Cosmetics, February 2026 | Joie Chia et al., University of Sunderland
Your skin is home to billions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Most of them are good for your health.
A review published in the journal Cosmetics in February 2026 by researchers at the University of Sunderland synthesized the current scientific understanding of the skin microbiome and the emerging class of skin care ingredients designed to support it. Healthy skin, the review argues, functions as an active ecosystem: one that regulates immune responses, produces antimicrobial compounds that crowd out pathogens, and maintains the physical barrier that keeps moisture in and irritants out. Balance is what makes it work.
When that balance tips—a condition called dysbiosis—the consequences range from acne and eczema to rosacea and psoriasis. The disruption doesn’t just allow bad bacteria to thrive; it actively compromises the skin’s ability to defend and repair itself.
The review examines three categories of ingredients increasingly appearing in skin care formulations. Prebiotics selectively feed beneficial bacteria on the skin’s surface. Probiotics introduce or support beneficial microbial activity. Postbiotics—nonliving microbial derivatives and fermentation by-products—deliver targeted biological signals that strengthen skin-barrier integrity and calm inflammation. Early clinical findings across all three are promising.
The researchers suggest that future skin care will increasingly focus on maintaining the skin’s microbial ecosystem rather than simply treating symptoms after they appear.
Tip: When selecting skin care products that support the microbiome, look for formulations that include prebiotics to nourish beneficial bacteria, postbiotic ingredients such as bacterial ferments that reinforce the skin’s outer layers, and polysaccharide blends that help soothe skin after exposure to environmental irritants. Always choose paraben-free formulations.
