Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Close Banner
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Yes, Your Skin Makes Its Own "Anti-Aging" Actives — What To Know About Postbiotics

Alexandra Engler
Author:
February 12, 2024
Alexandra Engler
mbg Beauty Director
By Alexandra Engler
mbg Beauty Director
Alexandra Engler is the beauty director at mindbodygreen and host of the beauty podcast Clean Beauty School. Previously, she's held beauty roles at Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, SELF, and Cosmopolitan; her byline has appeared in Esquire, Sports Illustrated, and Allure.com.
Asian woman with hair in a towel looks at skin up close in mirror
Image by Studio Firma
February 12, 2024

The skin is an astounding organ. The more we learn about it, the more we uncover just how important it is for a myriad of health reasons, from playing an essential part in our immune function1 to its reciprocating role in cognitive health2 to helping regulate internal inflammation. Overall health is dependent on the skin, just in the same way that our skin health is dependent on the body.   

The skin is also a very resilient organ. It has a profound ability to withstand and recover. Given the skin's role as a barrier, this ability to heal itself is paramount as it's constantly bombarded with stressors (both internal and external) that it has to deflect and manage. 

But it's not alone in this fight. In fact, it has a very important helper: your skin microbiome, an ecosystem of organisms that live on and in the skin. The microbiome has many functions, and one of the most vital—we are learning—is all about its very precious outputs.

Examples of those byproducts include things like hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, peptides, essential fatty acids, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins. If these all sound like "anti-aging" skin care ingredients you pay top dollar for, you're correct: The very same "anti-aging" ingredients found in creams and serums are actually naturally made by the skin microbiome. 

Here, how your skin can actually make its own skin care ingredients. 

Editor's note:

We try to avoid using the term "anti-aging" here at mindbodygreen. Aging is a privilege—if you aren't aging, you aren't living! We only use it here because products that are formulated with the above ingredients often get compiled into one "anti-aging" category. We use it here so that you'll recognize which products we're talking about, but we as a brand are decidedly pro aging. 

But first: What is your skin microbiome?

To understand how the skin makes its own "skin care" ingredients, we must first understand the microbiome. The skin microbiome3, sometimes called the skin flora, is the term for the trillions of organisms4 that live on our skin. 

We live symbiotically with these organisms. When in balance, we provide them a hospitable home to thrive in. They, in turn, do a lot for us: They protect us by crowding out pathogenic organisms, help fight infection, mitigate external stressors, temper inflammation, and buffer against damage. But arguably their most important function is actually what they create, or their byproducts: postbiotics. 

What are your skin microbiome's "anti-aging" byproducts? Get to know postbiotics

The International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics has defined postbiotics as "preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host." I like to say that postbiotics are the beneficial byproducts (or metabolites) from the living probiotics on your skin. These metabolites nurture and support your skin, helping retain the moisture barrier, fight free radicals, improve dermal framework reconstruction, and stop premature aging. 

For example let's look at Lactobacillales, the "educational" bacteria of the skin. It's actually a strain of bacteria that populates our skin in our youth5 but declines as we age. 

As its role as an educator, it teaches skin to act young, protect itself, and revitalize barrier function. Its postbiotics are things like peptides (even more specifically oligopeptide-5 through -13) and fatty acids (including essential fatty acids).

Or Staphylococcus hominis produces antimicrobial peptides6, which support the skin's immune function and reduce inflammation. The strain Lactobacillus plantarum has been shown to increase hyaluronic acid production in the skin7, as well as reduce proinflammatory cytokines. 

I like to think of these as synergistic gifts, from our microbiome to our skin; our skin, in turn, becomes a more harmonious and habitable place for the bacteria. A beautiful cycle is born. 

How to encourage your skin to produce these byproducts

In an ideal world—one in which your skin's ecosystem is unbothered by environmental agitators, internal stressors, and other damaging irritants—your microbiome would do this all on its own, all of the time. That's not the world we live in. 

The skin microbiome doesn't always produce this beneficial mix of postbiotics. Or perhaps the skin microbiome doesn't produce these byproducts as optimally as it could, nor does it produce as wide of a variety. In fact, sometimes the skin microbiome produces non-beneficial outputs that trigger inflammation, resulting in irritation, acne, premature aging, and various skin diseases. 

This happens when the skin is in dysbiosis8, which is a medical term that means "an imbalance in the microbial community that is associated with disease." So when experts talk about the importance of "balancing" your skin microbiome, it's not just some feel-good, "let's just all live in harmony" verbiage. It's a scientific concept rooted in the research of the microbiome. Within the context of the skin, dysbiosis means there's less variety of microbes, the ratio of organisms is thrown off, or a combination of both situations. 

The unfortunate news is that there are a wide variety of factors that can contribute to dysbiosis, many of which are just functions of modern living. We're also still learning more about what triggers skin dysbiosis, and what "balance" actually looks like—so the research is continually evolving. 

For now, here's what we know about supporting your skin microbiome:

  • Avoid stripping or harsh ingredients, such as abrasive scrubs, sulfates, high concentrations of essential oils, and too potent of actives. In general, keep a simple skin care routine and don't use products that irritate your skin. 
  • Support your skin barrier function with hydrating and repairing creams. This will create an ecosystem where your microbiome can thrive, as well as reduce overall inflammation. Look for ingredients that have evidence to support they improve skin barrier strength, such as shea butter, aloe vera, oat extracts, peptides, ceramides, fatty acids, humectants, and amino acids. 
  • Use biome-supporting ingredients, such as pre- and postbiotics. Prebiotics are what the skin microbiome feeds on—and research shows that when you "feed" the microflora healthy nutrients, it can support microbial balance. Postbiotics are a new wave of skin care, in which researchers identify key metabolites from these beneficial bacteria and replant them back on the skin, essentially mimicking a healthy microbiome.
  • Reduce your exposure to environmental stressors and toxins, such as pollution and UV radiation. These burden the microbiome, making it harder for the organisms to do their jobs. 
  • Be mindful of lifestyle factors that contribute to dysbiosis, such as lack of sleep, chronic stress, inflammatory diets, and smoking. 

The takeaway

Through the exciting and innovative research of the skin microbiome, we are finding that the skin has an incredible power to not only heal itself—but keep itself looking youthful and vibrant. 

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

Watch Next

Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes

What Is Meditation?

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins

Box Breathing

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

What Breathwork Can Address

Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

Yoga | Caley Alyssa

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

Nutrition | Rich Roll

What to Eat Before a Workout

Nutrition | Rich Roll

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Nutrition | Sahara Rose

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Love Languages

Love & Relationships | Esther Perel

Related Videos (10)

What Is Meditation?

Box Breathing

What Breathwork Can Address

The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?

Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips

How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance

What to Eat Before a Workout

How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life

Messages About Love & Relationships

Love Languages

Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

More On This Topic

more Lifestyle
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.