The Chemistry of Skin Care: Why pH Matters

Ahhhh one of my absolute favorite skin care topics.  YAY!  Ok, first off, let's talk about what pH is.  PH stands for 'potential of hydrogen' and, simply, is a scale to measure the strength of an acid or a base (base=alkaline).  The midway point, 7, is considered neutral.  Water is a 7.  Anything below 7 is an acid, and anything above it is a base, or an alkaline.  The further away from 7 you move in either direction, the more potent the acidity or the alkilinity of the substance. 

What does ph have to do with your skin?  Your skin has a protective barrier, called the acid mantle made up of sweat and sebum.  This barrier is good for lots of things, including keeping bacteria out of your pores.  It's called the acid mantle because, you guessed it, it has an acidic pH.  Your skin has a pH ranging from 4.5-5.5. See? smaller than 7.  At least last time I checked.

I wish I could say that all product companies pH test their products before sending them off to store shelves, but the fact of the matter is this doesn't happen like it should.  The best way for you to find out if your products are pH appropriate for your skin is to test them yourself with pH strips--like the ones you used in middle school when you learned about pH.  I will say you won't (shouldn't at least!) need to worry about this with *professional* grade products.  In school, we got to experiment with products from home.  We found that even expensive products from beauty counters like Lancome and Clinique are not alwasy pH approprate.  Also, drug store brands such as Neutrogena and Purpose are actually alkaline--which causes holes in the acid mantle allowing bacteria into your pores and ultimately causing breakouts and breeding bacteria.  Not. Good.

It's important to note that a pH that is too low is also bad--if a product is too acidic it can cause serious irritation in the skin which can also lead to breakouts, redness, and a general uncomfy feeling. 

How do you know if your product is professional grade?  If you bought it at a spa or know the Esthetician uses the brand or products in her/his line of work, it's a profesisonal product.  Some of my favorite professional grade lines include Aveda, Skinceuticals, MD Formulations, Dermalogica, and PCA skincare. 

pH is not the only important factor when choosing skin care products, but it does go a long way.  It's probably the most important factor, followed closely by ingredients.  Cheers to happy, healthy, glowy, dewy, lovely skin!