How To Keep Your Skin’s Ph In Check: 5 Simple Rules

Skin acid-alkaline balance, or pH, plays a key role in your skin’s condition. It is responsible for normal sebum production and skin protection from environmental damage, and its imbalance is often the main cause of loss of elasticity, irritation, scaling, acne and other unpleasant effects. 

The ideal pH is considered to be 5.5. An elevated pH is typical of oily or problematic skin where an alkaline environment prevails. A high pH means your skin will have a shine, enlarged pores and rashes. Conversely, the lower the pH, the more acidic the environment and the drier the skin becomes. So how can you help prevent or maintain an imbalance in your skin’s pH levels? Here are five simple but sure-fire ways to achieve and maintain optimum acid-alkaline balance. 

Cleanse your skin the right way.

Don’t use soap as a cleanser – it’s too alkaline. Instead, opt for mild foams with a neutral pH. Incidentally, even plain tap water has a pH of 7, which means it’s slightly more alkaline.

Don’t forget the toner.

The toner will normalise the pH balance after washing, and prepare the skin for serum and cream application. 

Choose products that are right for your skin type and current condition.

Cosmetic products have their own pH levels too. To avoid imbalance and its consequences, it is important to match this with your skin’s current pH. Products formulated for oily skin, for instance, aim to reduce the prevalence of an alkaline environment, which in the case of dry skin will only worsen the condition.

Do not abuse acid peels.

Most strong acid peels have pH levels below 3.5. The use of such products at home is undesirable, as they can provoke irritation and inflammatory reactions, experts say. For home use, special “homemade” peels with higher pH levels are preferable. 

Keep an eye on the pH balance of your body as a whole.

And yes, the body has a certain acid-alkaline balance too; disturbance of this balance disrupts biological processes and of course has an impact on the skin.