Microbiome: ‘first ever’ trials onto effect of cosmetics completed
Undertaken at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, the pilot research study’s results are set to be published in a forthcoming scientific paper, the company says.
Amendment: This article has been updated to reflect that JooMo does not make claims related to 'probiotic skin care'. Rather, it is a skin care brand based on skin microbiome biodiversity.
Limited detail released so far
Only very limited details have been released by JooMo ahead of the paper.
As part of these, the company states that it believes the new pilot study supports the central conclusion of its earlier 2017 study, that microbial biodiversity is the only reliable measure of skin health.
“Being able to use skin microbial biodiversity as a measure for skin health meant that we could for the first time test what it is in the environment that is damaging western skin,” explains Kit Wallen Russell, who leads the research team at JooMo.
“JooMo products were of course included in the trial – all I can say is that we are very pleased with the results.
“We believe that the data analysis supports JooMo’s existing claims about increasing skin microbial diversity and therefore improving skin health. There may even be further benefits we hadn’t previously considered.”
To undertake the research, JooMo are working in partnership with the Medical University of Graz. The collaboration is an ongoing study to determine the effects of everyday cosmetics on the skin microbiome.
Microbiome diversity through skin care
The term ‘microbiome’ refers to the collection of microbes - i.e. bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc. - that live in or on human cells.
The food industry has long been marketing ‘microbiome related’ products - yoghurts, drinks - with claims that they can balance or promote healthy gut bacteria.
Now this trend, on the back of increasing research into the diversity of the microbiome of the skin, is moving into skin care.
JooMo is one of the brands making strides with NPD and research in this area, alongside other key players like MotherDirt (launched in the US, and now expanding into Europe), and Gallinee, a French player which has just seen investment from Unilever Ventures.
