Skincare and the pH of Water
In today’s skincare space, there is a lot of noise and varying opinions on how to care for your skin. There are those who believe less is more, and others who swear by 10-step skincare routines. We are either not doing enough or doing too much; however, like most matters regarding how our bodies function, when we support our biological systems, they, in turn, take care of us.
Getting the Skin You Love Doesn’t Start With the Right Products
Think of when someone is undergoing surgery: the surgeon may perform the procedure, but it’s ultimately the body that does the healing.
Or when you have the flu and are forced to rest so that your immune system can fight against the illness. The human body is wired to be self-sufficient and possesses the capacity to heal itself, as long as it’s given the right environment to do so.
Your skin is no different.
With many skincare companies focusing on trendy ingredients and spending a lot of money on marketing their “must-have” skincare products, it is easy for many consumers and skincare enthusiasts often to get confused. Which unfortunately means it is easy for even a savvy skincare product person to overlook an aspect that plays a big hand in determining the health of skin.
Hint: it’s not the newest ingredients with a lot of hype that just hit the market. It’s also not always having the right skincare products. For your products to work, your skin needs a natural balance as your “base” for skincare products and routines to truly be effective. And it’s ensuring you're using water to wash your skin that is at the optimal pH level.
Your Skin’s Base and the Science Behind It
For ideal skin that you are proud of, the base is the balance between acidity and alkalinity is extremely important. And this is surprisingly and heavily influenced by the pH of water. Supporting your acid mantle, which is a film-like barrier made up of oil and sweat, is one of the most important things you can do for the health of your skin. If the barrier of your skin is compromised, regardless of how amazing your creams, serums, or lotions are, they won’t perform in the way they should.
A Delicate Balance: Why pH is so Important
The acid mantle is a protective barrier that spans the entire surface of the skin, defending against environmental stressors, moisture loss, and pathogens. However, the acid mantle only thrives in an environment with a pH of around 5.5, and anything lower or higher poses its own set of risks.
When the pH leans more alkaline (meaning higher than 7 on the pH scale and less acidic), the barrier function weakens and becomes defenseless against irritation and breakouts because the mantle has lost its ability to effectively retain moisture. However, on the flipside, when the pH is lower and becomes overly acidic, you become vulnerable to inflammation, stinging, and increased sensitivity.
Disturbing Your pH Balance
The pH of your skin can be easily affected, even if you are using gentle products and prioritizing barrier health. The type and temperature of the water you're using, cleansers with harsh formulations, overly inflammatory diets, and too much stress all have a direct impact on the health of your acid mantle.
Take water, for example: tap water, which is used by most people when showering and washing their face, has a pH of about 8, leaning more alkaline. When the pH of the water you are using on your skin is this level, it can compromise the ideal environment for your acid mantle and make your precious skin more vulnerable to irritation.
Pair that with the fact that, according to a Harris Poll survey reported by the American Cleaning Institute, “69% of Americans prefer very warm to almost scalding showers, and it becomes clear that many of us are disrupting our skin barrier simply through everyday habits and preferences.”
However, recognizing how your daily habits disrupt your acid mantle is the first step toward healthier skin.
Restoring the Acid Mantle
To restore your barrier function, focus on the ingredients and pH balance of your products, use lukewarm water on your skin, and stick to soothing and hydrating formulations in your toners, serums, and moisturizers.
Formulas that are created with barrier support in mind, support the skin in returning to its ideal state by calming irritation and restoring comfort when daily factors have disrupted the acid mantle. Unlike older alcohol-heavy toners, science-backed products like our pH Balance Soothing Skin Toner, are designed with the skin barrier in mind, helping your skin stay balanced and allowing your other products to absorb more effectively.
Apart from topical skincare, your overall well-being should also be considered to support your skin’s health. Getting a full night’s sleep, staying hydrated, managing stress, and avoiding overly processed and inflammatory foods are all ways to improve your overall health and your skin.
Even if your barrier function has been compromised, your skin is resilient, and as long as you work to replenish and soothe your acid mantle from the inside out, it can be restored to its ideal state.
When you choose to use products formulated with the acid mantle and the skin’s pH in mind, you are creating the ideal environment for your skin’s barrier to do what it is biologically designed to do: protect, repair, and thrive.
Chemistry and Skincare
At its core, skincare is all about chemistry, whether it’s the way ingredients work together to create effective formulations or how the ecosystem that exists on the skin responds to all that is going on in and on the body.
As long as we maintain a healthy pH for the acid mantle with the right products and ensuring the pH of water is prioritized in skincare routines, our skin is equipped to do what it was designed to do.
When we support our skin’s natural processes rather than overwhelm them, skincare stops being about how many steps we can fit in one routine and instead becomes more about giving our skin the effective, but science-backed care it needs to thrive on its own.
Balancing the pH of Water with Science-Backed Products for Optimal Skin Health
Healthy skin starts with a healthy barrier—and that begins with balance. Optaderm’s pH Balance Soothing Skin Toner is formulated at the skin’s ideal pH of 5.5 to restore comfort after cleansing and exposure to alkaline water. By calming irritation and supporting the acid mantle, it helps create the right environment for your other products to work better, leaving your skin resilient, hydrated, and protected.
Reviving dull and lacklustre skin requires a combination of exfoliation, hydration, and targeted treatments. Our science-driven products are formulated to address these needs, promoting a smoother, brighter complexion. By integrating advanced ingredients like peptides, and ceramides, these solutions deliver both instant results and lasting improvement. By addressing specific skin concerns, we help individuals achieve their best skin at any age.
A lot of our customers are surprised at how important the pH of water is when it comes to skincare. What are your thoughts on this topic? We’d love to read your insights in the comments below!
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