Behind every glowing complexion is a hidden ecosystem working tirelessly to protect and restore your skin: your skin microbiome. Composed of millions of beneficial microbes, this living layer is crucial for healthy, resilient skin — but only if we nourish it correctly.
As it turns out, one of the best ways to support these microscopic allies is also one of the most natural: plant oils. Used both inside and out, the right oils can dramatically improve skin health by feeding the microbes that guard against inflammation, dryness, and premature ageing.
Healthy skin and a balanced microbiome are deeply intertwined. Your skin provides a home and food source for microbes, while those microbes help regulate inflammation, maintain hydration, and reinforce the skin barrier.
But not all skin environments are equal. Microbial diversity and stability vary depending on moisture and oil levels. For instance, oily areas of the skin - known as sebaceous sites - tend to foster a more stable, beneficial microbial community.
In contrast, dry skin areas can become unstable, vulnerable to unwanted bacteria, and more prone to irritation.
Why Dry Skin Disrupts Microbial Balance
When skin becomes dry - whether due to weather, over-cleansing, or hormonal changes - it not only loses moisture but also alters its microbial composition. Beneficial, oil-loving microbes decline, making room for more opportunistic, potentially inflammatory strains. This shift can contribute to common skin issues like sensitivity, itchiness, or eczema flare-ups.
Notably, post-menopausal skin tends to be drier due to lower sebum production. Research confirms that after menopause, there is a noticeable drop in lipid-loving microbes on the skin and a spike in microbial diversity that may reflect a state of imbalance, or microbiome dysbiosis.
Why Plant Oils Are the Answer
To re-establish balance and strengthen your skin's resilience, it helps to nourish the microbiome directly - and few tools are as effective as nutrient-dense plant oils.
Applied Topically:
Facial oils rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs), vitamins, and antioxidants help to:
Products like The Graces Nourishing Oil and Soothing Oil offer expertly blended formulations containing oils such as jojoba, rosehip, tamanu, and raspberry seed - each chosen for their ability to soothe, hydrate, and foster microbiome-friendly conditions.
Taken Internally:
The Bestow Beauty Plus Oil is another essential tool in this holistic approach. By delivering omega-rich seed oils through your diet, it supports sebum production, reduces inflammation, and improves the lipid composition of the skin from within - providing long-term nourishment that your microbiome can thrive on.
Hormonal changes during menopause significantly reduce oil production in the skin, shifting the microbial balance. While many skincare routines focus solely on symptom relief, moisturising dryness or calming inflammation, these surface-level strategies don’t address the deeper biological changes at play.
Supporting skin health during and after menopause means rebuilding the skin’s natural oil reservoir and feeding beneficial microbes that protect against accelerated ageing and irritation.
Microbiome Support = Skin Longevity
Think of your skin microbiome as a miniature rainforest — it thrives in balance and with the right nourishment. Starve it, and your skin becomes vulnerable. Feed it well, and it rewards you with clarity, calmness, and youthful vitality.
Incorporating therapeutic oils internally and externally is a science-backed, nature-aligned way to:
Final Takeaway
While we’ve long known the benefits of plant oils for softening and moisturising the skin, we now understand their role goes much deeper. They support the very microbes that protect and preserve our skin as we age.
So, whether you're sipping on a smoothie enriched with Beauty Plus Oil or gently massaging in a few drops of The Graces Nourishing Oil, know that you're doing more than pampering your skin — you’re feeding a microscopic army working behind the scenes to keep your skin strong, radiant, and beautifully balanced.