The Hidden Stress Of City Skin

City living exposes skin to constant, invisible stress such as pollutants, heavy metals and airborne microbes. This exposure changes the behaviour of the skin in terms of 1) how well it tolerates ingredients, 2) how quickly irritation appears, and 3) how long recovery takes after disruption. These changes are not just theoretical, research consistently shows measurable biological differences in pollution-exposed skin.

What We Know:

Research demonstrates that continuous pollution exposure leads to measurable biological changes:

•      Pollution alters microbial structure, reducing protective commensal species and favouring opportunistic organisms, leading to less stable microbial communities and increased reactivity (Yan et al, 2025).

•      Airborne particulate matter drives lipid oxidation, producing inflammatory lipid metabolites that contribute to dullness and uneven tone, while also altering ingredient absorption and sensory feel (Araviiskaia, et al., 2019).

•      Heavy metals disrupt immune signalling, prolonging recovery cycles and delaying restoration of hydration, transepidermal water loss and microbiome diversity after irritation or exfoliation (Misra, et al., 2021).

Industry Impact and Potential:

This presents a great opportunity for brands to create produces which genuinely respond to urban skin stress, such as:

•      Cleansers that remove pollutants without stripping beneficial microbes.

•      Repair serums that protect lipids both dryness and oxidation.

•      Ingredient combinations designed to reduce irritation and better support the skin barrier.

•      Region-specific formulations tailored to pollution levels, humidity or season.

Our Solution:

At Sequential we can quantify how pollution exposure alters microbial behaviour, lipid balance and recovery timelines using real-world testing. Through sequencing, biomarker profiling and multi-omic analysis, we can support you to compare urban vs non-urban responses, identifying disruption risks and resilience markers. With a global database of 50,000+ profiles across diverse climates and skin types, we help brands validate microbiome-safe formulations and turn environmental claims into measurable, defensible outcomes grounded in biological evidence.

References:

Araviiskaia, E., et al. (2019). The impact of airborne pollution on skin. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 33, pp. 1496 - 1505. https://doi.org/10.1111/jdv.15583.

Misra, N., et al. (2021). Multi-omics analysis to decipher the molecular link between chronic exposure to pollution and human skin dysfunction. Scientific Reports, 11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97572-1.

Yan, D., et al. (2025). Particulate matter pollution alters the bacterial community structure on the human skin with enriching the Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas.. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety, 294, pp. 118061 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2025.118061.