Mary Kay Inc. announced a new partnership with Dr. Jack Gilbert, professor of pediatrics at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and professor of microbial oceanography at UC San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as it studies the skin’s microbiome. Through this collaboration, Mary Kay hopes to explore how microbial shifts influence skin attributes.
Dr. Gilbert recently became co-director of the Microbiome and Metagenomics Center at UC San Diego, part of the National Institutes of Health’s $175 million Nutrition for Precision Health program. Research is already making clear that human skin, like the gut, has its own complex ecosystem of bacteria and microorganisms. There is little known, however, about what factors contribute to the variation in bacterial communities and their impact on the aging process.
“Understanding how our normal aging process influences microbiota of the skin may provide startling new discoveries that shape the future in designing cosmetic products,” said Dr. Lucy Gildea, Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science at Mary Kay Inc. “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Dr. Gilbert to better understand the impact of the microbiome in overall skin health.”
