Dry skin areas such as arms or legs are dominated by
- C. tuberculostearicum
- C. acnes
- S. mitis
- S. oralis
- M. luteus
- M. globosa
The skin is divided into dry, moist and sebaceous zones.
Dry skin areas
Moist skin areas
Moist skin areas such as the navel, armpits or soles of the feet are mainly populated by
- C. tuberculostearicum
- C. simulans
- S. epidermidis
- S. capitis
- S. hominis
- C. acnes
- M. globosa
Sebaceous skin areas
On sebaceous areas such as the forehead, nose or back a healthy, balanced skin microbiome is predominantly populated by
- C. acnes
- S. epidermidis
- S. capitis
- S. hominis
- S. mitis
- C. simulans
- M. globosa
For this reason, different key microbes are cultivated and exposed to the product for the MyMicrobiome Standards 18.10-12, depending on the area of application of the product to be tested.
The test criteria
The product goes through four test runs as part of the "Microbiome-friendly" certification.
1. Quality test
This test ensures the greatest possible microbiological purity of the product. The personal care product is tested for contamination by mesophiles and aerobic microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, molds (TAMC and TYMC)). The limit is ≤ 1 x 103 cfu/g or ml.
2. Balance test
The balance between the most common skin germ S. epidermidis and the harmful germ S. aureus should not be disturbed by the product. A co-culture with both germs is mixed with the product for a certain time and then the ratio of the two microbes is compared with the untreated control group. This must not change in favor of S. aureus under the influence of the personal care product.
3. Diversity test
The microbes typical of the face and body are cultured for dry, moist or oily skin. A co-culture of all germs is mixed with the product to be tested and the change in diversity is compared with the untreated control group. The diversity of the skin microbiome must be preserved with regard to the most important key microbes.
4. Vitality test
A Microbiome-friendly product for the face or body should not only preserve diversity, but also not be detrimental to the growth of microbes. In a test-model skin contact is simulated. Here, each key bacterium is directly exposed to the product. In another approach, the bacteria are covered with an agar layer and the product to be tested is placed on this layer. This simulates the potential penetration of the product into deeper layers of the skin. The microbial growth of the two batches is compared to the untreated control group. The growth must not be significantly inhibited.
Standard 18.10 for soaps*
Alkaline soaps are generally less Microbiome-friendly, as they are intended to cleanse the skin as effectively as possible. So that consumers can still distinguish between Microbiome-gentle and aggressive soaps, we have adapted the test criteria for soaps. Standard 18.10 Soap consists of the following three tests:
1. Quality test
This test ensures the greatest possible microbiological purity of the product. The personal care product is tested for contamination by mesophiles and aerobic microorganisms (bacteria, yeasts, molds (TAMC and TYMC)). The limit is ≤ 1 x 103 cfu/g or ml.
2. Diversity test
The microbes typical of the face and body are cultured for dry, moist or oily skin. A co-culture of all germs is mixed with the product to be tested and the change in diversity is compared with the untreated control group. The diversity of the skin microbiome must be preserved with regard to the most important key microbes.
3. Vitality test
A Microbiome-friendly product for the face or body should not only preserve diversity, but also not be detrimental to the growth of microbes. In a test-model skin contact is simulated. Here, each key bacterium is directly exposed to the product. In another approach, the bacteria are covered with an agar layer and the product to be tested is placed on this layer. This simulates the potential penetration of the product into deeper layers of the skin. The microbial growth of the two batches is compared to the untreated control group. The growth must not be significantly inhibited.
*The modified standard is identified by the addition of "Soap" to the seal.
"With these strict and clearly defined criteria, MyMicrobiome guarantees security, traceability and comparability of the results. For the customer, the 18.10-12 standards guarantee a Microbiome-friendly product for face and body. For the manufacturer, the MyMicrobiome quality seal on the product entails a clear competitive advantage."
Dr. Kristin Neumann, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer
All standards at a glance
A selection of our customers / awards
Numerous brands in the cosmetics industry, with over 1.000 tested products, place their trust in our seal:
