Introduction to Microbiology for Cosmetics Care Professionals

Course Overview

The SCC is excited to offer its new course Introduction to Microbiology for Cosmetic Care Professionals in an online format. This course provides cosmetic care professionals with a greater understanding of how microbiology is transforming modern cosmetic care, along with a greater basis of separating fact and fiction marketing claims in skin care. Participants will understand the importance of microbiology to modern cosmetic care trends, such as what "clean beauty" can lead to from a microbiology perspective, and how to swab and sequence individual's skin with personalized downstream products.

Who Should Attend

Any cosmetic care research scientist, formulator, or non-scientific cosmetic care professional interested in familiarizing themselves with the basics of microbiology to better understand the growing market for “microbiome modulatory” products.

Course Outline

INTRODUCTION – an introduction to microbiology and the various types of microorganisms that will be discussed in the context of cosmetic care. 

• Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes
• 3 Domains of Cellular Life
• Skin biogeography
• Skin microbial homeostasis and dysbiosis
• Positive contributions of multiple microbial inhabitants
• Human Microbiome Project
• Culture-based investigations
  • Selections vs. screens
• Culture-independent investigations
  • Different sequencing technologies

BACTERIA – introduction to the term “bacteria” that many have heard, but perhaps not fully comprehended what these microorganisms are and their fundamental impact on skin health.

• Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteriodetes
• Specific bacterial species of interest to cosmetic care
• How are bacteria investigated by microbiology
• How are specific bacteria linked to skin diseases and disorders
• How do certain bacteria contribute to skin health
• Introduction to the Archaea – who are they?

FUNGI – dive into another significant portion of the skin microbiome – eukaryotic microbes – the Fungi

• Yeasts versus molds
• Fundamental differences with eukaryotic cells
• Malassezia
• Candida
• Rhodoturula
• Microbiological investigations of fungi

VIRUSES – a deep dive into the non-cellular members of the skin microbiome that have significant ramifications on both humans and the environment; there are perhaps even greater misunderstandings with regard to viruses than their bacterial counterparts.

• How viruses are classified – the Baltimore classification system that categorizes viruses but also provides evolutionary context
  • DNA versus RNA genomes
  • Genomic organization
  • Unique pathogenesis of viruses versus cellular counterparts
• Are viruses truly alive?
  • Why there is a continued debate among microbiologists?
  • Philosophical answers
• Bacteriophages – are they the answer to the looming crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?
  • History of phage therapy
  • Modern successes with phage therapy
  • Regulatory landscape questions
• How are viruses studied?
  • Metagenomics
  • Molecular techniques
• What are some of the positive applications of viruses beyond bacteriophages?

WHAT CAN BE LEVERAGED FROM AN UNDERSTANDING OF MICROBIOLOGY BY COSMETIC CARE PROFESSIONALS?

• Will these endeavors lead to lasting changes in how we approach cosmetic care?
• How might regulatory agencies view this type of research?
• Most importantly: How might the consumer respond to this type of research and the resulting products with their microbiome claims?
• How can knowledge of microbial characteristics and their behavior be leveraged toward understanding preservative systems and the necessity of product preservation?
• What are prebiotics? Probiotics? Post-biotics? Synbiotics?
• What are the regulatory concerns?

Instructor: Paul Lawrence, PhD

Format: On-Demand with Live Q&A

Course Release Date: 
February 3, 2026

Live Q&A Date: 
February 24, 2026

Originally Recorded:
September 2024

Note: in addition to the online, on-demand instruction and live instructor Q&A, Certificate in Skin Care participants who select this elective will also receive a PDF copy of the course slides. Course module recordings and quizzes will be available from the course release date through the end of the participant's time in the certificate program.

ENROLL NOW

If also applying for SCC membership, please allow up to five business days for application processing. Member pricing will not be in effect for Certificate Program enrollment until after the membership application is approved. 

About the Instructor

Paul Lawrence, PhD

Biocogent

Dr. Paul Lawrence received his doctorate in molecular microbiology from Stony Brook University and before that obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology from the University of New Mexico. During his career, he has conducted biological research in academia, industry, and for the United States government. He has executed anti-viral therapeutic and vaccine research at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. In industry, he has participated in contract biopharmaceutical projects for the former Collaborative Bioalliance and Dow Chemical. Dr. Lawrence was also the Director of DNA Production for the anti-counterfeiting biotechnology company, Applied DNA Sciences. Currently, he is the Executive Director of Research and Discovery for Biocogent. In his spare time, he is also an adjunct professor at two different colleges teaching microbiology to future nurses and doctors. He also volunteers as an associate technical editor for the Journal of Cosmetic Science and is currently the Vice Chair of the Committee on Scientific Affairs for the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. Over the course of his career, Dr. Lawrence has published more than 30 research manuscripts and review articles, more than 25 online science digests, and has authored a textbook chapter on the molecular pathogenesis of one of the world’s most infectious viruses.