Effects of Fermented Oils on Alpha-Biodiversity and Relative Abundance of Cheek Resident Skin Microbiota

The dynamic relationship between skin microbiomes and personal care products: A comprehensive review

Healthy skin reflects a healthy microbiome and vice versa. The contemporary society, marked by a sharp increase in skin irritation cases, has compelled researchers, dermatologists, and the cosmetics industry to investigate the correlation between skin microbiomes and the use of skincare products. Different cosmetics can change skin's normal flora to a varying degree -some changes can be detrimental, there are also instances where these alterations aid in restoring the skin microbiome. Previous studies using artificial skin models, metagenomic analysis, and culture-based approaches have suggested that skincare products play an important role in skin microbial alteration. This article assessed current knowledge on microbial shifts from daily use of various personal and skincare products. We have also introduced a readily applicable framework, synthesized from various observations, which can be employed to identify the normal skin microbiome and evaluate the impact of personal care and skincare products on it. We also discussed how lifestyle choice remake skin microbial makeup. Future studies are warranted to examine the effect of personal and skincare product usage on skin microbiome across various age groups, genders, and body sites with a multi-study approach.

Vitis vinifera L. Leaf Extract, a Microbiota Green Ally against Infectious and Inflammatory Skin and Scalp Diseases: An In-Depth Update

The skin microbiota, with its millions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, plays a key role in balancing the health of the skin and scalp. Its continuous exposure to potentially harmful stressors can lead to abnormalities such as local dysbiosis, altered barrier function, pathobiont overabundance, and infections often sustained by multidrug-resistant bacteria. These factors contribute to skin impairment, deregulation of immune response, and chronic inflammation, with local and systemic consequences. In this scenario, according to the needs of the bio-circular-green economy model, novel harmless strategies, both for regulating the diverse epidermal infectious and inflammatory processes and for preserving or restoring the host skin eubiosis and barrier selectivity, are requested. Vitis vinifera L. leaves and their derived extracts are rich in plant secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory properties that can be further exploited through microbe-driven fermentation processes. On this premise, this literature review aims to provide an informative summary of the most updated evidence on their interactions with skin commensals and pathogens and on their ability to manage inflammatory conditions and restore microbial biodiversity. The emerging research showcases the potential novel beneficial ingredients for addressing various skincare concerns and advancing the cosmeceutics field as well.

Acne microbiome: From phyla to phylotypes

Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex pathogenesis. Traditionally, the primary pathophysiologic factors in acne have been thought to be: (1) altered sebum production, (2) inflammation, (3) excess keratinization and (4) colonization with the commensal Cutibacterium acnes. However, the role of C. acnes has been unclear, since virtually all adults have C. acnes on their skin yet not all develop acne. In recent years, understanding of the role of C. acnes has expanded. It is still acknowledged to have an important place in acne pathogenesis, but evidence suggests that an imbalance of individual C. acnes phylotypes and an alteration of the skin microbiome trigger acne. In addition, it is now believed that Staphylococcus epidermidis is also an actor in acne development. Together, C. acnes and S. epidermidis maintain and regulate homeostasis of the skin microbiota. Antibiotics, which have long been a staple of acne therapy, induce cutaneous dysbiosis. This finding, together with the long-standing public health edict to spare antibiotic use when possible, highlights the need for a change in acne management strategies. One fertile direction of study for new approaches involves dermocosmetic products that can support epidermal barrier function and have a positive effect on the skin microbiome.

A Novel Handrub Tablet Loaded with Pre- and Post-Biotic Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Combining Virucidal Activity and Maintenance of the Skin Barrier and Microbiome

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop a holobiont tablet with rapid dispersibility to provide regulation of the microbiota, virucidal activity, and skin barrier protection.

METHODS

A 23 factorial experiment was planned to define the best formulation for the development of the base tablet, using average weight, hardness, dimensions, swelling rate, and disintegration time as parameters to be analyzed. To produce holobiont tablets, the chosen base formulation was fabricated by direct compression of prebiotics, postbiotics, and excipients. The tablets also incorporated solid lipid nanoparticles containing postbiotics that were obtained by high-pressure homogenization and freeze-drying. The in vitro virucidal activity against alpha-coronavirus particles (CCoV-VR809) was determined in VERO cell culture. In vitro analysis, using monolayer cells and human equivalent skin, was performed by rRTq-PCR to determine the expression of interleukins 1, 6, 8, and 17, aquaporin-3, involucrin, filaggrin, FoxO3, and SIRT-1. Antioxidant activity and collagen-1 synthesis were also performed in fibroblast cells. Metagenomic analysis of the skin microbiome was determined in vivo before and after application of the holobiont tablet, during one week of continuous use, and compared to the use of alcohol gel. Samples were analyzed by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.

RESULTS

A handrub tablet with rapid dispersibility was developed for topical use and rinse off. After being defined as safe, the virucidal activity was found to be equal to or greater than that of 70% alcohol, with a reduction in interleukins and maintenance or improvement of skin barrier gene markers, in addition to the reestablishment of the skin microbiota after use.

CONCLUSIONS

The holobiont tablets were able to improve the genetic markers related to the skin barrier and also its microbiota, thereby being more favorable for use as a hand sanitizer than 70% alcohol.

Skincare potential of a sustainable postbiotic extract produced through sugarcane straw fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Postbiotics are defined as a "preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host." They can be produced by fermentation, using culture media with glucose (carbon source), and lactic acid bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus, and/or yeast, mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae as fermentative microorganisms. Postbiotics comprise different metabolites, and have important biological properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.), thus their cosmetic application should be considered. During this work, the postbiotics production was carried out by fermentation with sugarcane straw, as a source of carbon and phenolic compounds, and as a sustainable process to obtain bioactive extracts. For the production of postbiotics, a saccharification process was carried out with cellulase at 55°C for 24 h. Fermentation was performed sequentially after saccharification at 30°C, for 72 h, using S. cerevisiae. The cells-free extract was characterized regarding its composition, antioxidant activity, and skincare potential. Its use was safe at concentrations below ~20 mg mL-1 (extract's dry weight in deionized water) for keratinocytes and ~ 7.5 mg mL-1 for fibroblasts. It showed antioxidant activity, with ABTS IC50 of 1.88 mg mL-1 , and inhibited elastase and tyrosinase activities by 83.4% and 42.4%, respectively, at the maximum concentration tested (20 mg mL-1 ). In addition, it promoted the production of cytokeratin 14, and demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity at a concentration of 10 mg mL-1 . In the skin microbiota of human volunteers, the extract inhibited Cutibacterium acnes and the Malassezia genus. Shortly, postbiotics were successfully produced using sugarcane straw, and showed bioactive properties that potentiate their use in cosmetic/skincare products.

Skin Microbiota and the Cosmetic Industry

Skin harbors an important microbial ecosystem - the skin microbiota that is in homeostasis with its host and is beneficial for human health. Cosmetic products have the potential to interfere with this microbial community; therefore their impact should be assessed. The aim of this review is to highlight the importance of skin microbiota in the cosmetic industry. Several studies determined that cosmetic ingredients have the potential to disrupt the skin microbiota equilibrium leading to the development of skin diseases and dysregulation of immune response. These studies led their investigation by using different methodologies and models, concluding that methods must be chosen according to the aim of the study, the skin site to be evaluated, and the target population of the cosmetics. Overall, it is crucial to test the impact of cosmetics in the skin microbiota and to stablish standard procedures, as well as specific criteria that allow to classify a cosmetic product as skin microbiota friendly.

Oral and Topical Probiotics and Postbiotics in Skincare and Dermatological Therapy: A Concise Review

The skin microbiota is a pivotal contributor to the maintenance of skin homeostasis by protecting it from harmful pathogens and regulating the immune system. An imbalance in the skin microbiota can lead to pathological conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and acne. The balance of the skin microbiota components can be disrupted by different elements and dynamics such as changes in pH levels, exposure to environmental toxins, and the use of certain skincare products. Some research suggests that certain probiotic strains and their metabolites (postbiotics) may provide benefits such as improving the skin barrier function, reducing inflammation, and improving the appearance of acne-prone or eczema-prone skin. Consequently, in recent years probiotics and postbiotics have become a popular ingredient in skincare products. Moreover, it was demonstrated that skin health can be influenced by the skin-gut axis, and imbalances in the gut microbiome caused by poor diet, stress, or the use of antibiotics can lead to skin conditions. In this way, products that improve gut microbiota balance have been gaining attention from cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies. The present review will focus on the crosstalk between the SM and the host, and its effects on health and diseases.

Efficacy and Safety of Epidermidibacterium Keratini EPI-7 Derived Postbiotics in Skin Aging: A Prospective Clinical Study

The present study investigated the effect of topical application of Epidermidibacterium Keratini (EPI-7) ferment filtrate, which is a postbiotic product of a novel actinobacteria, on skin aging, by performing a prospective randomized split-face clinical study on Asian woman participants. The investigators measured skin biophysical parameters, including skin barrier function, elasticity, and dermal density, and revealed that the application of the EPI-7 ferment filtrate-including test product resulted in significantly higher improvements in barrier function, skin elasticity, and dermal density compared to the placebo group. This study also investigated the influence of EPI-7 ferment filtrate on skin microbiome diversity to access its potential beneficial effects and safety. EPI-7 ferment filtrate increased the abundance of commensal microbes belonging to Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Lawsonella, Clostridium, Rothia, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella. The abundance of Cutibacterium was significantly increased along with significant changes in Clostridium and Prevotella abundance. Therefore, EPI-7 postbiotics, which contain the metabolite called orotic acid, ameliorate the skin microbiota linked with the aging phenotype of the skin. This study provides preliminary evidence that postbiotic therapy may affect the signs of skin aging and microbial diversity. To confirm the positive effect of EPI-7 postbiotics and microbial interaction, additional clinical investigations and functional analyses are required.

Current postbiotics in the cosmetic market-an update and development opportunities

Postbiotics are a new class of health-promoting molecules that derive from probiotics. These new cosmetic and dermatological ingredients are defined as a 'preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit on the host'. This review focuses on what is presently known of these compounds, the benefits of using them, the main postbiotics products available in the market and players, the production key trends and available production methods. The main advantages identified for the use of postbiotics are related to their higher specificity of action on resident microbiota as of interaction with cells of the host compared to probiotics. Postbiotics can be produced/obtained especially through fermentative processes, but most of companies industrial processes are patented. Most of these compounds are usually derived from lactic acid bacteria, Lactobacillus genera and/or yeasts, especially Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Postbiotics go from metabolites like teichoic acids to polysaccharides among others and exhibit important biological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative and immunomodulatory-the reason why their use in cosmetic formulations must be considered. Besides that, when compared to probiotics, postbiotics have longer shelf life and greater safety and do not require viability in the topical formulation which turns them into an innovative approach within the cosmetic ingredients market. The main players are companies that operate in several areas, such as the chemical industry, food innovation, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, and the critical trends for production of these compounds include energy efficiency, emission-free mobility, conservation of finite resources and renewable raw material utilization. KEY POINTS: • Postbiotics are mainly derived from lactic acid bacteria and S. cerevisiae. • Postbiotics exhibit several biological properties. • Postbiotics present several advantages over probiotics.

Biological and Cosmetical Importance of Fermented Raw Materials: An Overview

The cosmetics industry is currently looking for innovative ingredients with higher bioactivity and bioavailability for the masses of natural and organic cosmetics. Bioferments are innovative ingredients extracted from natural raw materials by carrying out a fermentation process with appropriate strains of microorganisms. The review was conducted using the SciFinder database with the keywords “fermented plant”, “cosmetics”, and “fermentation”. Mainly bioferments are made from plant-based raw materials. The review covers a wide range of fermented raw materials, from waste materials (whey with beet pulp) to plant oils (F-Shiunko, F-Artemisia, F-Glycyrrhiza). The spectrum of applications for bioferments is broad and includes properties such as skin whitening, antioxidant properties (blackberry, soybean, goji berry), anti-aging (red ginseng, black ginseng, Citrus unshiu peel), hydrating, and anti-allergic (aloe vera, skimmed milk). Fermentation increases the biochemical and physiological activity of the substrate by converting high-molecular compounds into low-molecular structures, making fermented raw materials more compatible compared to unfermented raw materials.

Effect of the skincare product on facial skin microbial structure and biophysical parameters: A pilot study

Daily use of cosmetics is known to affect the skin microbiome. This study aimed to determine the bacterial community structure and skin biophysical parameters following the daily application of a skincare product on the face. Twenty-five Korean women, who used the same skincare product for four weeks participated in the study. During this period, skin hydration, texture, sebum content, and pH were measured, and skin swab samples were collected on the cheeks. The microbiota was analyzed using the MiSeq system. Through these experiments, bacterial diversity in facial skin increased and the microbial community changed after four weeks of skincare product application. The relative abundance of Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus increased, significant changes in specific bacterial modules of the skin microbial network were observed, and skin hydration and texture improved. It was suggested that daily use of skincare products could affect the microbial structure of facial skin as well as the biophysical properties of the facial skin. These findings expand our understanding of the role of skincare products on the skin environment.