Why the pH of your skincare is important

On a scale of 1 to 14, where does your skincare sit? If most of it is 5.5 or lower – great!  

Of course, the scale we’re referring to is the pH scale. What you may not know is that the pH of your skincare can impact both the penetration and efficacy of your skincare treatments as well your skin’s response to them.  That’s why tipping the scales in skin’s favour is so important when formulating a product from a chemist’s point of view. And why at Alpha-H all our products are formulated with an optimal pH in mind. 

pH optimised products help maintain the health and integrity of skin – predominantly the acid mantle. 

What is the acid mantle?

The skin’s acid mantle is composed of natural sebum, acids, dead skin cells, and sweat that form a fine film on the outermost layer of your skin. This delicate mix creates a healthy barrier for skin to protect it from harmful bacteria, environmental pollutants, and tran-sepidermal moisture loss. Think of it as your skin’s first layer of defence. That’s why it’s so important to look after your acid mantle as it needs to remain healthy to look after you, and that’s what a balanced pH does. When pH is off-balance, you can experience a host of skin concerns including excess dryness, oiliness, acne and even inflammation as it tries to compensate. That said, pH can be a tricky term to understand, so let us explain it further. 

What is pH? 

pH is a scale of measurement from 0 (extremely acidic) to 14 (extremely alkaline) that tells you how acidic or alkaline a product is. pH 7 is considered neutral. 

Skin’s natural pH is slightly acidic and tends to sit somewhere between 4.2-5.6. In order for your skin to be strong and resilient, your acid mantle needs to maintain a slightly acidic balance of around pH 5.5. 

When skin skews towards an alkaline pH, it can become dry and devitalised, and show signs of premature ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Too acidic, and it could lead to inflammatory conditions such as eczema and acne. 

Balanced skin = healthy skin. 

Take your skin out of its comfort zone

Whilst it’s important to maintain a balanced pH for your skin most of the time, there are times when taking it out of its comfort zone can be extremely beneficial. 

For example, our award-winning Liquid Gold is formulated at a uniquely low pH of 2.8-3.0, meaning it intentionally compromises your skin’s barrier. This temporary disruption (due to the low pH) opens a pathway for Glycolic Acid to penetrate much deeper into the skin. Think of it as a ‘workout’ that kick-starts your skin to fight back, which in turn allows your skin to become more resilient. This is what creates the #LiquidGoldEffect. 

How to rebalance your skin? 

Ensuring your skin maintains a happy pH level of 5.5 is important and one way to do this is by making sure your skincare routine has been specifically designed to treat your individual skin concerns. 

First thing’s first – start by Activating your skincare routine with a pH balanced cleanser. Using a pH balanced cleanser automatically prepares your skin to better accept and absorb the advanced skincare treatments that follow. Conversely, constantly stripping skin’s pH with harsh, alkaline cleansers can disrupt the skin’s delicately balanced acid mantle and trigger all sorts of skin issues. Alpha-H cleansers are all pH balanced. 

If your skin becomes stressed or is misbehaving, take a step back, pause your treatments and streamline your approach. By focusing on the basics: a gentle pH balanced cleanser, moisturiser and a daily SPF, things will settle down. Then once your skin has regained balance you can gradually reintroduce advanced treatments one at a time. 

And remember, everybody’s skin is different.  Skin can fluctuate based on climate, season, stress and habits. 

If you’re needing further information or would like a skincare routine fully tailored to your specific skin needs, book here for a Live Skin Consultation  with one of our qualified skin therapists.