How to Achieve pH Balanced Skin

When thinking about how to keep skin healthy and glowing, maintaining pH levels may not be top of mind, but it's a key element to consider to make sure your skin is looking and feeling it’s very best. 

Today we’re taking a closer look at how pH affects the skin and why pH levels are important for overall skin health.

What is the skin’s pH?

In order to understand pH, also known as ‘potential for hydrogen’, it might help to cast our minds back to our high school chemistry course! pH is a numeric scale that ranges from 1 to 14 and indicates how acidic or alkaline something is. As a refresher, 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. When it comes to the pH of your skin, the norm is 5.5 and when the number is disrupted it can alter how healthy your skin is. 

Why is maintaining a balanced pH important for your skin?

Maintaining a balanced pH is crucial to help keep your acid mantle safe. The acid mantle is a thin, slightly acidic protective barrier on the surface of your skin that keeps allergens and pollutants out and moisture and nutrients in, helping to maintain optimum skin health. 

When you disturb your acid mantle by using harsh products and ingredients, it creates the perfect environment for harmful contaminants to penetrate the skin, including viruses and bacteria. 

As bacteria grows, it can trigger skin inflammation, acne, eczema, and rosacea. 

As we age, the acid mantle begins to diminish, and our skin becomes less acidic, making it more prone to drying and fine lines and wrinkles.

How do I care for my skin’s pH?

Restoring and maintaining your skin’s pH balance is simple, and begins with evaluating the products you use in your skincare routine! 

Wash your face with a gentle cleanser which is free from harmful ingredients that can strip your skin, such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate.  Our Purifying Foam Cleanser contains soothing Organic Extracts, Plant Stem Cells and Ginger Root to melt away surface clogging debris, without disrupting your skin’s natural balance. 

A very effective step to caring for your skin’s pH is by adding a toner to your routine. Toners - like our Clarifying Toner - help to balance pH levels, and calm and refresh the skin. When searching for a toner be sure to avoid ingredients like alcohol, which will strip your skin of moisture. Instead, reach for toners that contain botanical extracts, rose water, aloe and other skin-loving ingredients!

To replenish and maintain your skin’s healthy acid mantle, after cleansing and toning, routinely layer on rich hydration with a day and night moisturizer. Look for products that are packed with thirst-quenching ingredients like hyaluronic acid and plant extracts for their soothing benefits- which can be found in our Daily Moisture SPF 30 Concentrate and Night Replenishment Concentrate. 

Ready to nourish your skin? Shop our collection of skincare products today!