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For years, intimate care has relied on pH balancing as a measure of safety. However, pH alone does not protect vaginal ecosystems. Microbiome profiles differ widely between women based on hormones, ethnicity, contraceptive use, hygiene habits and life stage. Even pH-aligned products can still disrupt balance, reduce protective lactobacilli or slow recovery, leading to discomfort or recurring symptoms.   What We Know; Research highlights that: •      Vaginal microbiomes differ significantly between individuals and life stages, yet these variations can remain healthy (Condori-Catachura et al., 2025). •      Preservatives, surfactants and fragrance compounds can reduce lactobacillus dominance even when pH remains within recommended ranges (Han et al., 2021). •      Microbial recovery after disruption, particularly following antibiotic use or infection treatment, can take weeks  and with increased reoccurrence risks (Lehtoranta et al., 2020). •      “Gentle” or “pH-balanced” claims do not reliably protect against dysbiosis; true safety depends on strain-level preservation (Valeriano et al., 2024).   Industry Impact and Potential; Understanding these shifts means brands can now design products that better reflect real user needs: •      Lifecycle aligned solutions for key phases such as postpartum recovery, peri-menopause, or post-antibiotic care, where microbial disruption is most pronounced. •      More honest, evidence-based claims, moving beyond vague words like “gentle” or “pH-balanced” and focusing on real microbiome support. •      Clear guidance for users, helping people choose products that fit their unique microbiome or life stage, instead of assuming everyone needs the same thing.   Our Solution: Sequential evaluates how intimate-care products affect the vaginal microbiome in real use. Using qPCR, 16S, ITS and metagenomics, and drawing on a database of 50,000+ microbiome profiles, we measure effects on lactobacillus dominance, disruption and recovery over time. This evidence raises the standard for microbiome-safe intimate care, moving beyond pH-based claims toward solutions rooted in real biological protection.   References: Condori-Catachura, S. et al. (2025) Diversity in women and their vaginal microbiota. Trends in Microbiology, 33(11), 1163-1172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2024.12.012 Han, Yet al., 2021. Role of Vaginal Microbiota Dysbiosis in Gynecological Diseases and the Potential Interventions. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.643422 . Lehtoranta, L.,et al. (2020). Recovery of Vaginal Microbiota After Standard Treatment for Bacterial Vaginosis Infection: An Observational Study.  Microorganisms ,  8 (6), 875. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8060875 Valeriano, V., et al., 2024. Vaginal dysbiosis and the potential of vaginal microbiome-directed therapeutics. Frontiers in Microbiomes. https://doi.org/10.3389/frmbi.2024.1363089 .

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 .

The gut and skin are connected through shared metabolic, immune and microbial pathways. When the gut microbiome becomes imbalanced, it can heighten systemic inflammation, worsening visible concerns such as acne, eczema, excess oil, redness and slow healing. Likewise, when the skin barrier is compromised, this can influence gut immune tolerance and increase reactivity to foods or environmental triggers. Rather than operating separately, gut and skin act as interacting ecosystems that influence each other’s stability.   What we know: Evidence shows that gut–skin interactions are measurable and biologically meaningful: •      Gut dysbiosis correlates with inflammatory skin conditions and slower recovery trajectories, meaning people with disrupted gut microbiota often experience more persistent or recurring flare-ups (Thye et al, 2022).    •      Probiotics can help the skin, but not everyone responds in the same way (Mahmud et al, 2022). •      Compounds produced in the gut can impact the skin’s oil levels, moisture, inflammation and repair processes (Jimenez-Sanchez, et al, 2025).   Industry impact and potential: Understanding the gut–skin connection gives brands an opportunity to move beyond surface-only products and address internal factors that influence skin balance. This enables more integrated inside–out solutions, rather than isolated topical treatments. This creates new possibilities such as: •      Paired ingestible-and-topical routines where supplements complement barrier-supportive skincare •      Bioactives that target internal flare triggers, such as probiotics or postbiotics used alongside barrier supportive skincare.   •      Timed product cycles   for specific skin stages, including barrier reset, seasonal dryness support, or dedicated acne management stages .   Our solution: Sequential enables brands to understand the gut-skin connection through real-world testing. Using cutting edge research techniques, we can track how changes in gut microbial composition translate into measurable shifts in skin outcomes. Using our global database of over 50,000 microbiome profiles, we are able to explore who responds, who doesn’t, and why. This insight sets a new standard for microbiome-informed skincare, moving beyond surface-only approaches and toward solutions grounded in the biology of the whole system.   References Jimenez-Sanchez, M., et al. (2025) The gut-skin axis: a bi-directional, microbiota-driven relationship with therapeutic potential.   https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2025.2473524 Mahmud , M. R., et al. (2022) Impact of gut microbiome on skin health: gut-skin axis observed through the lenses of therapeutics and skin diseases.   https://doi.org/10.1080/19490976.2022.2096995 Thye, A. Y-K., et al. (2022) Gut–Skin Axis: Unravelling the Connection between the Gut Microbiome and Psoriasis. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10051037

< Back Sales Associate (NYC Based) New York, NY, USA Job Type Full-time Workspace Hybrid About the Role As a Sales Associate at Sequential, you will be essential in building relationships and expanding our reach within the personal care and dermocosmetic industry. Your role will involve supporting business development efforts, assisting in sales strategy execution, and helping grow market share for Sequential’s innovative products and services. You will work closely with the Commercial Director and team to meet sales goals, develop client relationships, and contribute to Sequential’s mission of advancing microbiome science. This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious sales professional to gain hands-on experience and make a tangible impact in a rapidly growing biotech field. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Sales Support and Development: Assist in the identification and acquisition of new customer accounts, supporting the growth of Sequential’s client base. Client Relationship Building: Cultivate relationships with existing and prospective clients, focusing on understanding their needs and promoting Sequential’s unique offerings. Market Research: Conduct ongoing research to stay informed on industry trends and competitor activity, providing valuable insights for sales strategies. CRM and Data Management: Maintain accurate records in our CRM (HubSpot), tracking interactions, progress, and key performance indicators. Sales Target Achievement: Work towards defined sales goals, contributing to Sequential’s revenue targets and growth ambitions. Collaborative Efforts: Work closely with marketing, product, and operations teams to align efforts and ensure a seamless customer experience. Product Knowledge Development: Stay up-to-date on Sequential’s product offerings and the latest microbiome research to effectively communicate value to clients. Qualifications and Experience: 1-2 years of sales experience, ideally within the biotechnology, cosmetics, or life sciences fields. Familiarity with CRM systems, preferably HubSpot, and the ability to manage data with accuracy. Strong written and verbal communication skills with a passion for client interaction and customer service. Tech-savvy and eager to leverage technology to enhance sales effectiveness. Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Business, or a related field preferred; demonstrated interest in microbiome or biotechnology is a plus. Motivated self-starter with a goal-oriented mindset and excellent organizational skills. Ability to work collaboratively and adapt in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. What You Get from Us: A base salary with a commission structure that rewards your hard work and success. Access to our Equity Incentive Plan, allowing you to grow alongside Sequential as we expand. The chance to work with industry experts in one of the fastest-growing sectors within biotechnology. Be part of a company at the forefront of microbiome research, making an impact in the personal care and dermocosmetic fields. About the Company Sequential is a global leader in the skin microbiome field, a team of PhD experts in testing products and their effect on the human microbiome (skin, scalp, oral, vulva). An Innovate UK- and Enterprise Singapore-backed company, with labs in London, New York City and Singapore. Awarded the title "Most Significant" Testing Solution in the Industry - (C&T, 2022). To date, Sequential has amassed over 25,000 human skin microbiome samples and corresponding formulations tested in vivo on the skin. With this vast genomic dataset, Sequential are figuring out optimal formulations that could potentially alleviate skin conditions, for example – acne, atopic dermatitis and rosacea. They have been supported by Innovate UK, Enterprise SG, A*STAR (Genome Institute of Singapore). They have raised $5MM USD to date from SOSV, Metaplanet, Scrum Ventures, Corundum Systems Biology and are a resident company of JLABS Innovation (in NYC). Apply Now

Sequential is honoured to be spoken and written about in numerous publications. We are always keen to speak about the great milestones we are hitting with our personal care microbiome testing platform. Sequential in the Press Science-led minimalism shapes future sustainable skin care 13-Jan-2026 Read Now Beautiful Bacteria: Are We On The Cusp Of Microbiome Mainstreaming? 28-Sep-2025 Read Now Sequential Skin and AMILI Secure $1.8M UK-Singapore Grant to Advance Gut-Skin Microbiome Science 14-Feb-2025 Read Now 50694 Gut microbiome differences between patients with moderate to severe Chronic Hand Eczema and healthy subjects Sep-2024 Read Now Is Microbiome Certification even Necessary? 29-Jul-2024 Read Now ‘It’s a really delicate system’: Research on vaginal microbiome shows how little we know about femcare 22-Jan-2024 Read Now Gallinée lance le premier test de santé de la peau et du microbiome à réaliser chez soi 10-Oct-2023 Read Now Lysine-dendrimer: a gentle yet effective acne treatment that maintains skin microbiome, says study 18-Aug-2023 Read Now Acne and ageing: J&J exploring skin health markers via Sequential Skin research tie-up 15-Mar-2023 Read Now Sequential Skin x Johnson & Johnson Collab to Quantify Skin Health 14-Mar-2023 Read Now Understand before purchase: Microbiome testing can help consumers find the right products and eliminate waste 30-Jan-2023 Read Now Sequential Wins New Grant To Propel Skin Microbiome Research 30-Jun-2022 Read Now Sequential Skin launches test to assess ingredient effect on microbiome 22-Mar-2022 Read Now Microbiome start-up Sequential Bio debuts first in-vivo testing for personal care industry 04-Mar-2022 Read Now Sequential Skin Raises $1.6M in Oversubscribed Seed Round 12-Oct-2021 Read Now The skin microbiome brainstorm: Tech, claims and trend-driven NPD 16-Sep-2021 Read Now Skin Sensors Enable Personalized Skin Care 20-Aug-2020 Read Now Sequential Skin: beauty tech’s new approach to genetic analysis and microbiome skincare 09-Mar-2020 Read Now How genetic insights can personalise skin microbiome launches 29-Jul-2019 Read Now Deep dive into Radiance Evaluation 9-Oct-2025 Read Now Men’s care shifts toward function-first to address skin needs beyond the basics 16-Sep-2025 Read Now Sequential and AMILI secure $1.8M UK-Singapore R&D project to advance gut-skin microbiome science 13-Feb-2025 Read Now New clinical testing to “investigate microbial roots of various skin conditions” 17-Oct-2024 Read Now Losing its meaning? ‘Microbiome-friendly’ terms at risk of misleading consumers – Sequential CEO 29-Jul-2024 Read Now Navigating the realm of intimate care products 17-Jan-2024 Read Now Avec ce test microbiome maison, 10 secondes m'ont suffit pour découvrir les besoins de ma peau 04-Oct-2023 Read Now Lysine-Dendrimer, a New Non-Aggressive Solution to Rebalance the Microbiota of Acne-Prone Skin 3-Aug-2023 Read Now Sequential Announces New Collaboration Agreement to Measure Skin Health for Leading Developer of Personal Care Products 15-Mar-2023 Read Now Sequential Skin partners with Johnson & Johnson on microbiome tests 10-Mar-2023 Read Now Symbiome Partners with Skin Microbiome Testing experts at Sequential to Revolutionize Beauty Industry 26-Jan-2023 Read Now Sequential Skin Nabs $500K UK Grant to Study Skin Microbiome in Atopic Dermatitis 29-Jun-2022 Read Now Demands rising for clinical data on the skin microbiome: Experts 22-Mar-2022 Read Now ‘Maintaining the microbiome’: Biotech startup Sequential Skin debuts in vivo B2B testing service 03-Mar-2022 Read Now Start-up Sequential Skin bags $1.65m of fresh funding 12-Oct-2021 Read Now Singapore Beauty Startup Sequential Skin Uses Science to Help Identify the Best Skincare For You 07-Jan-2021 Read Now Overlooked opportunities? Skin microbiome may play a more important role in personalisation than DNA 13-Aug-2020 Read Now Sequential tool kit prioritises personalisation 15-Jan-2020 Read Now Sequential: Testing shows skin microbiome plays a role in hyperpigmentation 7-Oct-2025 Read Now The bidirectional skin-gut microbiome: a game-changer for cosmetic formulators 29-Jul-2025 Read Now Sequential and AMILI Secure Prestigious $1.8M UK-Singapore Collaborative R&D Project 13-Feb-2025 Read Now Sequential Launches Industry-First Microbiome Target Panels for Skin Conditions 16-Oct-2024 Read Now From the experts: Top 3 trends in skin microbiome research 20-Jun-2024 Read Now Is Home-Based Skin Microbiome Testing Transforming Beauty and Health Care Industry? 7-Dec-2023 Read Now “Hormone-led changes cause differences to the vaginal ecology that can have an effect on women’s health later in life.” CEO of Sequential 13-Sep-2023 Read Now Sequential and Johnson & Johnson enter partnership to develop new genomic-based skin test 16-Mar-2023 Read Now Sequential Announces New Collaboration Agreement to Quantify Skin Health 15-Mar-2023 Read Now ‘Natural evolution’: Gallinée unveils at-home skin microbiome test kits with Sequential Skin 09-Mar-2023 Read Now Here They Are: Congratulations to the Winners of the 2022 C&T Allēs 29-Sep-2022 Read Now Sequential Skin: Why We Invested 11-Apr-2022 Read Now Sequential Skin Debuts Sequential Bio Testing Solution 09-Mar-2022 Read Now Biotech Start-Up Sequential Skin Raises Funds 10-Dec-2021 Read Now Biotech startup Sequential Skin raises €1.4m – ‘We want to accelerate the future of skin health,’ says CEO 11-Oct-2021 Read Now PODCAST – Holistic view on skin: Sequential Skin on why microbiome testing is crucial to personalised beauty 21-Aug-2020 Read Now Beauté personnalisée: Sequential Skin la Beauty Tech made in Singapore 07-Jul-2020 Read Now GWS 2019 DAY 2 Beauty, Science & Technology: Skin in the Game 25-Nov-2019 Read Now

Throughout the year, Sequential has the pleasure of going to various conferences and trade shows where we talk all things microbiome testing and clinical studies. Don't miss us when we're in your city next! Connect With Us At Conferences At Sequential, we believe in the power of personal connections and the exchange of ideas to foster innovation and growth. As we actively participate in various conferences and industry events, we invite you to be a part of these enriching experiences. Explore the opportunities to engage with our team, discover the latest industry trends, and strengthen the bonds that drive mutual success. Join us at conferences to connect, learn, and pave the way for future collaborations. Where we will be in 2026 2-4 March Cambridge, United Kingdom 18-19 March Copenhagen, Denmark 14-16 April Paris, France 19-20 May New York City, USA 14 July Liverpool, United Kingdom 28 September - 1 October Perth, Australia 10-11 November Coventry, United Kingdom Microbiome Interactions in Health and Disease Our CEO & Co-founder, Dr. Oliver Worsley, will have the pleasure of attending this year. Microbiome Times Partnering Forum We are incredibly excited to be part of this forum, where we get to discuss with experts in the industry. In-cosmetics Global Have the pleasure of exhibiting and presenting at In-cosmetics Global. Come visit us at Booth (1A64) and listen to our CEO & Co-founder, Dr. Oliver Worsley, speak on “Advancing Personal Care Claims with integrated Human and Microbiome Data” on 14th April, Theatre 3 – 15.05 - 15.35. NYSCC Supplier's Day We are back at New York Supplier’s Day! (Booth information TBA) SCS Conference We will be attending the SCS Conference and look forward to connecting with industry peers. IFSCC Congress We are pleased to be attending the IFSCC Congress, engaging with the global cosmetics science community. SCS Formulate Visit us at Booth (600) at this year’s SCS Formulate to learn more about our work and speak with the team. Connect with us on Socials!