The Skin Microbiome & Face Oils: How Nature Helps Balance Your Skin

I’ve spent most of my 20 year career as an esthetician teaching people that healthy skin begins with balance, but for a long time, we didn’t have the language for what that truly meant. Then came the research on the skin microbiome, and suddenly everything made a lot more sense. Our skin isn’t just a surface, it’s an entire ecosystem that needs to work together to stay healthy. It’s home to trillions of beneficial microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, even tiny (cover your ears) mites, all living in harmony when things are going well. When they’re disrupted, though, you see it: irritation, redness, breakouts, sensitivity, dryness.

As a holistic esthetician, I’ve seen firsthand how easily we disturb this ecosystem. Over-cleansing, using harsh exfoliants, or overloading the skin with synthetic actives can strip away the very microbes designed to protect it. What we call “skin issues” are often really signs of imbalance. The skin will do everything it can to recalibrate its flora and function, and it will send you signals in the form of visible distress to try to communicate this to you. I'm here to help you decipher those signals and bring your skin (and your skin microbiome) back into balance.

That’s where all of our Betsy Botanicals products come to the rescue. All of our face oils are made from pure, organic, unrefined botanicals. Oils may not contain probiotics themselves, but they create the conditions in which your microbiome can thrive. By restoring the lipid barrier, they give your skin the calm, stable environment it needs to rebuild its natural defenses. It’s like tending to the soil before expecting the garden to grow.

When I simplified my skincare routine after having my baby, I noticed how dramatically my skin changed once I stopped over-cleansing and started oil cleansing instead. Using nutrient-dense oils like jojoba and baobab helped to rebalance my skin’s natural environment. And despite what I was expecting, my problem breakouts actually improved. No more tightness after cleansing, no redness in the morning, just calm, clear skin. These oils don’t disrupt the microbiome; they feed it.

Jojoba, for instance, mimics our skin’s natural sebum almost perfectly. It signals to the body that there’s no need to overproduce oil, which naturally regulates bacterial activity. Rosehip seed oil, with its essential fatty acids and gentle vitamin A, supports cellular renewal while soothing inflammation that can throw the microbiome off balance. Plum seed oil adds polyphenols and vitamin E, offering antioxidant support that protects beneficial microbes from oxidative stress, something few people realize affects skin flora as much as sun or pollution.

The healthier your skin barrier is, the happier your microbiome becomes. And when those two are in sync, your complexion takes on that effortless, almost “lit from within” calm that no amount of foundation can fake. This is the true foundation of radiant skin, not constant correction, but total cooperation.

At Betsy Botanicals, we formulate every oil and balm with that philosophy in mind: protect the barrier, feed the flora, and let the skin do what it’s designed to do, heal, renew, repair, and glow. Our Whipped Tallow Balm, rich in argan oil, helps seal in hydration and provides the lipids your microbes love. Our Cleansing Oil, made with jojoba and baobab, gently clears away debris while leaving your skin’s ecosystem intact. Together, they work in harmony with your natural flora instead of fighting against it.

It’s tempting to think of skincare as a battle, fighting acne, fighting aging, fighting oil. But when you begin to understand the skin microbiome, it changes everything. You stop fighting and start nurturing. You realize your skin isn’t the enemy; it’s an ecosystem waiting to be supported.

In the end, healthy skin doesn’t come from stripping it bare or sterilizing it clean. It comes from partnership, from nourishing your microbiome with ingredients that respect its balance and integrity. Every drop of oil, every mindful cleanse, every night of rest gives your skin the same message: You’re safe here. And that’s when it can really start to shine.