If your skin is dry or oily, it’s highly likely that your skin pH balance is off. This might not be something that you worry or even think about when it comes to your complexion, but experts say that the pH level of the products you put on your face makes more of a difference than you think. So, how can you restore your pH balance and that highly coveted clear, glowy complexion that most everyone is after. Let’s learn more.

What is The Ideal Skin pH Level?

What is skin pH, and how is it measured? If you aren’t already familiar, pH stands for “potential of hydrogen.” Essentially you are measuring how acidic or alkaline a substance is…in this case, your skin.

The pH scale is measured on a scale of 0-14. Water sits at 7, meaning it is the perfect neutral. Anything above 7 is considered alkaline, and anything below acidic. 

When it comes to skin pH, what number on the scale is ideal? Recent studies have concluded that perfect skin sits right below 5. So how can you achieve this holy grail of skin pH levels? Let’s find out.

Why are skin pH Levels so Important?

A healthy skin pH level helps contribute to the overall health and look of your complexion, so it’s important to keep this at the top of your mind when partaking in your daily skincare regime. 

Sitting above our skin is a tiny film called the “acid mantle.” This coating on your skin is composed of lactic acids, fatty acids, pyrrolidine carboxylic acids, amino acids and much more. In layman’s terms, this layer acts as a protective shield made of sweat, natural oils, and dead skin cells.

The acid mantle determines your skin’s pH. When it comes to skin, you can expect a range between 4-7. It is also a protectant against air pollution and makes your skin soft too. Sounds important now, right? This minuscule coating on your skin that you may have never even heard of determines the health of your skin.

So what happens if your skin pH levels aren’t quite up to par? Well, you can experience irritation, inflammation, atopic dermatitis, dryness, sensitivity, acne, etc. Having an ideal skin pH balance eliminates all of these problems, so it’s important to take this into consideration when evaluating your skin. Getting that perfect skin is literally a balancing act, so how can you tip the scales in your favour?

What Throws Our Skin’s pH Off-Balance?

There are many contributing factors to an irregular skin pH. Essentially anything you expose your skin to can throw it off, and that includes pollution, hard water, chemicals, toxins, and products with high pH levels. 

When it comes to skincare products, the one you need to be most careful with is your cleanser. Have you ever used a cleanser that left your skin feeling stiff and tight? Although it may feel good, that’s a bad sign. A sign that your mantle has been messed with. So when choosing a cleanser, it is imperative that you pick one that doesn’t strip your skin of its natural oils.  LASPA’s Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser is ideal for sensitive skin and helps retain your skin’s pH with its gentle formula.

Avoid products that contain ethanolamines (DEA, MEA, and TEA), baking soda, triclosan, triclocarban, and sodium lauryl sulfate. All of these products will throw your balance out of whack and damage your skin. The majority of products on the market are not pH balanced, so do your homework and always read those labels.

How Can pH Be Restored?

So you’re reading this article and suddenly find yourself worrying about your skin pH levels. Do not worry. There are simple steps you can take to ensure that you’re letting your skin reach its greatest potential. Read on to learn how to restore skin pH balance naturally.

Hard Water affects how your skin pH

One of the biggest contributing factors to restore skin pH balance is water. Water is so pure and neutral, no? Well, that is not actually the case. When water is hard it contains an excess of minerals that have a drying effect on not only your hair but your skin too. 

If you are showering daily chances are you are washing your face with it too. Your skin is being exposed to high alkaline levels on a daily basis. If the area in which you live is known to have hard water, you aren’t out of luck…there are workarounds. You can invest in a shower filter or a water softener, both will do the trick, and your skin will thank you. Trust me.

Look for a pH Balanced Shampoo Option

Your choice of shampoo won’t affect your complexion, right? Wrong. The shampoo you use will have a big effect on the health of your scalp, and guess what, that water is running over your face too. So your shampoo is also a major player to restore skin pH.

Choose pH Balanced Skincare Products

Using gently pH-balanced products (4-6 on the scale) will help your skin retain its natural oils and neutralize its levels as well. We will talk about some of our favourite pH-balanced products shortly, (LASPA Glycolic Acid Peel has a 3.5 pH balance) so stay put.

Don’t Forget Toner!

Toners have an incredible ability to neutralize your skin post-cleanse. BUT, it is crucial to choose a toner that is alcohol-free. A toner ridden with alcohol will only dry out your skin and alter the skin pH balance. Choose a product that is natural and full of ingredients that your skin will love.

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

When in doubt, moisturize. Dry skin is not happy skin. But using a gentle, nourishing lotion will help your skin lock in its natural oils and general hydration too. So keep this in mind.

Wait In Between the Application of Products

If you just slap on your skincare regime, one product after another – you aren’t allowing the products to neutralize your skin. Mixing a variety of different products at different levels can cause reactions & breakouts and reduce rather than restore skin pH.

So, it is suggested that you wait 30 minutes in between product applications. That way, you are giving your skin the time to restore skin pH balance and not causing havoc with a barrage of different ingredients and pH balances all at once.

Our pH Balanced Top Picks

LASPA’s gentle and naturally formulated beauty products are pH balanced and a safe and effective way to nourish and protect your skin – without the risks that are associated with chemical-based products.

Check out some of our LASPA’s top-selling skin pH balancing products. From mineral sunscreen benefits to glycolic acid peel exfoliators, we have solutions that your skin can trust.

LASPA Intensive Glycolic Peel (10%) – Consumer Series (Overnight Treatment Kit)

When you think of a glycolic acid peel kit, gentle might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But our LASPA formulation is, and it delivers an optimal pH balance of 3.5 to boot. This 100% bio-based product is with a 2-in-1 Glycolic/ Hyaluronic Acid for exfoliation and moisturizing.

Keep your skin pH levels balanced and achieve plump, bright and youthful-looking skin in the process. Our award-winning LASPA peel will have you feeling rejuvenated without the harshness of some of the chemical peels you have come to know.

LASPA Moisturizing Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30

Our LASPA mineral sunscreen is formulated with essential oils, plant materials, zinc oxide. This sunscreen is gentle, nourishing, moisturizing and will protect your skin from the sun’s harsh UVA/UVB rays. Zinc oxide is your acid mantle’s best friend. It will keep you balanced and protected. 

Hypoallergenic, this mineral sunscreen is made from a 100% Natural Source with Certified Organic and Antioxidant Ingredients. It is perfect for sensitive skin. Don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours.

Foaming Facial Cleanser

As stressed earlier in this post, cleansers can be some of the most harmful skin pH disruptors. Harsh cleansers strip your skin of it’s natural oils and throw your pH levels on balance.  Ours won’t. This LASPA Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser is hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and made from certified organic ingredients like Aloe Vera. The addition of aloe vera keeps your skin hydrated and soft and retains your skin pH with its gentle cleanse.

Restore Your Natural Skin pH Balance with LASPA Products

Our LASPA products are made with your skin’s health in mind and have been scientifically formulated to balance and restore skin pH levels. LASPA’s natural and organic products will take care of your skin gently, without stripping it of the good stuff. Get your pH in line. We’ve got your back (and your face).