What is pH balance & what is the role of it in makeup?

pH is known as potential of Hydrogen . The scale which is use to measure the pH is known as pH scale . pH scale helps to measure the acidity or alkaline character . The measuring scale ranges from 0-14 and pH can be checked with litmus paper. If the litmus paper turns to red, that indicates the acidic level. and if the litmus paper turns blue, that indicates the alkaline level

pH 7 is known as neutral which is neither acidic nor alkaline. The range 0-6 indicates Acidic range and 8-14 indicates Alkaline range. means, moving towards 0 from 7 increases the acidic level and moving towards 14 from 7 increases the alkaline level.

now the question arises what is the role of pH in makeup. To get clear details first let us know the pH of our skin. The study says, our skin is fairly acidic, which helps to keep away the harmful bacteria and fungi from our skin surface. The pH of the skin is 5.5. If the acidic level of the skin increases then the dryness of the skin increases. So here comes the role of knowing pH balance for skin in makeup. We know that tonner helps to maintain pH balance. When we cleanse the skin of the face, the pores of the skin open up. If we use any facewash and soap that imbalances the skin as those products are towards alkaline level because soap is a combination of a weakly acidic and strong base.

That is why in order to retain the pH balance of the skin we use tonner . Tonner comes in the form of liquid. It balance the skin pH and shrinks the open pores which we get during cleansing step. It also provide hydration to skin because of its ingredients . Even in market we get different tonner. Even some are specific for dry skin and some for oily skin. so based upon ingredients, we should opt the tonner which gives more hydration for dry skin. Also should opt tonner which doesn’t contain any oily substances for oily skin.

Another role of pH for our skin is linked with the home remedies that we prefer. Every ingredient has pH balance.

So the product for which pH balance is lesser than our skin pH can be avoided for the dry skin or else it will increase the acidic level of our skin and will turn that to extremely dry. On the contrary, those products can be used for oily skin. example. – citrus acid ( lemon). The pH balance of lemon juice is 2.4 which is lesser than skin pH. using that directly on dry skin will increase the acidic level and will make it drier to our skin. we can add any other alkaline product with lemon to increase the pH and can be used on dry skin. The pH balance of the product which is more alkaline also should be avoided for oily skin.

What is the Right pH for Cosmetics?

So, how to use cosmetics without causing any harm to your skin’s pH? Well, just focus on a ‘pH-balanced’ or ‘pH-optimized’ beauty routine and you will be all set to level out the acidity of your skin. When buying cosmetics or skincare products, you must make sure that their pH levels are similar to that of your skin’s acid mantle. In other words, the pH of your cosmetics should always be at a level of 5.5 pH for healthy skin.

How to Check the pH Balance of Cosmetics?

These days, many brands are focusing on the common pH range that falls between 4 and 7 to ensure a balance. But still, many products lack proper mention of pH levels on their labels. If you want to figure out the pH balance of your favorite cosmetics, the following techniques may help you out:

1. pH-Strips

pH strips are readily available in the market and you can test your products’ pH levels instantly with them. They come with an instruction manual to make the entire process easy for you. All you have to do is to pour a few drops of your cosmetics onto the strip and notice how the color changes. Simply match the color change against the table given in the manual and you will find out the pH level.

2. Litmus Papers

You can also use Litmus papers to determine the exact pH level of your skincare products and cosmetics to avoid using any inappropriate stuff on your skin.

How to Maintain a Balanced Skin pH?

Now, here are a few crucial skin care tips that you must follow to maintain the right pH balance for healthy skin:

1. Always use a gentle cleanser to cleanse your face. Also, give yourself enough time for this step.
2. Do not skip your toner as it neutralizes the excess alkalinity of your skin.
3. Moisturize your skin thoroughly. You may need to keep changing your moisturizers based on seasons.
4. It is vital to exfoliate your skin with gentle exfoliants like plant acids at least once every week
5. Keep a close eye on your daily diet. Rather than consuming more acid-producing foods, emphasize alkaline foods that will balance the pH level of your skin naturally.

By Bhabani Mallick Mishra

VLCC Certified Makeup Consultant