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Acne is one of the most common skin concerns of unknown etiology, often connected to the menstrual cycle in women, and possibly to the microbial profile and function.We aimed to investigate how hormonal fluctuation affects hormonal acne-prone skin in different populations in relation to skin clinical parameters and microbial profiles.We evaluated skin features by using biophysical and topographical tools. For microbial profiling, we sequenced facial skin microbiota and associated the findings with the skin clinical parameters during the different phases of the menstrual cycle.We identified differences between and within hormonal phases in women of Chinese and Caucasian origin. Changes were discovered in transepidermal water loss (TEWL), sebum level, hydration level, and pore volume. The most abundant identifiable genera in both ethnicities were Cutibacterium, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus, without any significant abundant differences within the menstrual cycle. Interestingly, 11 bacterial metabolic pathways were downregulated in Chinese compared to Caucasian skin during the follicular phase. The majority of these pathways were associated with skin redox balance, perhaps indicating a weaker oxidative stress response in Chinese versus Caucasian skin. Novosphingobium taxa were increased in the Chinese skin microbiome, which has been reported to protect skin from pollution-mediated oxidative stress.Thus, this pilot study explored some of the clinical and metagenomic changes in acne-prone skin, and provide guidance to tailor-personalized skin care regimes during the menstrual cycle. Also, the skin redox status in acne-prone skin, provides more opportunity to tailor-personalized skin care regimes.

Background The use of a skin care routine is commonly promoted by the cosmetic industry, yet there is a lack of clinical evidence to support this practice over the use of a single skin care product. Aims In the present study, we aimed at showing the clinical benefits of using a comprehensive skin care routine vs a simple one. Methods Skin micro-/macro-topographic, skin color, and superficial/deep hydration were collected at baseline and after 4 weeks of use, on forty-nine women randomly allocated to two groups. The first one followed the use of an advanced routine (AR: Cleanser/Toner/Eye cream/Serum/Day & Night cream), while the other group was instructed to use a simple routine (SR: Cleanser & Day cream). Results Hemoglobin heterogeneity was found to be significantly reduced only in the SR group. However, the AR outperformed the SR when it comes to improving superficial hydration, deep hydration, skin roughness, mean pore area, melanin heterogeneity, and crow's feet wrinkle depth. A significant increase in skin brightness from baseline was only recorded when using the AR while both routines significantly improved the nasolabial wrinkles. Conclusion These findings advocate for using a relevant daily routine as it demonstrates the visible skin benefits over a short period, while driving the creation of habits for the prevention of aging signs.