MyMicrobiome Standard 18.10-12 – Face and Body Microbiome

With an average area of 1.8 m², the skin is the largest organ in the body. If you include all the folds, sweat glands and hair follicles of the skin, the total skin surface area is about 20 m². The skin is the first point of contact between the environment and the body and acts as a physical barrier against pathogens and toxic substances. At the same time, the skin offers space for millions of bacteria, fungi and viruses: our skin microbiome. A weakened skin barrier or disturbed balance between commensal and pathogenic germs can lead to skin diseases or even diseases in other parts of the body.

The skin is divided into dry, moist and sebaceous zones.

Dry skin areas

Dry skin areas such as arms or legs are dominated by

C. tuberculostearicum
C. acnes
S. mitis
S. oralis
M. luteus
M. globosa

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

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