Etiket: #Skincare Science

Why Does Your Skin’s pH Matter? Is 5.5 Really the Magic Number? Your skin naturally has a slightly acidic surface. But what does that mean for your skin barrier, microbiome, and the products you use every day? Science shows that skin pH is much more interesting than a single number. You may have seen the words “pH-balanced” on a facial cleanser, toner, or moisturizer. You may also have heard that the ideal pH for skin is 5.5. But why 5.5? And is everyone’s skin really pH 5.5 all the time? The answer is more interesting than you might expect. Your skin has a naturally slightly acidic environment at its surface. Scientists have studied this environment for decades because skin pH is closely connected with the skin barrier, the microorganisms that live on our skin, and some of the biological processes that help the skin function normally. First, What Is pH? pH is a way of describing how acidic or alkaline something is. The scale generally runs from 0 to 14: 7 is neutral Below 7 is acidic Above 7 is alkaline Pure water is close to neutral. Healthy skin, however, is generally not neutral. Its surface is naturally slightly acidic. And that is where things become...