How Your Skincare Routine Is Affecting Your Skin’s pH Level

If your skin has been off kilter lately, or just looking older than it should, check your pH level. We’ve all seen the term “pH balanced” advertised on various products, but how does pH relate to the appearance of your skin? When the factors creating pH are in perfect harmony, your skin has a revitalized, youthful glow. Today we’ll take a look at the science behind the outward signs of pH imbalance, and suggest products tailored to your skin’s unique chemistry.

What Is pH?

Your skin’s pH, or; “potential hydrogen” level works on sliding scale from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. A normal rating is near an ideal 5.5 pH, just a bit acidic. This slightly acidic quality is the key to keeping your skin’s youthful appearance in check, and protecting its delicate outer layer from outside harm.

How to Achieve the Ideal pH

Your skin’s first line of defense against environmental toxins is a thin layer known as the “acid mantle”. When it’s in perfect 5.5 pH balance, it can effectively guard against the effects of bacteria and UV damage, while keeping in vital moisture. It’s made up of free fatty acids produced by your skin’s sebaceous glands, and a mixture of sweat, amino acids, and lactic acid. The acidity or alkalinity of these elements combined is what determines your pH, so using products which are balanced or geared toward your skin’s existing alkalinity or acidity will result in a healthy, well-balanced mantle of 5.5 pH which translates to glowing, youthful looking skin.

Where Does your Skin Rate on the Scale from 0-14?

You can have a physician test your pH level, or look for the following telltale signs of imbalance: If your skin is prone to chronic dryness, sensitivity, loss of elasticity, or premature wrinkles, your acid mantle may be too alkaline. Go for products with a slight acidity to restore your pH balance to normal so your skin has a fighting chance against UV rays and toxins which are causing it to look years beyond its age. Skin that is too acidic may appear red and irritated, or produce too much oil as it tries to recover from being stripped of its natural oils after excess use of harsh products.

Choosing the Right Product for your pH

The more acidic a product is, the lower its pH will be, so those with more extreme symptoms of overly alkaline skin will benefit from a stronger, more acidic product such as a peel.

Consider a medium strength peel like the Jessner 14% Peel Kit to treat dull, tired looking skin. It contains lactic acid, one of the keys to your skin’s healthy pH level. Make sure to follow with Daily Collagen Complex and Hyaluronic Moisturizer, and a daily SPF 30 to maintain your acid mantle’s healthy balance of moisture and protection.

If your skin is normal or acne prone, a pH-balanced daily exfoliator such as the Salicylic 2% Daily Exfoliator is perfect for you. This product curbs excessive oil production while it increases collagen production, all without disrupting the delicate balance of your skin’s acid mantle.

Skin that is too acidic or has been exposed to extremely acidic products can become stripped of its healthy oils, making it painful and overly sensitive. Apply a Neutralizer Solution Spray directly after a peel to stop the chemical reaction from causing too much redness and exfoliation. It calms and cools the skin and helps to return its pH balance to that ideal state of harmony.

How to Identify Your Skin Type and Tone

When the sun comes out to play at the beginning of spring, you will notice the way your skin reacts. Do you tend to get sunburns easily, or just tan? It’s helpful to find out your skin’s exact tone to find out just how much sun you can soak up before you put yourself at risk for sun damage.

It’s also important to identify your skin type- whether it’s oily, dry, combination, or somewhere in-between- in order to understand which skincare products and procedures are safe for you. It also provides a great reference for picking out the best products to ensure your skin looks and feels its healthiest.

What is Your Skin Tone?

Dermatologists use the Fitzpatrick scale to identify skin tones. The scale was created in 1975 by Harvard dermatologist Thomas Fitzpatrick, who found a direct correlation between a person’s skin color and how the skin responds to UV light. Which of the following best describes the way your skin typically reacts to the sun?

Type I  Always burns, never tans

Type II  Usually burns, then tans

Type III  Sometimes burn, tans well

Type IV  Rarely burns, tans well

Type V  Rarely burns, tans well, brown skin

Type VI  Very rarely burns, tans very well, very dark

What Determines Your Skin Tone?

It all comes down to pigments. Pigments are responsible for all of the different skin colors in the world. One of those pigments; melanin, is like a natural sunblock, protecting you from damaging UV rays. The more melanin your skin contains, the darker your natural skin color will be. This means that those with naturally darker skin are less prone to burns, whereas fair-skinned people tend to burn easily.

Choosing the Right Products for Your Skin Tone

If you fall on the lighter end of the scale, from Type I – Type III, you can safely use Jessner peels, and the entire range of other peels, including TCA peels up to 30% concentration.

If you have very dark skin, some products may permanently change your skin’s pigment. If your skin tone is darker, Type IV, V, or VI, and are considering a TCA peel, make sure to pick one that has a concentration of 10% or lower. Avoid Jessner peels if you fall into these darker skin tone categories. Glycolic peels are a great, safe option for darker skin tones as are AHA Vitamin C peels. 

Learn more about peels here.

What is Your Skin Type?

Once you have identified your skin tone, you should also consider your skin type. Choose products specifically designed for your skin type in order to meet your skin’s unique set of needs from the following:

Normal Smooth and supple, doesn’t produce excess oil or become dry and flaky. You’re lucky if you fall into this category, and can safely choose from a variety of products.

Oily You tend to have larger pores and can be prone to acne. Acne-prone skin can occur well into adulthood and should be treated with products that remove the dead skin from clogged pores to clear blackheads and acne marks.

Dry Your pores tend to be smaller, with visible dry flakes. Moisturizer is important, so pick one tailored to the amount of moisture your skin needs based on its level of dehydration.

Combination The most common skin type. If you have combination skin, your face will typically be normal or dry with an oily area in your T-zone. You may need to treat these separate areas of your face with different products.

Sensitive Sensitive skin which is easily irritated by products designed for normal skin, and becomes red or itchy. Stick to milder treatments specifically designed for you.

Aging Advanced signs of aging include wrinkles, fine lines, age spots, and sun damage. These visible issues can be minimized through a variety of treatments.

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