WHAT PH FOR THE FACE?

Even though we often think of women when we talk about it, facials are really about everyone. Moreover, whether you are a man or a woman, it is very likely that you have already wondered about what type of cosmetic product will be able to maintain your skin without consequences. But often, in looking for an answer to this question, we overlook one of the most important elements. This element is the pH of the skin. Find out here why skin pH should be taken into account when purchasing cosmetics and which pH to choose to maintain healthy skin.

What is the pH of the skin?

First of all, the pH (potential hydrogen) is a value to quantify the acidity of a medium, or a substance. Thus, a medium is said to be acidic when its pH is less than 7. And a medium is alkaline in nature when its pH is greater than 7. A ph equal to 7 means that the medium is neutral. That is, it is neither acidic nor alkaline. For example, lemon juice (acidic) has a pH of around 2.5 and sodium bicarbonate (alkaline) has a pH of 8.4.

As for the skin, it is the hydrolipidic film that covers it that determines its pH. As this hydrolipidic film is slightly acidic, like all the media that make up the human body, it therefore gives the skin an acidic pH. However, this pH varies significantly depending on the parts of the body. Thus, the pH of the skin level of the face will not be the same at the level of the arms, or of the back.

Why it may be interesting to pay attention to the pH of the skin.

Typically, normal skin has a hydrogen potential (pH) between 5.4 and 5.9. In fact, this slight natural acidity of the skin constitutes a protective barrier against the bacteria to which we are constantly exposed. It is because of this protective role that we must ensure that the pH of the skin is kept as stable as possible.

When this acidity is altered, the pH of the skin is altered. It therefore becomes oilier or drier. This creates an imbalance which makes the skin less protective. We are then exposed to various disorders such as acne, yeast infection, etc.

In order to avoid this kind of problem, you must pay particular attention to the pH of your skin and choose the appropriate cosmetic products according to this pH.

How to maintain the pH of the face?

In order to better choose the care for your face, it is necessary to know the pH of the latter. Fortunately, there are several methods for measuring or at least estimating the pH of the skin.

Here are the ones we recommend:

• Home use strips: you will find home pH test kits in pharmacies. For best results, ask for skin pH kits. These come in the form of paper strips, applicable on the face. These kits are easy to use. Just follow the instructions on the package leaflet.
• See a dermatologist: Seeing a dermatologist is a great idea. Indeed, a dermatologist can help you determine the pH of your skin through skin tests available in his office. In addition, your dermatologist can help you choose the cosmetics that are right for you based on your skin’s pH.
  
  In summary, the pH of the skin is a criterion that should not be neglected when choosing cosmetic care products if you want to have beautiful skin and avoid various reactions. It is often recommended to check the pH of your face, in order to choose products whose pH is close to it. But since determining the exact pH of the face is not within everyone’s reach, we can just use cosmetics at neutral pH, because they cannot in any way modify the natural pH of your skin.