Is Your Skin’s pH Off Balance?

If you haven’t thought about the pH scale since high school, no worries. Most guys haven’t. But maybe that’s what’s wrong with your skin.

It turns out that your hair and skin both need balanced pH levels in order to prevent dryness, limit irritation, and look their best. Is your skin’s pH off balance? How can you tell? And what can you do about it?

Skin and pH

A quick review: pH stands for Potential Hydrogen. It refers to the acid-basic ratio of a given substance. The pH scale runs from 0-14, with higher numbers being alkaline and lower numbers being acidic. At the middle is neutral 7. In this case, neutral doesn’t mean perfect or balanced necessarily. Every element and organism has its own natural, ideal pH level.

What does that have to do with your skin?

Your skin is naturally acidic, but just slightly, at 5-6 on the pH scale. But in some cases, untreated, natural skin has been found as low as 4. That’s because the oil (sebum), amino acids, and lactic acids on your skin create an acid barrier. It’s what stops bacteria, germs, UV rays, and other foreign invaders from drying out and damaging your skin.

Balancing your skin’s pH is all about keeping it in that sweet spot of around 5-6. The tricky part is that you can’t easily check your own skin pH. But you can get an idea of whether or not it’s at ideal levels.

For example - sensitive, irritated, dry, and inflamed skin can all be caused by an overly alkaline pH. The opposite can happen too. When skin gets too acidic, you experience too much oil, redness, irritation, and more blemish breakouts. This can happen when you use strong acidic acne products or skin cleansers. Their overuse leads to a breakdown in the acid barrier and can leave your skin hypersensitive.

Preventing pH Imbalance

The trouble starts when you use harsh chemical soaps on your skin. The majority of these contain strong detergents that are alkaline and wash away your skin’s acid barrier. That leaves you at risk for all kinds of irritation, not to mention it can speed up the aging process. To keep your skin’s pH at natural, healthy levels, use the best natural skincare products for men.

Your shower water also makes a difference. Hard water can cause a pH imbalance, so consider getting your water tested and investing in a water softener if you’re struggling with dry skin and other irritation but can’t seem to figure out the cause.

A Balanced Skincare Routine

Keep your skin’s pH in balance with this basic skincare routine for men. Follow it twice each day to clean way dirt and bacteria, keep your skin moisturized, and maintain proper pH levels.

Wash - Each morning and evening, use a natural face wash for men to cleanse your face of excess oil, dirt, and bacteria. Choose a gentle wash that won’t strip away natural oils. It’s also best to use lukewarm water since very hot water also removes your skin’s sebum.

Moisturize - Always follow up immediately after with face moisturizer for men. This locks in moisture, helping ensure your skin’s pH level remains balanced all day and night.

The Benefits of pH Balance

Using the best natural skincare products for men will help keep your skin’s pH at natural, ideal levels. That slows the aging process, prevents blemishes, and reduces your risk of developing sensitive, irritated skin. Just be sure you’re following a smart skincare routine that doesn’t include harsh products or heavy detergents.