What If We Look at Our Skin and Skin Microbiome as a Garden?

Marcelline Goyen

Sep 9

5 min read

By Marcelline Goyen, BSc

Dermal Therapist, Skin-Gut Axis Specialist & Author

Published: June 29, 2026

What if we look at our skin and skin microbiome as a garden?

Imagine your skin as a garden. Not a perfectly manicured garden where every plant is the same, but a living ecosystem filled with different plants, flowers, microorganisms, moisture, nutrients and changing environmental conditions. What happens in a garden depends very much on the soil. Its pH, moisture level, nutrients and structure determine which plants can thrive. Change those conditions, and the garden changes with them. Some plants flourish, while others struggle. Certain microorganisms become more abundant, while others disappear.

The same principle applies to our skin. The skin is not simply a covering around the body. It is a living ecological environment in which bacteria, fungi, viruses and other microorganisms live together with our skin cells. Different areas of the skin provide different habitats, depending on factors such as moisture, sebum, temperature, pH and the structure of the skin barrier.

So, if the skin is our garden, what are the conditions that determine which “plants” and microorganisms can thrive there?

The garden	The skin
Soil	Skin surface and stratum corneum
Soil pH	Skin surface pH / acid mantle
Water and moisture	Skin hydration and transepidermal water balance
Nutrients in the soil	Sebum, sweat, skin lipids and other available nutrients
Plants and flowers	Different microbial species and communities
Beneficial microorganisms	Commensal skin microbiota
Weeds and unwanted organisms	Opportunistic or pathogenic microorganisms
Healthy ecosystem	Balanced skin microbiome
Damaged or disturbed soil	Disrupted skin barrier and dysbiosis

The importance of the soil

A gardener knows that simply adding more water or fertiliser does not necessarily make a garden healthier. Too little water and plants become stressed. Too much water can create an entirely different environment, allowing organisms that prefer wet conditions to thrive. Change the soil pH, and the composition of the ecosystem may change as well.

The skin works in a remarkably similar way. Healthy skin has a naturally acidic surface environment, often referred to as the acid mantle. This acidity is one of the environmental factors that helps shape the skin microbiome and influences which microorganisms can successfully live on the skin. Research has shown that changes in skin pH can influence the growth of different members of the skin microbiota, including Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus.

And this is where the garden analogy becomes particularly interesting. We would not look at a garden and say: “There are microorganisms in the soil, so we need to eliminate them.” We understand that microorganisms are part of the ecosystem. The same is true for the skin.

Not every microbe is the enemy

The bacterium Staphylococcus epidermidis, for example, is a normal and important member of the skin microbiome. It is increasingly recognised for its role in supporting skin homeostasis and contributing to defence against potential pathogens such as S. aureus.

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, on the other hand, can also be found on healthy skin, but under certain conditions it can become problematic. In inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, changes in the skin environment are associated with increased abundance of S. aureus and alterations in the microbial community.

The same principle applies to fungi. The yeast Malassezia is a normal inhabitant of human skin and is particularly well adapted to lipid-rich environments. It is not simply a “bad fungus”. Its relationship with the skin is much more complex, ranging from commensal to potentially pathogenic depending on the circumstances. So the goal is not to create a sterile garden: The goal is balance.

What feeds the garden?

A garden needs nourishment, and so does the skin. The skin surface is not a barren landscape. Sebum, sweat and skin lipids create a particular nutritional environment for microorganisms. Sebum-derived lipids are especially important in shaping the microbial communities that inhabit sebaceous areas of the skin. Some skin microorganisms can use these lipids and transform them into other biologically active molecules, creating a fascinating two-way interaction between the skin and its microbes.

This means that the skin is constantly communicating with its microbial inhabitants. The skin provides the environment, the microbes respond to that environment, and the microbes, in turn, can influence the environment. Just like in a garden.

So perhaps we should become better gardeners

We would never expect a neglected garden to remain healthy indefinitely. We remove what is damaging it, provide the right amount of water, nourish the soil, protect the plants and try not to disturb the ecosystem unnecessarily. And sometimes we make the garden too tidy—using paving, gravel, and neat paths—leaving too little room for the plants and weeds that attract and nourish insects.

Perhaps we should look at the skin in much the same way. Rather than constantly trying to “kill bacteria”, strip away oils or aggressively cleanse the skin, we can ask a different question:

What does this skin ecosystem need in order to thrive?

Is the barrier intact? Is the skin excessively dry or excessively moist? Is the pH appropriate? Are we removing too much of its natural lipid environment? Are the products we use supporting or disturbing the microbial ecosystem?

And, of course, the garden does not exist in isolation. The quality of the soil is influenced by what happens in the wider environment. In the same way, the skin does not exist independently from the rest of the body. Nutrition, metabolism, immune function, stress and the gut microbiome are all part of the much larger story of skin health.

We can take care of our garden — and, in return, our garden takes care of us

The skin microbiome is one part of that remarkable relationship. Because when we create the right conditions for our beneficial microbial community to flourish, these tiny inhabitants can help us maintain one of the body's most important protective interfaces with the outside world. And perhaps that is the simplest way to think about the skin microbiome:

Different soil

Different conditions

Different inhabitants

And, above all, balance

If you would like to explore the skin microbiome, skin barrier function and the fascinating connection between the skin, gut, immune system and the wider human microbiome in more depth, these subjects are discussed extensively in my book The Amazing World of the Skin-Gut Axis: Including the Role of the Microbiome.

⚖️ Medical Disclaimer: The information provided on this website, including articles, textbook references, and educational materials, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Marcelline Goyen, BSc | Dermal Therapist | Skin-Gut Axis Specialist | Author

Founder of www.skin-gut-axis.com

About Marcelline Goyen, BSc Marcelline Goyen, BSc is a Dermal Therapist (non-practicing), professional educator, and author specializing in the complex mechanics of the skin-gut axis. With more than two decades of clinical experience and multiple textbooks dedicated tot the topic, she focuses on translating complex science into practical education for healthcare professionals. To make her specialized knowledge more widely accessible, her expertise has culminated in the publication of two books, which have since become fundamental literature for holistic skin rehabilitation. Alongside her writing, she shares her insights globally through masterclasses and webinars. Discover more about her books and clinical vision at www.skin-gut-axis.com.