Have you heard of pH-balanced cleansers being beneficial to skin? Here are a few reasons:
Your skin’s sebum and sweat produce a thin protective barrier with an acidic pH level between 5 and 5, offering essential protection from pathogens, environmental stressors and moisture loss.
1. It’s less likely to cause acne
Every product you use has a pH value, and how this affects your skin is key. A healthy acidic pH (around 5.5) for your skin barrier helps it function optimally by resisting harmful bacteria while keeping you hydrated and preventing much of the water loss that leads to dryness and irritation.
Every time you use a cleanser with an alkaline or acidic pH level that differs from the pH balance of your skin, you push it away from its healthy state, potentially leading to problems like breakouts, inflammation and clogged pores. Therefore, it’s best to keep the pH in a natural, slightly acidic range by selecting products with pH balance cleansers.
Finding a low-pH cleanser can be easy: Look for gel, cream or “milk” formulas – ones with less foaming will typically have lower pH values – while you could also opt for micellar water which usually features very low pH levels that will revert back to their original state upon rinsing off.
2. It won’t make your skin dry or itchy
Recall those elementary chemistry lab experiments where you passed strips of paper over various liquids to observe how acidic or basic they were? Turns out these pH levels matter for our skin health!
Use of harsh soaps can alter the natural skin pH balance and increase alkaline levels, increasing your risk for breakouts. Therefore, switching to a low-pH cleanser is strongly advised.
For optimal pH balance in cleanser selection, look for products without too many bubbles or foaming agents. According to dermatologist Rita Linkner, MD, gels, milks and cream-based cleansers are excellent examples of low-pH products; she suggests Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser as one available at most drug stores or the Alastin Non-Irritating Gentle Cleanser as two excellent examples that won’t leave skin feeling tight and dry after use.
3. It won’t burn your eyes
pH-balanced cleansers offer an effective yet gentler alternative, protecting eyes from environmental toxins and bacteria without disrupting their protective barrier.
This is particularly important as many non-pH balanced cleansers contain ingredients which may irritate the eye area, such as alcohols and sulfates. When it comes to eye care, less is more.
As you can see, pH-balanced cleansers provide numerous advantages when choosing your facial and body wash products. When shopping, look for ones with low pH levels and avoid those containing acids, sulfates or alcohol. Check the label to make sure it meets certain criteria such as being non-acidic/basic enough and close to skin’s natural pH range of 4.5-5.5; additionally it may be worth seeking non-comedogenic formulas suitable for sensitive skin types.
4. It’s less likely to irritate sensitive skin
By choosing a mild cleanser that matches the natural pH level of your skin, it will not disrupt its protective acid mantle or leave your face tight or itchy. Furthermore, this will allow other skincare products to penetrate deeper into the skin for maximum effectiveness.
Poor-pH cleanser can damage the protective barrier of your skin and leave you dry and irritated. At home, you can test its pH level with strips dipped into it to see what color they turn.
Dermatologist Taylor Bullock recommends using a cleansing product with a pH level between 5.5 and 6, such as Dove Sensitive Skin Cleanser – she calls this “the gold standard.” You could also opt for Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser’s syndet cleanser that has lower pH but still mild enough for most skin types while being free from irritating ingredients like sulfates.
