness and roughness, opt for the Advanced Génifique Sensitive, a serum that’s targeted to improve the appearance of dry, sensitive skin with a fresh treatment. Proven antioxidant ingredients are blended with a hydrating base for effective results. Ferulic Acid works to boost the efficacy of other antioxidants, enhancing the moisturising, soothing and repairing effects of Vitamin E, for a powerful serum that helps to give you a refreshed complexion and tackle visible signs of aging. The two formulae are kept separate until your first use, ensuring a freshly mixed face serum that lasts for months.

For those with dark circles, eye bags, and less-than-impressive eyelashes, our Advanced Génifique Light Pearl Youth Activating Eye & Lash Concentrate will be the anti-aging serum to add to your regimen. This brightening eye serum is formulated with Light Pearl and Bifidus Extract to help reduce the appearance of under-eye wrinkles and eye puffiness, increasing hydration for more luminous, youthful-looking eyes. It also visibly fortifies eyelashes for increased strength and density. After one use of this eye serum, 92% of women reported softer eye contour skin and supple, silkier eyelashes.

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Eye Cream

For an eye solution, reach for the Advanced Génifique Eye Cream. It’s infused with millions of probiotic fractions in a creamy gel texture to help the eye contour feel reinforced, giving you a rested and youthful radiance. All the science of Génifique has been concentrated in this eye cream, which boasts 14 years of research, with more than 150 international beauty awards, and proven compatibility for all women—regardless of their skin type, age or ethnicity.

This eye cream will improve common signs of aging, including smoothing fine lines, enhancing the skin tone’s uniformity, improving skin elasticity, reducing dark circles and leaving you with fresh, soft skin.

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Day Cream

Once your face serum has been applied and it’s time to move to the day cream, start your journey towards younger-looking skin with our Génifique Day Cream. It contains a velvety cream formula that provides lasting moisture and leaves your skin feeling soft to the touch. You’ll be left with a radiant glow, a smoother, more refined complexion and an overall youthful looking appearance.(Hint: Apply the Advanced Génifique Serum beforehand for the ultimate product pairing.)

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Night Cream

After a long day, you’ll want to cleanse your face and reach for the Génifique Night Repair Cream. This night cream targets visible signs of fatigue to help restore your skin’s luminosity and youthful complexion while you sleep. By morning, fine lines, wrinkles and signs of aging look reduced, leaving you with intensely moisturised, smooth skin.

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