How Research Deep in the Venezuelan Amazon Inspired the Launch of Symbiome, a Microbiome-Focused Skincare Brand
Symbiome’s The Ceremony, a soothing gel made with fermented botanicals and matcha. Image courtesy of Symbiome.
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Symbiome's story starts deep in the Venezuelan Amazon where researchers studied the microbiome of an isolated community of hunter-gatherers. Through this research, the Symbiome team discovered that modern life may have depleted up to 80 percent of our skin’s microbial diversity. They believe this loss is linked to inflammation, sensitivity, premature aging, and overall barrier dysfunction.
Inspired by these findings, Symbiome developed a collection of topical microbiome-focused skincare products that help restore essential metabolic functions lost in modern times. The products are created to strengthen the skin barrier and support long-term resilience.
We spoke with Larry Weiss, MD, Chief Scientist at Symbiome to learn more about the brand's fascinating microbiome research, the science behind its products, and what's next. Weiss has an MD from Stanford University and a BS in Biochemistry from Cornell University. He has over 20 patents and has published in chemistry, electrophysiology, clinical pharmacology, and the microbiome.
Larry Weiss, MD, Chief Scientist at Symbiome. Image courtesy of Symbiome.
Can you share a little about your journey in the industry and what led you to launch?
As a physician, my journey into the world of the microbiome began around 2000 when the first microbiome sequencing data came to light. This groundbreaking data reshaped our entire understanding of microbiology.
It became increasingly clear to those of us in medicine that the rise of inflammatory diseases was linked to disruptions in our relationship with the microbiome. In 2014, as the Chief Medical Officer of AOBiome, I helped create Mother Dirt, the first probiotic skincare product, which pioneered the microbiome skincare category. Our hypothesis was that, during our evolution from foraging hunter-gatherers to industrialized homo sapiens, we lost vital microbes from our microbiome, leading to significant health consequences.
In 2017, we established a unique collaborative research relationship with an isolated community of Yanomami hunter-gatherers living a disease-free foraging lifestyle deep in the Venezuelan Amazon. This partnership led to the founding of Symbiome.
We sponsored three academic research expeditions, culminating in a 2025 publication in Nature that presented the most comprehensive profile of a biologically intact skin microbiome in a hunter-gatherer population. The insights gained from this groundbreaking research became the guiding principle for our research and development, forming the foundation of the unique formulation thesis for Symbiome products.
Tell us about your products. What makes them special?
Traditionally, every skincare brand, and most of what we do in medicine, is about treating disease. We strive to fix things that are broken, with little understanding of why or how they became broken. And while we have become pretty good at this, we often break other things along the way.
We call these “off-target” or adverse side effects. More concerning is the fact that the burden of disease (broken things that need fixing) has tripled in the past 30 years, and most of this is inflammatory disease. What makes Symbiome’s approach different is that our research affords us insight into what our microbiome looked like when these diseases were rare or non-existent.
We have developed a diverse portfolio of precision ferments derived from the biologically intact Amazon rainforest. These unique postbiotic raw materials allow us to formulate skincare products that restore the functional contributions and biological resilience we have lost in the industrialized world.
Instead of treating disease, Symbiome is restoring the lost foundation of our resilience and health. And we are just getting started.
Do you have a hero product? What’s your favorite?
Symbiome’s The Renewal. Image courtesy of Symbiome.
That is like asking me which of my children is my favorite. That said, my personal routine is very simple. I use The Renewal as my cleanser (and shampoo). I spread it on dry skin (and work it into my remaining hair) about 5 minutes before I shower, then rinse it out. It leaves my skin soft, hydrated, and clean. Next, I apply The Answer or The Solution, and then finish with The One.
Symbiome’s The Ceremony. Image courtesy of Symbiome.
That said, I am still very fond of the oils, especially Rewind and Recharge, The Essence, and the newest member of the Symbiome family, The Ceremony. We have a relatively small product portfolio because all products are built on the same technology platform for precision-fermented postbiotics, which we call Postbiomics. Think of them as naturally fermented skin food, formulated to restore what we have all lost as industrialized homo sapiens in the modern world. Find your favorites, feed your skin, and let’s all get healthy together.
Is there anything you want people to know about the ingredients in your products?
The precision-fermented postbiotics (Postbiomics) in our products are produced in partnership with Plantus, a Brazilian pharmaceutical company. The fermentation process can take up to a year and produce oils that restore a substantial amount of lost function. The microbiome we lost was a healthy microbial ecosystem, a biofilm that blanketed our skin throughout our evolution.
We lost most of it when we left the natural environment and the foraging lifestyle that sustained it. We inadvertently severed invisible connections with the microbial world and lost their contribution to our health. While we can’t restore the lost microbiome, our post-biomic natural ferments, made from sustainably harvested Amazonian plants, restore much of its functional contribution.
What is your approach to sustainability?
Along with Plantus, we have an extensive program of profit and benefit-sharing with indigenous Amazonian communities. We are fully compliant with the Nagoya Protocol and Brazilian Biodiversity laws. Additionally, our production restores local biodiversity in both the plants we ferment and the soil microbiome that sustains them.
Where are your products sold?
Our collection is sold at Symbiome.com, Nordstrom online, and Printemps, as well as at select boutique retailers and in nearly 200 spa locations across the US.
What’s next for the brand?
We have an SPF launching later this year, along with exciting extensions to our Postbiomic technology platform. Watch this space!
A University of Michigan graduate, Lizzy Sherman is an award-winning writer and editor. You can also find her work in publications including Healthline, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo!, MindBodyGreen, Men’s Journal, Bezzy, and more.
She has been a featured guest speaker at Cal State University Northridge, Digital LA, and The National Association of Audience Marketing Professionals.
When she's not writing, Lizzy enjoys yoga and playing guitar.