Acidity Vs. Alkalinity

Acidity Vs. Alkalinity In Your Skin

Maintaining the skins pH is an important part of keeping well balanced skin. pH is an indication of liquids and a way to measure acidity and alkalinity in a fluid. Although our skin is not 100% fluid we do still have liquids in our cells. Our skins ultra-thin, moist outer layer, also known as the acid mantle is made made up of liquids. It's made up of sebum excreted from our sebaceous glands, mixed with lactic and amino acids from sweat to create the acid mantle. This mixture of sweat and oil creates a pH of roughly 5.5 in our skin. Yes, our skin is slightly acidic.

If you are not familiar with the pH scale, it goes from 0-14. Zero being completely acidic, fourteen being completely alkaline, and seven being neutral. 

Our skin regulates our pH but can be influenced by external, environmental factors. Our pH can change slightly depending on our diet, exercise habits, and cosmetics. 

Our diet plays in important role in maintaining a pH level of 5.5. Based on what we eat, our pH can fluctuate and become more acidic or more alkaline. If we are eating mostly animal based foods (which are extremely acidic in our bodies) we will excrete more acid through our sweat. You can't judge the acidity of a food on its own. Foods have much different pH levels in our bodies than they do by themselves. For instance, you may think a lemon is very acidic. However, lemons and other citrus fruits and very alkalizing in the body and offer many great benefits to our health. Another example would be dairy milk. On its own milk is a very alkaline substance. When put into the body, dairy becomes very acidic and does not offer many nutritional benefits. 

Exercise can have a mild affect on the skins pH level. Depending on how much you sweat determines the acidity of your skin. Also, if your sebaceous glands are working harder than your sudoriferous (sweat) glands then your skin will be slightly more alkaline. 

There are environmental factors that contribute to our skins pH level. Things that will make our skin more acidic are sun exposure, smoking cigarettes, air pollution and products that we use on our skin. 

Cosmetics can either make or break your skin (pH wise). It's really important to make sure that you are using the right products for your skin type. Otherwise you could be seriously disrupting your skin's natural pH level. 

Soap Vs. Cleanser

Soap may leave your skin feeling "squeaky clean" but it is very harsh and is harmful to your skin. Most soaps reach a nine or a ten on the pH scale which is way too alkaline for our skin to handle. It will completely strip the skin of the natural oils needed to protect us from harmful bacteria. Using soap on our skin can cause severe dryness and irritation, especially in sensitive skin types with disorders such as acne and rosacea. 

Cream cleansers are great for almost every skin type. Cleansers typically have a lower pH meaning that they are more acidic which can help keep your skin's acid mantle in tact. Many cleanser offer moisturizing and soothing benefits. However, most cleansers are great for most skin types some may be too acidic for some. Look out for ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acids, retinoic acids, and amino fruit acids. When used incorrectly, they can cause extreme irritation and dryness. 

In contrary to popular belief, oil (in moderation) is actually great for your skin! Having a normal to oily skin type means that your skin will naturally be soft, lubricated and pretty hydrated. Some may even call sebum the "fountain of youth". Having oily skin, you may not experience as many fine lines as people with dryer skin types. If you have a normal to oily skin type look for a cleanser that includes emulsifiers. Emulsifiers cause oil and water to mix, creating emulsions (mmm.. sounds hydrating) allowing you to cleanse your skin without over drying and stripping your oil. 

People with dry skin and a lack  of oil, try a cream cleanser, they offer extra moisturizing properties and will help restore your skins natural moisture balance. 

Keeping skin properly moisturized and hydrated is extremely important to the health of your skin. If your skin is hydrated, there will be less of a need for it to produce oil, cutting your chances of a break-out significantly. 

-Kate