Your Skin Is Reacting For A Reason

Skin sensitivity is often treated as a surface level reaction, yet it can reflect a loss of microbial diversity and function. When microbial networks lose complexity and diversity, it can disrupt the production of microbial metabolites that are essential for maintaining skin barrier integrity, and modulating immune responses. This can lead to heightened stinging, redness, and reactivity to products previously tolerated.

What we know:

Research has shown that:

• Reduced microbial diversity limits the production of beneficial metabolites (e.g. short chain fatty acids) that support barrier function, making skin more vulnerable to irritation (Prescott et al, 2017).

• Loss of microbial balance alters immune signalling pathways, increasing the likelihood of redness, stinging and inflammatory responses (Zhang et al, 2024).

• Treatments that strip or over-exfoliate the skin can extend irritation cycles, slowing recovery and increasing reactivity over time (Prescott et al, 2017).

• When microbial recovery is slow, sensitivity persists over time, meaning products that were once tolerated can suddenly trigger discomfort (Mim et al, 2024)

Industry impact and potential:

This unlocks a new approach to caring for sensitive skin:

• Products that help the skin recover and stay balanced, rather than just masking symptoms.

• Ingredients designed to work gently and gradually, based on how much the skin can tolerate.

• Cleansers and bases that don’t strip away helpful bacteria, reducing everyday irritation.

• Clear, evidence-based guidance that supports people with reactive or easily irritated skin.

Our solution:

Grounded in robust microbiome science, Sequential enables brands to develop targeted, biologically safe and resilience-focused solutions for sensitive-skin users. With a global microbiome database of over 50,000 samples, we can help you understand how sensitivity varies across different populations, environments and lifestyles. This allows us to guide you in designing formulations that genuinely support diverse skin needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

References:

Mim, M., et al. (2024). The dynamic relationship between skin microbiomes and personal care products: A comprehensive review. Heliyon, 10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34549.

Prescott, S., et al. (2017). The skin microbiome: impact of modern environments on skin ecology, barrier integrity, and systemic immune programming. The World Allergy Organization Journal, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40413-017-0160-5.

Zhang, X., et al. (2024). Microbiome: Role in Inflammatory Skin Diseases. Journal of Inflammation Research, 17, pp. 1057 - 1082. https://doi.org/10.2147/jir.s441100.