Everything You Should Know About Your Skin's Natural pH Level and Keeping It Balanced
Your skin is more complex than you may realize - consider how easy it is for a breakout to come on if you touch your face, or for your skin to get irritated if you add a new product into your routine , or for the weather to make your face dry. There's a science behind skin care - a lot of it, actually. Do you remember learning about pH levels in high school science class? It applies to more than just experiments; keeping your skin's natural pH level in check is important for maintaining healthy and happy skin . In terms of beauty, pH - otherwise known as potential hydrogen - refers to the acidity of your skin. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral. On average, skin is around a 5. "The key concept here is the importance of the skin barrier function, which is influenced by pH, as well as other factors," said Hadley C. King , MD, FAAD. Your skin barrier acts as a shield for your skin and keeps moisture in and bacteria out. As you probably guessed, wh