Glow-up from the gut: your 4 steps to clearer skin

If you want to learn more about the gut-skin connection, you’ve come to the right place! Your skin’s health is deeply influenced by what’s happening inside your body, especially your gut. Understanding this powerful relationship can unlock new ways to support your skin from within and achieve lasting results.

So let’s get cracking!

Your many microbiomes

Your body isn’t just yours – it’s home to trillions of microbes. Crazy fact, you are composed of more bacterial cells than human cells, 10 times more, to be precise!¹ While your gut microbiome often gets the spotlight, your skin is also home to its own vibrant and diverse community of bacteria, fungi and viruses that play a role in keeping it healthy, resilient, hydrated, protected and radiant. Your skin is also the largest organ in your body- it’s your first line of defence against external intruders and one of the body’s key elimination and detoxification pathways. That’s why it’s essential to support healing not just from the outside, but also from the inside out.²³

Your skin also has a microbiome, and it matters!

On every square centimetre of your skin, there are anywhere from tens of thousands to up to a million bacteria.⁴ The second most dense and diverse microbiome after your gut⁵ – which is surprising, given the skin’s dry, inhospitable, and often hostile environment – especially when compared to other, more protected areas of your body. It’s constantly exposed to external pressures, and skin bacteria have evolved and adapted over millions of years. This co-evolution has provided us with many benefits!

Different areas of your skin host unique colonies of microorganisms (including bacteria) adapted to those environments. For example, your scalp and hairline are often dominated by Malassezia fungi, Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, which help maintain scalp health and keep dandruff at bay.⁶ The oily areas around your cheeks, nose, forehead, chest and back are rich Cutibacterium acnes, known for its role in skin health and acne.⁷ Your armpits provide a warm, moist environment perfect for Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus species, which can influence body odour.⁸ Meanwhile, the skin between your toes is home to a variety of microbes, including Micrococcus and Brevibacterium, some of which are responsible for foot odour (Yes, that cheesy smell!).⁹

Think of your body as a planet, with each skin region forming a distinct landscape – like a rainforest, desert, or wetland – each hosting its own specialised microbial ecosystem. Each delicate microbial community maintains balance, protects you against pathogens (nasty organisms – viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites) and regulates inflammation. Together, your gut and skin microbiome form a powerful gut-skin axis, a communication highway that links digestive health with skin function, helping them train your immune system.¹⁰ This may explain why individuals with a more diverse range of skin microbes tend to experience fewer allergic reactions.¹¹

The gut-skin axis: a two-way street

As humans, we make excellent hosts – offering these tiny microbes a place to live and the nutrients they need, including fibres (a.k.a prebiotics) that help them thrive. In return, they produce beneficial substances called postbiotics, which keep us healthy. This win-win situation is what we call a symbiotic relationship.

Postbiotics are incredibly important for whole-body health, including skin health. Some of the most well-known and well-studied postbiotics are your short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) – including butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These powerful molecules help regulate immune activity, reduce systemic inflammation, and strengthen the skin barrier, preventing dryness, irritation and flare-ups of conditions like eczema, acne or psoriasis.¹²

But that’s not all – gut microbes also influence skin health by supporting nutrient absorption (like zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3s) essential for skin repair and glow.¹³ Your microbes can also help maintain hormonal balance, which plays a big role in skin conditions like acne.¹⁴

So, the takeaway? A gut rich in fibre-loving, friendly microbes = calmer, clearer, and happier skin.

When things go wrong: gut and skin imbalance

There is plenty of research showing how the health of your gut microbiome can significantly influence your skin. When your gut is out of balance – a state known as dysbiosis – it can lead to increased systemic inflammation, often showing up on your skin as acne, eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dryness, itchiness or dullness.¹⁵ Disruption in either your gut or skin microbiome can throw your whole system off. In fact, emerging research shows that skin damage (like wounds, infections or sunburns) can also impact your gut health – this is the two-way street of the skin-gut axis, or what scientists term the bidirectional communication between these two key organs.¹⁶¹⁷

Skin issues and inflammation often point to a deeper internal imbalance. Improving your gut and skin microbiome can lead to noticeable changes in skin health.

Are your gut and skin microbiomes struggling?

So, what is your skin trying to tell you about your gut, or vice versa, what is your gut trying to tell you about your skin?

Common symptoms of gut dysbiosis:

Irregular digestion – bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhoea or cramping
Food intolerances
Fatigue, low energy and mood changes
Joint pain and inflammation
Skin issues, including acne, eczema and psoriasis

Signs of a compromised skin barrier:

Dry, tight, flaky and/or itchy skin
Redness, sensitivity, or stinging (especially when applying products)
Breakouts, inflammation, swelling and tenderness
Fine lines, wrinkles and dullness
Increased susceptibility to infections or slow wound healing

Chronic breakouts, inflammation, or redness might be your body’s way of signalling that your gut need attention. If you’re seeing both digestive and skin complaints, it may be time to examine your microbiome – and how you can help it thrive.

How to restore balance

Step 1: Test your microbiome

Understanding what’s happening in your gut gives you the insight to make informed changes. Our Microbiome Test Kit helps identify imbalances and guide your healing journey. We examine seven key areas: bacterial diversity, probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics (SCFAs), pathogens, mental wellness, and systemic wellness.

Step 2: Follow the gut health protocol

With the support of our Nutritional Therapists in a 30-minute consultation, you’ll obtain a personalised action plan based on your results. This will mainly focus on our Gut Health Protocol, which includes our kefir, prebiotic fibres from a diverse diet, and our Complete Prebiotic blend, as well as any additional targeted evidence-based suggestions. We aim to boost beneficial bacteria, improving both gut and skin health.

Step 3: Feed your skin’s microbiome

Protect your skin’s natural barrier by choosing gentle, microbiome-friendly skincare. Avoid harsh cleansers, chemicals, antibacterials, and over-exfoliation that can strip your natural skin barrier and disrupt your skin’s delicate microbial balance. Look for nourishing ingredients like ceramides, squalene, niacinamide, and glycerin to help repair and strengthen your skin.

Our skincare range, enriched with probiotic kefir and prebiotics, works harmoniously with our Gut Health Protocol to restore beneficial bacteria and promote a healthy, glowing complexion. We offer specialised products tailored to different skin concerns – if you need help finding the perfect one for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Step 4: Prioritise mental wellness to support the gut-skin axis

Stress is a major disruptor of the gut-skin axis, negatively affecting both your gut microbiome and skin health. Managing stress and improving mental wellness through mindfulness, adequate sleep, and relaxation techniques is essential for restoring balance. Consider incorporating calming herbs like Ashwagandha, known for its adaptogenic properties that help regulate the body’s stress response. We make our own Ashwagandha tincture, check it out! Supporting your mental wellness soothes your mind and strengthens your gut and skin.

To keep your inner and outer ecosystems thriving, find a consistent routine that works for you and avoid unnecessary stress – including overdoing skincare! Keep it simple.

Your skin speaks – are you listening? Think of your skin as a mirror, reflecting what’s going on inside your body. By supporting your gut and respecting your skin’s natural microbiome, you’re not just chasing clearer skin – you’re working toward whole-body health.

Check out Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): the hidden gut compounds that support skin health.

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via live chat, weekdays from 8 am to 8 pm.