May 06, 2018

pH Basics and how it affects your skin

by Chinelo And Ndidi

If you have ever wondered what pH has got to do with your skin, you are in luck! We will fill you in on the basics.

What is pH?

pH which stands for Potential of Hydrogen (yeah, some of us daydreamed during chem class!) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14 with 0 being the most acidic and 14, most alkaline. 7 is considered neutral.

Photo Credit: A Mix of Min

The Skin and pH

The mantle is a very thin barrier on the surface of the skin that is responsible for keeping in moisture and protecting the skin against bacteria, pollutants and other undesirable environmental elements. It is made up of friendly secretions such as water, fatty acids, oils, amino acids, and lactic acids. The combination of these secretions is slightly acidic with pH around 5.5.

Depending on what the skin is washed with, this mantle barrier can be stripped away, or its acidity level altered. For example, that squeaky clean feeling you get after washing your face with a bar soap (some soaps have a pH as high as 9), is probably a result of the acid mantel being stripped away and is usually followed by an uncomfortable feeling of tightness, dryness or itchiness. The good news is that the acid mantle barrier is rebuilt every few hours, so unless you are chronically washing your face, it should restore itself in the short term.

Overtime though, your skin’s ability to self-correct becomes diminished, so your best bet will be to use products that keep your skin’s pH at a balanced level.

More importantly, another good reason to ensure your skin’s pH is balanced is to discourage bacterial growth. Microorganism thrive in a pH range of 6.6 - 7.5, so maintaining a pH of around 5.5 is optimal. It therefore becomes very beneficial to have a well thought out daily, weekly and monthly regimen for taking care of your skin.

Our cleansing duo (Bolden's Clarifying Cleanser and Bolden Brightening Toner) is formulated to help you maintain a balanced pH level.