The Importance of pH in Cosmetics

A quick read on why pH matters

pH balance? Stability? These are questions that you should be asking yourself before committing to any cosmetic products. Many are claiming to be pH balanced but what exactly is balance when it comes to skincare. Looking at pH alone, a balanced pH could mean 7. But for different body parts, a balanced pH requires a different pH as some parts are more acidic than others.

So what does a balanced pH look like?

A balanced pH for the skin is around 4.7-5.5. Our skin is slightly acidic when compared to the neutral 7 that we’re all used to. The reason for this is to make sure that our skin retains moisture to look healthy and youthful as well as free from bacteria. Keeping the skin at this pH is important in that if the pH is too alkaline, you might have skin symptoms like dry, red, inflamed or flaky looking skin.

Products that are too acidic may also cause the skin to strip, redden resulting in inflamed skin. Products to watch out for in this aspect are exfoliants, scrubs and peels that have different types of acids. Within moderation, they’re great as exfoliants and stripping away dead skin cells but too much can irritate the skin.

So what is it that we need to look out for exactly when it comes to skin care products and pH?

For starters different products will have different pH requirements. For example a vitamin C with an alkaline pH would not make sense. However, one that is too acidic may be harmful for your skin. Getting the right balance is crucial. One way to check is to go on the website and see what the product’s pH is rated at.

Another method to balance out the skin’s pH is to use a toner. Toners are great in that they balance out the skin’s pH before the skincare routine begins. Cleansers, exfoliants and even the pH of the water can alter the skin’s pH making skincare products not as effective as they can be for the skin. By balancing out the skin with a toner, prior to applying skincare products; your skin is primed and ready at the right pH.

How do we test the pH of products on our own?

There are different methods to do self testing at home. One of the cheapest methods is to use pH test strips. These test strips come with a guide as to how acidic or alkaline your products are. How this works is that the test strips themselves change color according to the product’s pH. You can compare this against the manufacturer's claims and for your own record purposes too. 

For those looking to have their private label manufacturers create a skin care or hair care formula, make sure you discuss or let the manufacturer know what pH you would like your products to be. This could help make your products represent your brand better and achieve the desired result. If you’re not sure, always ask ahead!

What about the pH in hair care?

So a good question often asked is, does the hair, scalp and skin have similar pH? The most simple answer is no. Unlike the skin, the hair has a more acidic pH when compared to the scalp and the skin. Both the scalp, hair and skin have different pH’s with the scalp having the most acidic pH. For hair care, try to aim for around 4.5-5 pH when considering the pH of hair care products or in other words, keep it slightly acidic. If the shampoo that you’re using produces flaky or itchy hair, it could be that the shampoo’s pH is too high for you. Those with curly hair or have had treatments done to the hair have to be extra careful when choosing the pH of their hair care products.

What now?

All of this can be overwhelming for many people but don’t worry. You don’t need to own a lab or be a lab technician to check the pH of your products. A simple google search should go a long way in determining the pH of your product. If a google search doesn’t work then you’ll want to send a simple email to the manufacturer to know more. 

Remember that being an informed consumer is your responsibility as everyone’s needs vary. If a product doesn’t work the way you want it to then you can always slowly adjust it to your needs to find the perfect product that you are looking for.

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