How To Balance Your Skin's pH Levels

Our life is all about balance, be it your professional or personal life, we always strive to balance everything to lead a peaceful life. But what about your skin? Have you ever thought about your skin’s pH balance? Yes, our skin has a balancing game that needs to be maintained for happy and healthy skin. 

Do you remember your school days when we used to conduct science experiments on pH levels? You know the ones where we used litmus paper to test if pH levels in different water samples are off-balance. Well, your skin’s pH level is just similar to it! What’s the full form of pH value you ask? Potential hydrogen (pH) refers to the acidity levels of our skin. The scale ranges from 0 to 14 and 7 is considered to be neutral in skincare. The average pH level is said to be 5 and when we say neutral pH levels it means your skin is healthy and if it is too high or low means you are inviting trouble for skin health.

What is the skin's pH level?

Our skin is extremely functional and happy when it’s in the right spot. The word ‘pH’ means ‘Potential Of Hydrogen’, in other words, it’s the measure of the concentration of hydrogen in any substance. It ranges from 0 i.e. most acidic to 14 i.e. most alkaline. Our skin has an acid mantle which is the skin's barrier and is generally formed when our skin secretes sebum. It is responsible for keeping your skin moisturized by blocking all the toxins from harming it. Our skin is at its best when there is a balance between its alkalinity and acidity. 

There are ways to find out if our pH levels are off-balance. And it’s true our skin easily shows the signs either when we haven’t been taking care or have used the wrong product. One should keep an eye on the below signs and act accordingly.

• Dry patches
• Excessive oiliness
• Acne
• Signs of ageing such as wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin 
• Rashes 
• Redness 
• Eczema 

What is the pH of your skin?

The pH solution is indicated by the numeric scale that runs from 0 to 14. Anything below 7 i.e. pH neutral is considered acidic, while anything that is pH greater than 7 is considered alkaline. For example–lemon juice has a pH of 2 i.e. very acidic, whereas, ammonia has a pH of 12–highly alkaline. 

It might come as a surprise that your skin’s surface and the upper layer are naturally acidic in nature making it compatible with the acidic skincare products. Meanwhile, a lot of research states that our pH of skin is 4.7. And men’s skin tends to be more acidic than women’s skin, though the pH of our skin increases with age and it remains acidic. If your skin’s pH balance is too alkaline, your skin is going to reflect as flaky, irritated and red, whereas, if it looks acidic, changes of inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and eczema are higher. 

Factors Affecting Skin’s pH Level 

You must be wondering how my skin got disrupted? Several factors and habits can damage our skin’s pH level.

Ways to keep our skin’s pH level balanced 

Restoring our skin’s pH level requires repairing the barrier function. It helps in maintaining the hydration level and keeps it radiant, healthy and glowing. There are a few steps that you should keep in mind and one should follow.

The first thing you should do is love your skin. Rather than using your bar soap on your face, invest in a mild cleanser that doesn’t contain any harmful chemicals. Look for ingredients that don't irritate your skin and come with a soothing effect. Quench’s Bravacado Pollution Rescue Cream Face Wash comes packed with the nourishing goodness of pomegranate, avocado and rice water that deep cleanses your skin and removes all impurities. P.S. It's the best skin-vestment product! 

Invest in an essence that balances out alkalinity and our skin also has a natural ability to restore skin’s pH. And investing in a product that will boost your skin’s functionality is always a good idea. Does your skin scream for hydration? Essence is a lightweight liquid blend of anti-aging, hydrating and complexion-enhancing ingredients. Mama Cica Intense Oil Control Essence packed with nourishing ingredients such as cica, sea buckthorn and peony roots help your skin to hydrate well while enhancing the texture of your skin instantly! Just 2-3 drops of this essence will make the biggest difference in your skin in weeks! 

Every skincare product contains a different set of ingredients that affects the skin differently. Therefore, it is essential to know the pH of beauty products that you are going to apply to your skin. Invest in ingredients like vitamin A, C and E that help in maintaining the pH levels along with offering benefits to the skin. Moreover, ingredients such as aloe vera, hazel that offer hydration and nourishment help in keeping your skin balanced and neutral. Quench Mesmerice Nourishing Cream Mask comes packed with a skin-soothing blend of olive extracts, aloe vera and glycerin to lighten spots, blemishes and promote even skin tone. Meanwhile, hydrating aloe vera helps to calm down inflamed and troubled skin. Should we add it to the cart? Yes, absolutely! 

As we age, our skin loses the ability to secrete the natural oil that helps to keep our skin youthful and healthy. Ultimately, the acid mantle gets damaged and affects the pH level of the skin. The use of moisturizer packed with nourishing ingredients such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid helps to maintain the integrity of the skin barrier. Also, you can use coconut, jojoba, olive and argan oil to moisturize your skin. Quench Matcha Better Anti Shine Moisturizer, a refreshing gel-based moisturizer adds an intense boost of hydration to your skin. It comes infused with the anti-ageing powerhouse ingredient 'bakuchiol' that helps in boosting collagen while making your skin dewy soft. 

Investing in sunscreen regularly is crucial for maintaining the skin’s pH level and shielding the skin from further damage. Use and apply sunscreen with a broad spectrum and don’t forget to apply it daily before going directly into the sun. Invest in Bravocado SPF 50+ PA++++ Sunscreen Gel that comes in a non-greasy formula delivering hydration and protection to your skin from harmful UV rays. Formulated using active sunscreen filters, it’s infused with vitamin E which shields skin against sun damage and prevents penetration of sun rays. Trust us, your skin will thank you forever! 

Well, like it’s difficult to balance your life, it's the same when it comes to balancing your skin. Honestly, sustaining the natural pH balance of your skin starts with following a proper skincare routine with the right choice of skincare products that suit your skin type and concerns!