Everything you need to know to keep your skin’s pH in balance

You may have noticed the recent trend around balancing the skin’s pH. In fact, many of the new skin care product launches focus on this benefit. Now you may (reasonably) be wondering why we need a product to balance our pH.

The reason is simple. While our body naturally maintains the pH of the skin, this balance can be disturbed. This results in unwanted symptoms such as irritation or acne.

That’s why it’s crucial to understand the importance of a balanced pH for our skin and how it can be affected by our skin care products.

What is skin pH?

Based on chemistry, pH expresses the balance of acidity and alkalinity of a substance. It is measured on a numerical scale from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline). On this scale, healthy skin is somewhere in the middle, slightly on the acidic side, with a pH of 5.

Although we don’t usually think of our skin as acidic, experts often refer to the outer surface of the skin as the “acid mantle.” This acid mantle consists of sebum secreted by the sebaceous glands of the skin and mixed with lactates and amino acids from sweat. The result of this is called a hydrolipidic film and protects the skin from drying and external wear and tear.

The relationship between pH and skin health

Maintaining the skin’s natural acidic state is important in addition to preventing dry skin. This is because the acid mantle (and, by extension, the pH level of the skin) is critical to maintaining the health of the skin barrier. And the skin barrier is vital to maintaining our overall health.

How can you maintain your skin’s pH balance?

Do you notice increased dryness and sensitivity or increased oiliness and acne? If so, then your skin’s pH may be out of balance. More specifically, an alkaline imbalance (meaning the skin’s pH level is high) occurs when the skin does not produce enough sebum. This can appear as sensitivity and dryness. On the other hand, an acidic imbalance (where the skin’s pH level is low) occurs when the skin produces too much sebum. Which leads to increased oiliness and acne proneness.

At the same time, if you do not use care products with a balanced pH (between 4.6 and 5.5), you may inadvertently cause one of the above symptoms.

How can you choose pH balanced products?

A walk in a cosmetics store or a pharmacy is enough to realize that not all skin care product packages list their pH. One solution is to consult the company’s site before your purchase, but this is not always practical.

Fortunately, there are some clear signs that a product may be causing an imbalance in your pack’s pH. The clearest sign is when a product burns or stings the skin on contact. Also, overly acidic products can disrupt the skin’s pH. In particular, these products can strip the skin barrier of the natural oils that protect it. Some well-known examples of such products and ingredients are α-hydroxy acids (AHAs), retinoid acid, β-hydroxy acids (BHAs) and fruit amino acids.

The secret here is not to completely avoid these ingredients, but to use them correctly. In this way, you will benefit from all the positives they can offer to your skin, reducing the risk. A good first step is not to overuse them and make sure to keep your skin hydrated. That’s why he combined these products with moisturizing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and ceramides. At the same time, for any question or doubt you have regarding the correct care of your skin, consult an expert.

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