Microbiome Skin Care Is the Newest Trend: What It Is and Why It’s Important

For most of our lives, we’ve been conditioned to believe that bacteria is automatically the enemy. It’s something to scrub off, sanitize, or eliminate altogether. 

For Filipinos, that instinct is doubly strong. We’re a nation raised on daily baths (sometimes twice a day), vigorous scrubbing, and the belief that the cleaner the skin feels, the healthier it must be.

But modern dermatology has been telling us: Your skin is supposed to have microorganisms composed of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even mites. In fact, even trillions of them. This is a natural and an essential part of your skin called the microbiome. 

The research around microbiome skin care may be relatively new, but to dermatologists, it is far from a passing buzzword. It’s becoming a crucial piece in understanding why our skin reacts the way it does, and why so many of us struggle with sensitivity, breakouts, eczema, and persistent inflammation.

During the Allure Beauty Congress at RCBC Plaza, Makati on November 23, board-certified dermatologists Raissa Pasion, MD, FPDS and Coreen Capuyoc, MD, FPDS broke down what this invisible ecosystem actually does for us. In the Allure Conversation supported by Pond’s, they also emphasized why caring for it may be the most underrated step in modern skin care.

So, what is the skin microbiome?

The easiest way to understand the skin microbiome is to think of it as an ecosystem. “It’s an ecosystem composed of trillions of microorganisms—good microorganisms,” says Dr. Pasion. “Sometimes you think, ‘Oh, there’s so [many] germs on my skin.’ But these are good microorganisms, and they are composed of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even mites. These good microorganisms help to have a defense against the bad microorganisms which your skin will encounter.”

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Dr. Capuyoc describes it as the skin’s built-in supporting cast. “The skin’s microbiome is like the supporting cast of your skin,” she explains. “They help with mitigating inflammation, hydration, and protecting the skin.”

Together, these microbes form an invisible living shield, one that keeps your barrier strong, balanced, and less reactive.

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Why is microbiome suddenly trending?

Although it feels new in consumer skin care, the science behind the microbiome has been around for decades. What changed is the technology.

“We’ve known for a long time that there are commensal microbes on our skin,” says Dr. Pasion. “But in recent years, advances in DNA and protein sequencing have allowed us to determine which microorganisms are beneficial and which ones are not. That opened up so many things we can develop with skin care.”

Dr. Pasion adds that these microorganisms may be the “missing link” behind common skin issues. “These might be the missing link to a lot of our skin issues–barrier inflammation, skin diseases,” she says. “That’s why there’s been a lot of research and the attempt to make products with microbiome ingredients.”

In other words, we’re no longer just treating the skin, we’re supporting the world that keeps it healthy.

When the microbiome falls out of balance

Much of what we perceive as “skin problems” can be traced back to a disrupted microbiome, a state dermatologists call dysbiosis, Dr. Pasion explains. It’s not always about a single “bad” bacteria; it’s about the proportions shifting, the ecosystem tilting, and the barrier becoming more vulnerable. 

“Dysbiosis is [an] imbalance in your normal ecosystem,” says Dr. Pasion. “Let’s say in a forest, right? You have a normal population of a certain number of plants, of certain animals. If you eliminate, say, all the lions or the snakes, there’s going to be dysbiosis,” she explains further. 

In the context of the skin, “It’s not necessarily, ‘oh this bacteria is bad, let’s wipe it out for acne,’ but it’s that imbalance that becomes bad,” Dr. Pasion continues. This imbalance can heighten inflammation, weaken the barrier, and intensify conditions that many Filipinos deal with daily.

Acne, for instance, isn’t simply caused by the presence of Cutibacterium acnes. It’s what happens when it overgrows or when the surrounding environment becomes inflamed. 

Ironically, the aggressive treatments people often use may contribute to the imbalance. “If you use a lot of benzoyl peroxide, it can disrupt the balance in the microbiome,” notes Dr. Capuyoc, adding that prebiotics can help the skin recalibrate by supporting the growth of beneficial microorganisms. 

The same principle applies to chronic inflammatory conditions like eczema. “In atopic dermatitis, there’s an increased level of Staphylococcus aureus, which is a bacteria,” explains Dr. Pasion. It’s a normal bacteria found on the skin, but when it grows in excess, it can trigger various skin conditions.

In atopic dermatitis, there’s essentially a barrier defect, according to Dr. Pasion. Rosacea, on the other hand, can be influenced by shifts in skin flora, says Dr. Capuyoc. This includes mites that naturally live on the skin. 

The normal instinct is to use aggressive products to treat the skin faster, but that’s actually counterproductive. “When we use products that strip our barrier or disrupt our microbiome, we add further damage to an already existing injury,” stresses Dr. Pasion.

Across these conditions, the pattern is clear: When the microbiome is destabilized, the skin becomes more reactive, more sensitive, and more prone to flare-ups. Supporting balance, rather than attacking symptoms, helps break the cycle of irritation and recurrence.

The danger of over-cleansing and harsh routines

Today’s skin-care landscape is full of potent actives like retinol, exfoliants, niacinamide combinations. Add daily makeup, pollution, and frequent cleansing, and it’s easy to overwhelm the skin’s natural defenses.

Filipinos, in particular, are prone to over-cleansing due to heat and humidity. But as Dr. Pasion emphasizes, modern skin science suggests shifting some focus back to the surface layer—to protect what protects us.

Most of the things we do for and to our skin aren’t inherently harmful; it’s often how we use them that causes problems. Makeup itself, for instance, isn’t harmful to the microbiome, but leaving it on overnight is a common habit that can disrupt the skin’s balance.

“If you leave your makeup on, all the bacteria and oil that formed during the day just sit there, marinating your skin,” Dr. Pasion warns. Dirty sponges and expired makeup pose additional risks. “Sometimes, people don’t clean their sponges, which is [a medium for bacterial growth],” she explains. “Expired products also become [a medium for bacteria].”

Removing makeup gently, not with harsh, stripping cleansers, helps keep the microbiome intact.

The shift to microbiome-conscious skin care doesn’t ask us to overhaul routines, but it does ask us to rethink harshness, over-cleansing, and over-treatment, habits Filipinos often fall into because of heat and humidity.

How the beauty industry is adapting

The rise of skin microbiome studies is reshaping how brands formulate products. They’re now moving from “stripping and purifying” to “balancing and supporting.” Local and global players are  investing heavily in prebiotics, barrier-supporting ingredients, and gentle preservation systems.

Pond’s Skin Institute is one of the brands pioneering this shift, with its Ultra Light Biome Gel, formulated with millions of pre-biotic molecules to help balance what they call the “Beauty Biome.” It reflects the broader direction of the industry: strengthening the skin’s ecosystem rather than overwhelming it with aggressive treatments.

But Pond’s isn’t the only brand rethinking the microbiome. 

Lush, known for its fresh, preservative-conscious formulations, offers an entirely different but equally ecosystem-focused approach. Their philosophy centers on self-preserving products—formulas that stay fresh and stable without added synthetic preservatives, relying instead on natural ingredients like honey, clays, and botanical extracts. 

Many of their products, such as the self-preserving Mask of Magnaminty, use higher percentages of natural humectants and butters to maintain stability while supporting the skin’s barrier. 

The future of skin health is balance, not aggression.

Microbiome science is ultimately expanding the definition of “healthy skin.” Instead of stripping, sanitizing, and over-correcting, dermatologists are steering us toward a gentler, more biology-aligned approach.

And as research continues to deepen, one thing becomes clear: when you protect your skin’s ecosystem, everything else follows: fewer flare-ups, better barrier function, smoother texture, and a naturally healthier glow.