Thousands of skincare gurus religiously chant about incorporating pH-friendly skincare products into your regime and their teachings are not in vain. But what is pH-level and why is it so important?
pH Level Explained
pH (potential hydrogen) level of the skin basically means how acidic or alkaline your skin is. Fun fact: the human skin is naturally more acidic- which is why you should incorporate products that have a pH level of 5.5. 5.5 is the golden number when it comes to skincare, as naturally, your skin tends to be at this level.
Source: https://koreankiwibeauty.net/blogs/news/ph
So, what happens when the pH level of your is not taken care of?
Too alkaline
You will experience dry and sensitive skin problems. This results in premature aging signs, wrinkles, and UV-damaged skin.
What is causing alkaline skin? It’s most likely due to the use of soap or cleansers that have a high pH level.
Too acidic
Oil, acne breakouts, and inflammation are your usual troubles.
What is causing acidic skin? Inappropriate or frequent use of acid-based exfoliations and peel masks are usually the root cause.
How do I maintain a healthy pH level for my skin?
1. Skincare
Firstly, skincare. Skincare acts as an aid for your skin to achieve an optimum result. As we age, our skin ability to function reduces and integrating good skincare acts as a crutch for your skin. Below are the step-by-step skincare regime you should incorporate and the types of skincare to look out for to achieve your desired result.
i) Cleanser
Mon Chéri Gentle Cleanser for all skin types.
Cleansers are the first step in a regime as they act to cleanse impurities from dead skin cells buildups and pollutants from the environment. It removes dirt and grime from your skin and leaves your skin bare to its natural layer. There are many types of cleansers in the market and each cleanser serves a different purpose for different skin types. Here is a table that will help you understand the types of cleansers that are available in the market.
|
TYPE |
LOW PH CLEANSER |
HYDRATING CLEANSER |
GENTLE CLEANSER |
DEEP CLEANSER |
|
PURPOSE |
It removes excess oil without making the skin dry and cleanses skin gently. |
Helps cleanse and provides extra hydration for your skin. |
Helps remove impurity without stripping the natural barrier of skin. |
Removes and exfoliates deeper layers of the skin. |
|
WHO IS IT FOR? |
Anyone who does not have problematic skin and is looking for a gentle cleanser to maintain skin condition. |
Recommended for those with dry skin or looking to give an extra hydration boost. Not recommended for oily skin types as it may further clog pores. |
Especially recommended for those with sensitive skin especially if your skin tends to breakout easily. |
Recommended for oily skin types. Also suitable for those exposed to high levels of pollutants or spend a lot of their time outdoors. |
ii) Toner
Always start your regime with a toner right after your shower and cleanse your skin with a cleanser. Toner acts to neutralize the alkalinity of skin and restores your skin pH level. While many tend to use a toner as a form of cleansing, we do not recommend this. Your toner should have the right ingredients to provide nutrition and benefits upon coming in contact with your skin. It is also all about absorbing the benefits while your skin is bare.
iii) Serums
Next to go on your face would be serums. Different skin types would require different types of serums. Incorporating serums like Vitamin-C is highly beneficial to retain collagen production and neutralize free radicals on your skin. However, serums like Vitamin-C are very low in pH to allow better absorption. This does not mean you shouldn’t apply them but take all the other necessary steps to make sure the pH level in your skin is balanced and in an optimum state.
iv) Moisturizer
Moisturizer comes in the form of oil, lotion, cream, or gel. It is ideal for the skin as it removes dryness and provides hydration to avoid flakiness. Incorporating moisturizer is important regardless of skin type. If you’re thinking of cutting out moisturizers because you have an oily skin type, please don’t. Your skin produces too much sebum to compensate for the lack of moisture, to begin with. Moisturizer is like a barrier to our acid mantle and keeps it safe from any harm.
v) Sunscreen
Living in Malaysia is a blessing for all our skins as the humidity helps maintain skin barrier (also why Malaysian women look youthful). However, a study shows that hot climates tend to cause damage to our skin barriers, affecting their ability to protect our skin. So, first things first, PROTECT! Regardless of whether you’re at home or in the office, layer yourself with sunscreen or sunblock especially formulated for face to protect yourself from harmful UV rays. It is important to use a sunscreen formulated for the face to ensure it has an appropriate pH level for your skin. Never ever skip this step and your skin will thank you for years to come.
2. Healthy diet
What you apply on your skin won’t be much help if you’re not putting healthy and nutritious food into your body. Ultimately, you are what you eat. Acid-producing food such as dairy, carbs, caffeine, and processed food will tip your skin balance. No, you do not have to cut them off, but we recommend a healthy intake and not overdoing it. On the other hand, you can consume more alkaline-producing foods such as vegetables (kale, cayenne pepper, garlic, carrots and cabbage) or even a shot of apple cider vinegar to help you rebalance the pH system of your skin. Green juices too, such as spinach, kale, lemon, and cucumber, will help achieve healthy pH goals. Coffee and alcohol will also tip your pH balance so always consume these in limitation.
3. Lifestyle
You have a good skincare regime, a good diet but do you make good lifestyle choices? Lifestyle plays a big role in how your skin turns out to be. Smoking, lack of exercise and lack of sleep are all lifestyle choices that will stop you from achieving good skin. Nicotine increases the likelihood of acne inversa; acne that occurs post-adolescence. Your skin also needs to detox and physically sweat out toxins and you can simply do this by carrying out some exercises in your daily routine. Cut out junk and fast food as we’ve mentioned, as they tend to acidify your pH levels. Most importantly, sleep. A night of solid sleep is necessary for the body to heal and regulate its’ pH levels. Do not deprive your body of quality sleep or none of your hard work will pay off.
Wrapping up
We know you are reading this article because you too want to achieve confidence with great skin, and we applaud your effort in educating yourself. Skincare is ultimately science, and with this information, we believe you are properly informed to make the right decision in terms of skincare, diet, and lifestyle to achieve the best pH level for your skin. We wish you luck in your skincare journey!