While your daily skincare routine must be personalized, there are some go-to steps that everyone must follow. This includes the order in which you cleanse, tone, nourish, and hydrate your skin. But you may be wondering how to select a cleanser with the right pH. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is pH?
Short for “potential of hydrogen”, pH measures how acidic or alkaline your cleanser or skin is. Your skin’s natural pH should be between 4.5 and 5.5. Facial cleansers are often alkaline which can disrupt your skin’s natural pH.
pH is measured on the scale below:
- Acidic Substance: pH of 0-6
- Neutral Substance: pH of 7
- Basic/Alkaline: pH of 8-14
What Else Impacts Your Skin’s pH?
There are a variety of factors that can disrupt your skin’s pH, including but not limited to:
- Your skin type—oily skin is more acidic
- Your skincare products
- Sun and UV exposure
- Environmental factors
- Daily nutrition
- Smoking
- Drinking
How To Choose The Right Facial Cleanser?
Water has a neutral pH of 7 so water won’t disrupt your skin’s pH. When it comes to choosing your skincare products, naturally derived cleansers are less alkaline than chemically-derived cleansers. For example, your face should feel clean, not stripped or dry after you cleanse.
Foaming cleansers have a higher pH than cream cleansers. Sometimes as high as 10. However, that doesn’t rule foaming cleansers out. For example, if you wear makeup you may prefer a foaming cleanser in the evenings to remove your makeup. However, if your skin is sensitive, naturally dry, or irritated you should always choose a cream cleanser.
How To Restore pH After You Cleanse?
Whether your cleanser is neutral or alkaline, it is essential to follow up with an alcohol-free toner after you cleanse. Toners are slightly acidic, so they recalibrate your skin’s pH. If you don’t currently use toner and your skin is dry, it may be that your pH is off. If your skin is sensitive, choose a cream toner.
What To Do After Cleansing And Toning?
Your cleanser removes makeup, oil, and daily grime and your toner restores your skin’s pH balance. Apply your toner directly after you pat your face dry. Then, follow up with the steps below, with about 60 seconds between each facial product:
- Apply a facial serum—serums are lightweight so their vitamins penetrate your pores, delivering reparative antioxidant vitamins.
- Apply your moisturizer—moisturizers are thicker than serums. They also contain vitamins, but their primary purpose is to hydrate your skin.
- Sunscreen—chemical sunscreens should be applied between your serum and your moisturizer. Mineral sunscreens should be applied after your moisturizer.
- Makeup—follow up with a barrier cream, primer, or your preferred makeup. Or go makeup-free.
Methode Brigitte Kettner’s product lines are formulated with naturally derived ingredients that deliver scientifically proven results. This includes both foam and cream cleansers and gentle lotion toners to ensure you cleanse without stripping your skin of its natural pH.