Acid-base balance of facial skin. What's behind the letters pH?

When the pH balance is disturbed, the epidermis immediately makes its dissatisfaction known. How? The most different ways. The skin may begin to become inflamed and irritated over trifles, or even become overly sensitive. In the worst case scenario, there is a chance of acne. Direct connection between the acid-base environment of the skin and its appearance for you at least it means one thing: the line “normalizes the pH balance” on the packaging of a cleanser or cream is much more important than the tempting promises of marketers.

Now you know why you should care about those two strange letters - pH. If you often skipped chemistry, we’ll tell you: translated from English, this abbreviation stands for “potential hydrogen” and is used to denote the ratio of acid and alkali in any matter. The minimum value of the pH scale is 0 (acid predominates here), the maximum is 12 (respectively, alkali). For cosmetologists, the pH value indicates the condition of the epidermis.

The pH balance of human skin ranges from 3 to 7, and the specialist’s task is to bring these numbers closer to the gold standard, that is, 5.5, or at least keep them within the range of 5.2–5.7 units. If you constantly feel tightness and dryness, and the area around your eyes was already covered with a fine network of wrinkles at age 25, most likely your pH is dominated by alkali. The other extreme is increased acidity, when there is oily shine and pimples on the face, and skin sensitivity increases. Draw conclusions: if you find out the meaning of your acid-base balance and start taking care of your face in an appropriate way, even oily or dry skin can turn into normal.


1. Physiological Cleansing Gel, La Roche-Posay
2. Cellular Power Serum, La Prairie
3. Renewing Peel, Artistry

Test


Find your balance

Fortunately, restoring your skin to a calm state is easier than nervous system. To understand how to do this, complete the task. Answer questions honestly and remember the results. After that, count which answers (A, B or C) there are more, and read how to return the pH to the optimal value.

1. What does your skin look like after cleansing?
A) Soft and smooth.
B) Tight and dry.
C) Still a little oily and not completely clean.

2. How many times a day do you moisturize your face?
A) Two. In the morning and in the evening.
B) One.
C) Not once.

3. Does it happen that your skin begins to react strangely to products that you have been using for a long time? It's also about decorative cosmetics, and about the caregiver.
A) No, I didn’t notice this.
B) Sometimes something like this happens.
C) Yes. And in Lately she reacts violently to everything I offer her.

4. How often does the skin dry, peel, or turn red?
A) Never.
B) Sometimes.
C) Regularly.

5. Have you noticed that your skin looks worse in the morning than in the evening? After sleep, it is duller, and wrinkles appear deeper.
A) No.
B) Yes, I see this regularly.
C) In very rare cases.

6. Your skin has become too oily and inflamed every now and then.
A) No.
B) This happens periodically, but then everything returns to normal.
C) Yes.

7. Do you often experience redness and irritation?
A) No.
B) Only after using cosmetics.
C) Yes.

8. Does your skin look puffy and shiny?
A) Yes, almost always.
B) Rarely.
C) It is rather just shiny.

If option A is the leader among your answers, then your pH level...
... optimal
Your skin is worried better times: She is in a calm state and nothing bothers her. We hope it will always be this way. It is unlikely that your face will wrinkle or develop red spots in the near future. And this is not just a happy coincidence - we praise you for your success in moisturizing, exfoliating and using cosmetics that are right for you. Keep up the good work.

If option B is the top choice among your answers, then your pH level...
...too tall
This means that the skin has long been in need of additional hydration, it dries and suffers, and besides, by its nature it is prone to the premature appearance of wrinkles. The level of alkali, alas, is off the charts. Your epidermis is practically devoid of protective lipids: it really cannot withstand bacteria, UV rays, or harsh environmental influences. Think about whether it is correct, and most importantly, whether you cleanse and moisturize your skin often enough, and whether you use scrubs regularly.

If option C is the leading answer among your answers, then your pH level...
...too low
We dare to assume that you know something about greasy shine And hypersensitivity skin. Inflammations on the face indicate an excess of acid in the protective mantle. You're probably overcleansing your skin or overusing it. acid peels, trying to eliminate excess sebum. Forget about it and listen to WH's recommendations.

Without water

Believe it or not, something as harmless as water can disrupt the pH balance of the skin. According to Jeannette Graf, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, with constant contact with water, the skin's lipid layer (one of the ones that retains beneficial nutrients) wears out. Thus, the epidermis with a high pH value loses its natural lubrication and becomes drier and tougher.


If the pH is low, the skin becomes extremely sensitive and oily: it begins to secrete sebum at an emergency rate to compensate for the lack of moisture. Try switching to cleansers that don't require water. They are easy to identify by their creamy texture. If you are unable to wake up until you wash your face with ice water, replace it with thermal water. It's better to stay away from tap water.

As for the body, train yourself to shower quickly. And be so kind as to shorten your bath time. Dermatologists also advise avoiding the shower one or two days a week. They mean it, yes. Cool water is the most beneficial for the body. At a minimum, it should not be hot - this way you will avoid dilation of blood vessels, opening of pores and loss of moisture. And think about installing a filter to reduce water hardness. It will block the path of minerals such as phosphorus and chlorine, which also affect the pH balance in a negative way.

Night cream

While you sleep, your skin cells work hard to repair the damage they suffered during the day. So help them! Even if you're dying to sleep, don't be lazy, apply night cream every evening. Choose a product with vitamin A - that is, retinol. It has long been known that this component has super properties: it smooths out wrinkles and shrinks pores, but in addition, it also helps the skin in the difficult task of restoring and maintaining optimal pH balance.

1. Moisturizing fluid for face Aquamilk, Lancaster
2. Refreshing cleanser 2 in 1, Weleda
3. Balancing night cream for combination skin Visible Difference
Elizabeth Arden

Scrubs and gommages

Do you know why children's skin glows so much? Yes, because there are almost no keratinized cells on its surface. With each birthday celebrated, their number increases rapidly, while the amount of moisture in the skin, on the contrary, decreases. Your salvation from dead cells is peelings. It's simple: if you periodically dry out and peel (that is, your pH is high), you can experiment - use both abrasive and acidic scrubs. If the pH is below normal, switch to gommages - gentle exfoliating agents, and allow yourself something harsher once every two weeks, not more often.


Milk and tonic

Fanatical skin cleansing makes it work sebaceous glands twice as active. They can’t leave their face without a protective lipid layer. Most cleansers (especially after which the skin seems to squeak, it seems so clean) are acidic. A striking example- soap, forget about it. At your service are milks and emulsions for oil based(they work without water and remove fat-soluble stains). Remember about the tonic - it returns the pH balance of the skin from alkaline to slightly acidic, ideal for you.

Hyaluronic acid

Don’t go to a fortune teller: moisturizing is recommended for any skin type. And not only to get rid of tightness after a swimming pool or a long stay in an air-conditioned room. The more moisture in the skin, the better the epidermal cells are able to retain it. Classics of the genre - means with hyaluronic acid. This component in itself is an excellent humidifier, but it also accumulates water in in the right places. Is your face seriously dry? Take yourself a short course intensive care– use products with added acids (for example, fruit). And this doesn't help? Add a drop of argan or some other oil to your night cream - this way you will restore faster protective layer epidermis, which resists moisture evaporation. Girls with fat type skin, go in search of light gels or cream-gels - fortunately, there are plenty of such examples on the cosmetics market today.

Restoring pH balance

If you meekly follow all our recommendations, and don’t turn a deaf ear to the words of cosmetologists, but there is still something wrong with your skin (either a pimple will pop out, or it will turn red somewhere), take a closer look at cosmetics that purposefully work to restore acidity. - alkaline balance. They usually contain the following words: “pH 5.5”, “balancing agent”, “restoring product”, “normalizing skin pH balance”.

1. Moisturizing soothing product Crème Dermo-Apaisante, Payot
2. Moisturizing mattifying fluid Hydra Sparkling, Givenchy
3. Soothing lotion for restoring surface pH Balatone™,
ZO® Medical by Zein Obagi

Our expert:
Inna Semerkhanova. Dermatologist-cosmetologist, training manager of the Equilibrium training center

Many dermatological problems are associated with disturbances and changes chemical composition skin. The most important indicator is the Ph of the skin, which must be taken into account when choosing medications, as well as when purchasing effective means care This indicator reflects the level of acidity, which can vary from 0 to 14. A value below 7 represents an acidic environment, and above 7 – an alkaline environment.

When choosing skin products, it is worth knowing about the optimal value of this indicator. Also to ensure quality care for the skin, it is worth exploring ways that will help restore acidity.

The balance of alkali and acid in a certain environment is characterized by a certain pH value. When determining given value for the surface of the skin we mean the epidermis, on which secretions of the sebaceous glands appear. Ph parameters of human skin can vary from 3 to 7.

High acidity is recorded in the scalp area - 4.5-5.5. On the soles and palms the PH level varies from 6.5. Normal skin has a value of 5.5. For oily skin, the acidity is within 6.

To exclude adverse reactions, you should select cosmetic preparations, the acidity level of which coincides with the individual indicator.

As we age, the skin becomes more alkaline. Since dry skin type is more alkaline than oily skin.

What should the PH be?

The neutral indicator is 7.

Human skin may have the following indicators:

  1. Normal skin coverage is 5.4-5.7.
  2. For oily surfaces – 6.
  3. Dry skin – 3-5.

An acidic environment is considered normal for the epidermis. This is due to sweat secreted, the amount of acetic and lactic acid, amino acids and the influence of the bacterial environment.

The acid-base balance can fluctuate under the influence of the following factors:

  1. Endogenous: presence of diseases, sexual and age categories, psychological condition.
  2. Exogenous include the influence of seasonal changes or time of day, the use of medications and dietary habits.

Acidity in women has higher value than men. It differs by various areas faces. For centuries this indicator closer to neutral value. On the cheeks up to 5.7. In the forehead area, acidity can be 4.1-5.6.

Offset from normal values may indicate that the acidity balance is changing under the influence of aggressive factors or the presence of pathological conditions.

With psoriasis, there is a predominance in the acidic side, and in the event of acne and rashes, in the alkaline side.

How to determine acid-base balance?

If the acid-base balance changes, this can be recognized by certain signs.

If the acidity level of the face deviates towards greater acidity, the following symptoms appear:

  • severe dryness and itching and tightness;
  • the appearance of a peeling effect;
  • reaction when applying cosmetics;
  • the appearance of redness.

Skin pH can be determined by changes in the skin after cleansing. Or by reaction to the use of decorative cosmetics.

In special rooms, to determine acidity, special testers with an indicator mechanism are used.

If the pH level is 5.5, then the skin surface looks healthy and smooth. There are no pimples and blackheads, as well as irritation.

When the skin surface is dry, the sebaceous glands function with little activity, so it has a dull tint. On such skin, cracks and wrinkles form early. This type of skin has reduced value pH 3-5. He is sensitive to external stimuli.

Combination skin combines the characteristics of normal and oily skin. Its pH value varies from 3 to 6.

Oily skin can be identified by a certain shine and visible pores. In this case, the pH level can reach 6.

Characteristics of cosmetic products

In order not to harm the skin, cosmetics with an identical PH level should be used. In practice, this does not always happen.

Standard creams have a pH level from 5 to 9. But various peelings and creams with various acids have pH values ​​from 5 to 1. Such preparations are recommended for use only in beauty salons under the supervision of specialists. After using such compositions, weakly alkaline mixtures are used to normalize the acid-base balance.

Using toilet soap, the acidity level of which is 9-11, magnesium and calcium salts remain on the skin of the face. This provokes peeling and allergic reactions on the skin.

For hair care, balms are used whose acid-base balance is 2-7.

The properties of the cosmetics used depend not only on the amount of pH, but also on the content useful components, characteristics of water and microbiological purity.

Using products that are too alkaline or acidic can lead to an imbalance in the skin. When using alkaline products, restoration of the skin surface is required. Moisturizing creams are used for this. Can also be used various oils: olive, jojoba or argan oil.

Components that are too acidic weaken the skin barrier and allow impurities and bacterial infections. You should be careful when using peels.

Antioxidants are used to protect the skin from aggressive components. Vitamins A, C and E are of particular value.

How does the pH of the skin change?

Skin pH can change. At the same time, a feeling of freshness or, conversely, a feeling of discomfort appears. Liquid with increased level acidity can have an irritating effect on the epidermis. With oily dermis, discomfort will not appear.

The acid-base balance of water varies from 6.6 to 8.4.

The following factors also affect the acidity of the face:

  • fatty and light balms and creams;
  • exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
  • features of decorative cosmetics;
  • cosmetic preparations.

Any soap provokes alkaline reaction. This destroys the protective layer that retains moisture. For normal and oily dermis, such washing will go unnoticed, and those with dry epidermis will feel the skin stretched.

How to normalize PH indicator?

To restore normal acidity balance, you need to know why acidity changes.

On Chemical properties The surface of the face can be affected by certain factors:

  1. Diseases of some internal organs, diabetes and endocrine system disorders.
  2. The use of diuretics and antibacterial drugs.
  3. Fungal diseases.
  4. Stressful situations.
  5. Not proper nutrition.
  6. Abuse of hair curling and dyeing products.
  7. Applying facial products without taking into account acidity.
  8. Excessive exposure sun rays.
  9. Use of vitamin complexes.

It is important to pay attention to the components before purchasing detergents and various cosmetic preparations.

Before purchasing a cosmetic product, you need to look at how many useful components are in this composition and what its acidity is:

  1. Solid soap has a pH level of 9 to 11.
  2. Shampoo should be selected according to your individual pH value.
  3. Rinse balms have a pH level from 2 to 7.
  4. Various hair coloring products – 9-11.

To maintain the optimal ph level for washing, it is recommended to use lotions, milks and tonics rather than soap. Do not overuse peelings and scrubs. It is also necessary to use various sunscreens.

To prolong the youth of the skin, you should not abuse various diets. When you consume too much protein, your body produces more acid. Therefore, nutrition should be rational, which also contains fats and proteins. To avoid gaining weight, you need to combine proper nutrition with physical activity.

When the pH balance is disturbed, the epidermis immediately makes its dissatisfaction known. How? In a variety of ways. The skin may begin to become inflamed and irritated over trifles, or even become overly sensitive. In the worst case scenario, there is a chance of acne. The direct connection between the acid-base environment of the skin and its appearance means at least one thing for you: the line “normalizes pH balance” on the packaging of a cleanser or cream is much more important than the tempting promises of marketers.

Now you know why you should care about those two strange letters - pH. If you often skipped chemistry, we’ll tell you: translated from English, this abbreviation stands for “potential hydrogen” and is used to denote the ratio of acid and alkali in any matter. The minimum value of the pH scale is 0 (acid predominates here), the maximum is 12 (respectively, alkali). For cosmetologists, the pH value indicates the condition of the epidermis.

The pH balance of human skin ranges from 3 to 7, and the specialist’s task is to bring these numbers closer to the gold standard, that is, 5.5, or at least keep them within the range of 5.2–5.7 units. If you constantly feel tightness and dryness, and the area around your eyes was already covered with a fine network of wrinkles at age 25, most likely your pH is dominated by alkali. The other extreme is increased acidity, when there is oily shine and pimples on the face, and skin sensitivity increases. Draw conclusions: if you find out the meaning of your acid-base balance and start taking care of your face in an appropriate way, even oily or dry skin can turn into normal.


1. Physiological Cleansing Gel, La Roche-Posay
2. Cellular Power Serum, La Prairie
3. Renewing Peel, Artistry

Test


Find your balance

Fortunately, it is easier to calm the skin than the nervous system. To understand how to do this, complete the task. Answer questions honestly and remember the results. After that, count which answers (A, B or C) there are more, and read how to return the pH to the optimal value.

1. What does your skin look like after cleansing?
A) Soft and smooth.
B) Tight and dry.
C) Still a little oily and not completely clean.

2. How many times a day do you moisturize your face?
A) Two. In the morning and in the evening.
B) One.
C) Not once.

3. Does it happen that your skin begins to react strangely to products that you have been using for a long time? We are talking about decorative cosmetics and caring cosmetics.
A) No, I didn’t notice this.
B) Sometimes something like this happens.
C) Yes. And lately she has been reacting violently to everything I offer her.

4. How often does the skin dry, peel, or turn red?
A) Never.
B) Sometimes.
C) Regularly.

5. Have you noticed that your skin looks worse in the morning than in the evening? After sleep, it is duller, and wrinkles appear deeper.
A) No.
B) Yes, I see this regularly.
C) In very rare cases.

6. Your skin has become too oily and inflamed every now and then.
A) No.
B) This happens periodically, but then everything returns to normal.
C) Yes.

7. Do you often experience redness and irritation?
A) No.
B) Only after using cosmetics.
C) Yes.

8. Does your skin look puffy and shiny?
A) Yes, almost always.
B) Rarely.
C) It is rather just shiny.

If option A is the leader among your answers, then your pH level...
... optimal
Your skin is going through better times: it is in a calm state and nothing disturbs it. We hope it will always be this way. It is unlikely that your face will wrinkle or develop red spots in the near future. And this is not just a happy coincidence - we praise you for your success in moisturizing, exfoliating and using cosmetics that are right for you. Keep up the good work.

If option B is the top choice among your answers, then your pH level...
...too tall
This means that the skin has long been in need of additional hydration, it dries and suffers, and besides, by its nature it is prone to the premature appearance of wrinkles. The level of alkali, alas, is off the charts. Your epidermis is practically devoid of protective lipids: it really cannot withstand bacteria, UV rays, or harsh environmental influences. Think about whether it is correct, and most importantly, whether you cleanse and moisturize your skin often enough, and whether you use scrubs regularly.

If option C is the leading answer among your answers, then your pH level...
...too low
We dare to assume that you know a thing or two about oily skin and hypersensitivity. Inflammations on the face indicate an excess of acid in the protective mantle. You're probably over-cleansing your skin or overusing acid peels in an attempt to remove excess sebum. Forget about it and listen to WH's recommendations.

Without water

Believe it or not, something as harmless as water can disrupt the pH balance of the skin. According to Jeannette Graf, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, with constant exposure to water, the skin's lipid layer (one of the layers that holds beneficial nutrients) wears down. Thus, the epidermis with a high pH value loses its natural lubrication and becomes drier and tougher.


If the pH is low, the skin becomes extremely sensitive and oily: it begins to secrete sebum at an emergency rate to compensate for the lack of moisture. Try switching to cleansers that don't require water. They are easy to identify by their creamy texture. If you are unable to wake up until you wash your face with ice water, replace it with thermal water. It's better to stay away from tap water.

As for the body, train yourself to shower quickly. And be so kind as to shorten your bath time. Dermatologists also advise avoiding the shower one or two days a week. They mean it, yes. Cool water is the most beneficial for the body. At a minimum, it should not be hot - this way you will avoid dilation of blood vessels, opening of pores and loss of moisture. And think about installing a filter to reduce water hardness. It will block the path of minerals such as phosphorus and chlorine, which also affect the pH balance in a negative way.

Night cream

While you sleep, your skin cells work hard to repair the damage they suffered during the day. So help them! Even if you're dying to sleep, don't be lazy, apply night cream every evening. Choose a product with vitamin A - that is, retinol. It has long been known that this component has super properties: it smooths out wrinkles and shrinks pores, but in addition, it also helps the skin in the difficult task of restoring and maintaining optimal pH balance.

1. Moisturizing fluid for face Aquamilk, Lancaster
2. Refreshing cleanser 2 in 1, Weleda
3. Visible Difference Balancing Night Cream for Combination Skin,
Elizabeth Arden

Scrubs and gommages

Do you know why children's skin glows so much? Yes, because there are almost no keratinized cells on its surface. With each birthday celebrated, their number increases rapidly, while the amount of moisture in the skin, on the contrary, decreases. Your salvation from dead cells is peelings. It's simple: if you periodically dry out and peel (that is, your pH is high), you can experiment - use both abrasive and acidic scrubs. If the pH is below normal, switch to gommages - gentle exfoliating agents, and allow yourself something harsher once every two weeks, not more often.


Milk and tonic

Fanatical cleansing of the skin makes the sebaceous glands work twice as active. They can’t leave their face without a protective lipid layer. Most cleansers (especially after which the skin seems to squeak, it seems so clean) are acidic. A striking example is soap, forget about it. At your service are milk and oil-based emulsions (they work without water and remove fat-soluble contaminants). Remember about the tonic - it returns the pH balance of the skin from alkaline to slightly acidic, ideal for you.

Hyaluronic acid

Don’t go to a fortune teller: moisturizing is recommended for any skin type. And not only to get rid of tightness after a swimming pool or a long stay in an air-conditioned room. The more moisture in the skin, the better the epidermal cells are able to retain it. Classics of the genre - products with hyaluronic acid. This component itself is an excellent humidifier, but it also accumulates water in the right places. Is your face seriously dry? Give yourself a short-term course of intensive care - use products with added acids (for example, fruit). And this doesn't help? Add a drop of argan or some other oil to your night cream - this way you will quickly restore the protective layer of the epidermis, which resists moisture evaporation. Girls with oily skin, go in search of light gels or cream-gels - fortunately, there are plenty of such items on the cosmetics market today.

Restoring pH balance

If you meekly follow all our recommendations, and don’t turn a deaf ear to the words of cosmetologists, but there is still something wrong with your skin (either a pimple will pop out, or it will turn red somewhere), take a closer look at cosmetics that purposefully work to restore acidity. - alkaline balance. They usually contain the following words: “pH 5.5”, “balancing agent”, “restoring product”, “normalizing skin pH balance”.

1. Moisturizing soothing product Crème Dermo-Apaisante, Payot
2. Moisturizing mattifying fluid Hydra Sparkling, Givenchy
3. Soothing lotion for restoring surface pH Balatone™,
ZO® Medical by Zein Obagi

Our expert:
Inna Semerkhanova. Dermatologist-cosmetologist, training manager of the Equilibrium training center

You've probably heard more than once that this or that product normalizes the acid-base balance. Its level is decisive for the health and beauty of our skin. Is it necessary to maintain it and how to do it with the help of cosmetics, experts at Passion.ru tell us.

What is pH

“The secret secreted by the sebaceous and sweat glands of our skin, mixing with exfoliated cells of the epidermis, forms a protective film on the surface - a lipid layer. Its pH is considered to be an indicator of the acid-base balance of the skin,” says Elena Monakhova, cosmetologist at TORI beauty salon.

Essentially, pH balance is a number that reflects the condition and type of our skin. For normal healthy skin pH balance is characteristic of 5.5 (the border line between acidic and alkaline environments), for dry - from 3 to 5.5, which indicates a dominant acidic environment. Numbers from 5.7 to 6 are typical for oily skin, in which an alkaline environment prevails.

A sharp shift in pH balance in one direction or another is fraught with consequences for the health of the dermis. The prevalence of an alkaline environment in the skin and a pH balance above 5.7 (which is typical for oily skin) lead to the proliferation of bacteria that can cause acne and dermatitis. Sebum begins to be secreted more actively, pores expand, complexion becomes dull, skin tone worsens.

“When the balance decreases towards an acidic environment (at a level below 5.2), the skin becomes not just dry, but very dry. Such dermis does not retain fluid well, suffers from dehydration, becomes very vulnerable, susceptible to peeling and microtraumas (a kind of “cracks”). Through these open “gates” bacteria enter the skin, which can cause irritation and skin diseases, such as psoriasis,” explains Elena Monakhova.

The ideal environment for our skin is slightly acidic, which exactly corresponds to a pH level of 5.5. This “microclimate” is detrimental to bacteria and maintains a healthy balance.

Reasons for changes in the acid-base balance of the skin

Skin pH: what it is and how to maintain it

The health of our skin depends on several factors that also affect the pH balance.

  • Nutrition. Excessive consumption of sweet foods increases acidity, while spicy and canned foods shift the pH balance to the alkaline side. If you eat these foods regularly and have skin problems, reconsider your diet.
  • Environmental influence. Dedicated to those who like to sunbathe without SPF protection. The sun's rays oxidize the skin, make it dry, draw out moisture, destroy collagen, stimulating premature aging.
  • Age. During menopause, rapid aging of the skin occurs - it becomes alkalized. Pores expand, the dermis becomes more comedogenic, dull, and loses elasticity.
  • Care. Improper care affects the health and acid-base balance of the skin. For example, washing with hot and very warm water changes pH values. Also, the skin balance is affected by the illiterate use of products containing active substances. These are, for example, lines with acids (salicylic, fruit), recommended for fatty, problem skin. “Daily fanatical use of such products destroys the protective lipid mantle and dries out the skin, turning the dermis into a combined one (oily with dryness), sensitive, prone to inflammation and premature wrinkles", warns Mitrofanova Elena, cosmetologist at the Territory SPA salon. Therefore, a competent complex for home use, especially for problem skin, should be selected by a doctor.

Many people have heard, but not many people think about such a definition of cosmetology as the pH level of the skin. But in vain, I’ll tell you. After all, this is one of the most important indicators her health. Normal levels of acidity and alkalinity provide us with protection from external harmful factors. A shift in these indicators to one side makes the skin vulnerable and susceptible to aggressive influences, both from the environment and from improper use of cosmetics. Therefore, I advise everyone to read this post to the end and gain some knowledge that will be useful to you in the future. proper care for your face and body.

Why is the acid mantle so important?

The pH level is measured on a scale from 1 to 14. Where a value of 1 means acidic, and a value of 14 means alkaline. The most neutral indicator is considered level 7, if you look at the scale. So, our skin was created by Mother Nature in order to protect us from germs and bacteria. A certain film is formed on its surface - a mantle, which consists of sebum, which is produced by the sebaceous glands, amino acids and lactic acid. Their mixture, if you can call it that, has an acidity of 5.5. It is this slightly acidic environment that gives us necessary protection from attacks by various microorganisms.


Factors influencing the pH level of facial skin

There are many reasons that affect the acid-base balance of facial skin. These include improper use and use of cleansers, smoking, overuse alcohol, exposure to sunlight, sharp changes temperatures All these factors destroy the acidic environment on the surface of the skin, disrupting its ability to protect both itself and us. Interesting fact– As we age, the skin becomes increasingly acidic. This is why it is very important to maintain a balanced level of acid and alkaline. It is of great importance in preserving youth, health and beauty. Diet or what we eat also plays a big role in acidity levels both inside and outside the body. All food has a different pH level, different from the level of our body, but once it enters our stomach, it is neutralized by the action of digestive juices.


How to maintain the acid-base balance of the skin and ensure its health and beauty

So now we understand the significance of the acid mantle. Any change normal level acid-base balance can lead to completely unpleasant consequences - eczema, irritation, inflammation, acne, dermatitis. Oily skin has, as a rule, an acidic environment. Dry soil has a predominant alkaline environment and is most susceptible to external adverse effects of harmful factors. This begs the question: how to maintain the health of our skin and not violate the fine line established by nature itself?

To do this, follow a few useful tips:

  • The products we use to cleanse our face mostly contain a huge amount of alkali. Soaps, gels - they all make our skin vulnerable to irritation and dryness. Choose cleansers with a neutral pH level (no more than 6.5). It’s not for nothing that many manufacturers refused to use sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) in their shampoos, since its Ph value is 10! If you still prefer alkaline cosmetics, then you must use a facial tonic that contains acids. It will perfectly restore the pH level to 5.5.
  • On the other hand, excessive use fruit acids, the same tonics, cosmetic oils, retinoic acid, amino acids, can also damage the skin's defenses. Do peelings and deep cleaning face no more than 2 times a week. If after using a certain product your skin becomes dry and irritable, redness and rash appear, then exclude it from your cosmetic bag. It won't bring you any benefit.
  • Regardless of your skin type, choose creams with a moisturizing factor. They will add freshness and radiance. Most have a pH level of 5.5, which is similar to our acid mantle. Antioxidants and vitamins will also help the skin maintain its protective properties.
    Give up bad habits. They not only kill beauty, but also destroy health.
    Sun protection is very important, since UV rays are one of the factors that destroy protective barrier. Protect your face more often by wearing hats, caps, applying creams SPF protection at least 15.

How to determine PH level?

1. In order to find out which acidic or alkaline environment predominates in liquids, creams and other products, there are special litmus tapes, most often they can be purchased at pharmacies. They also sell it in stores special device– a pH tester that can easily measure pH. Such pleasure costs from 500 to 1000 rubles.
2. Read the labels on the packaging carefully cosmetic product. Sometimes the information you need is there. Also go to the manufacturer’s website, contact the support service, and ask a question that interests you.

In any case, take your time Special attention maintaining the optimal acid-base balance of your skin. After all, often the solution to any problem lies in properly maintaining acidity on the surface of the skin, providing all the conditions for the protective functions to work. Take care of yourself and love yourself!