In the ever-expanding world of professional skincare, one of the hottest topics around is improving skin health with microbiome products and lifestyle changes. Will this fascinating and ground-breaking concept become the key to helping your future clients achieve the glow-up they seek?

What is a Microbiome?

The “microbiome” is the term that describes the collection of bacteria, viruses and fungi that lives on the surface of our skin. While it may sound unappealing to consider, these billions of microorganisms are not only largely harmless, but many are quite beneficial — if kept in balance.

When the microorganisms achieve that natural balance, they work together to protect the skin from issues like psoriasis, in which cells multiply at an unnaturally high rate. In fact, using harsh products that remove healthy bacterial strains on your head and body can lead to a rise in acne, dark patches, redness and dandruff.

A number of other factors can interfere with a healthy microbiome, including our daily diets, various illnesses, and medications.

How Do We Use This Knowledge in Skincare?

Now that researchers know that bacteria-destroying products and environmental factors can be hostile to a healthy microbiome, knowing how to harness that knowledge through the creation of targeted skincare products has become a blossoming field.

Along with demonstrating the range of microbiome products available to clients, estheticians may also make recommendations about diet and other lifestyle changes, in order to encourage the healthiest personal microbiome for each person.

Some changes that spas, dermatology offices and other beauty providers may be instituting to support microbiome health include:

  • Using technology that takes deep-tissue images, or analyzes bacteria levels through skin swabs, to determine what products and diet changes would best suit individual clients.
  • Offering products that promote microbiome health by using a combination of prebiotic and probiotic elements, along with gentle ingredients that don’t disrupt the microbiome.
  • Creating an environment that fosters mental relaxation to encourage healthy microbiome function, from gentle music and lighting to massages.
  • Providing consultations of diet and lifestyle, to increase healthy internal bacterial function and discourage exposure to factors that disrupt the microbiome environment.

Want to Learn More About Personalizing Skincare?

Microbiome skincare is just one of the many fascinating topics you’ll learn about in our Advanced Esthetics program, available for both new students and for graduates. Call us today at 631-582-4737 to learn about the career benefits of the New York Institute of Beauty’s Advanced Esthetics program.