How To Maintain Skin’s pH

Has your skin ever seemed to just completely freak out for no reason? And nothing that you do to fix it seems to work? Well, chances are it’s not necessarily attributed to a change in weather or other external factors, and has everything to do with your skin’s pH. Ahead, find out everything you need to know about maintaining healthy skin pH levels without having to break the bank.

What Is pH In Regards To Skin?

When speaking about pH in general terms it refers to a numeric scale that measures how acidic or alkaline something is. Usually between 0 and 14, 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. But what about for skin?

Well, a balanced skincare pH is generally between 4.5 and 5.5. At that number, the skin is better equipped to maintain a healthy moisture barrier, and has achieved a stable level of natural oils, moisturizers and bacteria (these things all together are referred to as the “acid mantle”). When skin pH isn’t balanced, the result can be inflammation, irritation and an overall influx in “bad” bacteria on the skin.

So how do you know that your skin pH balance is off? Signs of a compromised pH include excessive redness, dryness, itchiness, flakiness, an excess of oil or anything that may seem out of the ordinary. If a pH is a bit too alkaline, the result is dryness. On the flip side, if the skin’s acidity levels are too low, there can be redness and inflammation.

What Throws Off The Skin’s pH?

There’s little that can’t throw off the skin’s pH. Skincare products, in particular, are often the culprit, especially cleansers. Those that are too alkaline or drying can greatly impact the pH level of the skin. In particular, it’s important to be cautious with any at-home remedies. In addition, what you consume plays a role, too. Not consuming enough water or not having a balanced diet can further exacerbate over-dryness and oiliness.

How To Balance Skin’s pH

The good news is, just because your skin’s levels are out of whack doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. A few simple ways you can try to balance your skin’s pH levels are:

1. Eliminate harsh cleansers from your routine (this includes hand soap and bar soap, your skin deserves better).
2. Avoid chemicals and toxins that may harm your skin. Make sure you’re triple-checking the ingredients that go into your products.
3. Search for products that are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
4. Find products that promote pH balancing (psst, if you scroll down we’ll point you in the direction of one you’ll love).
5. Wash your face with lukewarm water. We get it, no one pictures cold water when you’re making time for R&R, but hot water dries out your skin!
6. Take care with the types of foods you eat and how much water you drink. Foods rich in probiotics are good for more than just your tummy! And we ALL know water works wonders for glowing skin.
7. Try one of our newest products! Our NEW! Witch Hazel Brightening & pH Balancing Toner is formulated with 2% Niacinamide and Witch Hazel to improve the appearance of uneven skin tone, boost brightness, balance your skin’s pH level and leave your pores free of dirt and makeup. Now THAT’s what we call a win-win-win-win!

Practice patience and be kind to your skin and body. Do that, and battling your skin’s pH shouldn’t be a problem at all.

For other information on skincare essentials, tips, and products, check out the Glow-Up Guide often!