New research: ‘first ever’ mechanism for determining if skin is prone to cosmetics allergies

JooMo, a brand keen to be at the forefront of the potential of skin microbiota, is behind new research that proposes a mechanism for working out if skin is prone to allergies or disease.

The peer reviewed study published in ‘Cosmetics’ journal, was authored by the brand’s co-founders Sam and Kit, scientists, and titled; ‘Meta Analysis of Skin Microbiome: New Link between Skin Microbiota Diversity and Skin Health with Proposal to Use This as a Future Mechanism to Determine Whether Cosmetic Products Damage the Skin’.

“The significance of this research is that finally there is a tool available that can prove whether everyday cosmetics really are – as many have suspected – the main cause of the skin allergy epidemic in the western world,” the company claims.

CosmeticsDesign recently published a short overview to the potential of the skin microbiome for the industry, which can be read here.

Science of the study

The authors explain that their research shows that healthy ecosystems appear to display a higher diversity of species when compared with unhealthy or damaged ones.

Biodiversity is the key indicator of good health, they assert, and suggest a link between this and how our skin too must have a minimum level of bacterial biodiversity present at all times in order to thrive.

Their new skin health prediction tool proposed in the paper will be used to roll out further clinical studies to test the damage common cosmetics do to the skin,” JooMo says in a statement.

Give skin bacteria

The brand suggests the study offers evidence to support the idea that reduced bacterial diversity on the skin could be a culprit behind higher numbers of people suffering from skin allergies.

They suggest skin care products that encourage the skin’s natural bacterial diversity would be a step forward, proposing “the reintroduction of species diversity to the skin through products which enhance and recreate its natural environment – just like in the gut, where a better diet encourages the growth of a wider diversity of microbes.”  Further study into this area is likely to continue within the industry.