In the last few years, it felt like I’ve learned more about how to take care of my skin—and yet, it becomes increasingly more complicated.
There are so many methods to good skincare: Korean beauty methods, long 15+ step skincare programs, stripped down programs, cruelty free, all natural, low pH… it can get really, really overwhelming.
But in the last few months, I’ve started to focus on a simplified routine with one main focus: nurturing and taking care of my skin’s pH barrier (sometimes called the acid mantle). If you’d told me 10 years ago that I would be focusing on something like this, I would have probably short circuited. Skincare feels like it should be easy: pick up something in the store that says it will fix your problems, use it, and success! But it’s not quite so easy.
Skincare also doesn’t have to be so hard. Yes, you’ll have to try and remember your chemistry lessons; personally, it’s been 14 years since I even thought about chemistry and while science is important, it’s absolutely not my strong suit. I get overwhelmed easily with information, which is probably why I spend so much of my time making lists and journaling, trying to make sense of all this information.
In this blog post, I want to help you figure out what the pH barrier of your skin really is and how it protects your skin—as well as the signs you’ve damaged it. As I wrote recently, I’ve started to notice some serious effects of damage to my skin’s pH barrier—most likely from years of using stripping, oil free products with too much acid or soap in them—and fixing it has become a huge focus for me as I get older. So let’s talk about your skin’s acid mantle: what is it, why does it matter, and how do you know if you’ve damaged it.
What is the pH level of your skin? What does acid mantle mean?
Naturally, skin’s pH level is around 5.5 (on average), which makes it slightly acidic. When we talk about the acid mantle, this is primarily what is being discussed. From the New York Times, here’s a great summary of what composes the acid mantle of your skin: “The acid mantle is the protective film of natural oils, amino acids and sweat that covers your skin.”
For those who aren’t great at chemistry (you can count me among that crew, although I’m trying!) that means that all of our skin has a natural protective barrier, with its own pH level, that can be relatively easily damaged with products that are either too alkaline or too acidic for our skin. Once your skin’s pH barrier is damaged, it can be a huge pain to get it back to rights—and you can begin to experience some pretty severe signs of damage along the way. Let’s discuss those.
What are the signs of damage to your skin’s pH barrier?
As I mentioned in my review of First Aid Beauty’s Cleanser, there are a few classic signs of a damaged pH barrier: acne, dryness, increased sensitivity, patchy, and flaky skin, as well as your skin feeling tight and dehydrated (while sill being very oily). More and more, talk on skincare forums revolves around your skin’s pH barrier; it’s because the products we all have access to tend to be designed specifically to strip our skin of oils.
As well, a damaged pH barrier can make you more prone to struggling with other skin conditions, like rosacea and eczema. I always know something is up with my skin when I start getting red, blotchy spots across my cheeks. This is my sign to start removing products from my skincare arsenal; no more toner, no more acid, just gentle non-lathering face wash and a good, gentle moisturizer.
What causes damage to your skin’s barrier?
As I said, the average skin pH level is 5.5, slightly acidic. However, most drugstore skincare products are highly alkaline; any soap that foams is alkaline and designed to strip your face of any oil. Your skin needs oil! It needs that layer! However, these products may work for some people who have a slightly higher pH; 5.5 is just an average.
However, let’s take a look at the pH level of other products.
Our skin, on average, is at a 5.5—that’s the pH level of our skin’s acid mantle. That’s about the same level as a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. Now, look at soap: it’s alkaline at a pH of 12. Again, from the New York Times: “Cleansing your skin with anything alkaline interferes with the skin’s ability to repair itself and makes it less elastic.” Our skin grows more alkaline as we age, which means that we need more acidic products to help balance the acid mantle and keep it from being damaged.
One further note: check where baking soda is on this list! Baking soda has a pH of 9, quite alkaline, which is why you should absolutely never put baking soda on your face! So many homemade masks include baking soda. This is also why you should never use toothpaste on your skin to help acne. This is a personal bugbear of mine. Stop putting baking soda on your face! Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
How long does it take to fix this damage?
That depends on how bad the damage is your acid mantle. If you’re noticing signs of damage, including redness that you never had before or worsening acne, it’s time to strip everything back and focus on repairing your skin’s pH barrier. According to Krave Beauty, “This really depends on the severity of the damage and the individual's skin condition. Just like there are people whose wounds heal faster, skin is the same. For healthy skin, it can take 2 weeks and up to a month to repair the barrier function. Once your skin barrier is back on full force, you’ll notice a decrease in redness, skin-sensitivity, inflammation, and dehydration! You will definitely be able to tell when your skin can handle a new product.”
The good news is: it’s not like it will take 6+ months (although if your skin is highly damaged, it might). The bad news is that it won’t be instantaneous. This will be a process that will take a long time.
How do you fix your skin’s pH balance/barrier?
Fixing your skin’s barrier is relatively simple, but requires sticking to a pretty strict routine for a while.
Strip your skincare down to the basics. For the next month, you’re not going to want to use any acids on your skin, as when your skin barrier is damaged, your skin is more permeable. That means, no exfoliation, no acids, nothing. You’ll be using a face wash (that does not contain soap or alcohol) and a pH balanced moisturizer. You can also use a nourishing facial oil, like jojoba or something that contains a high amount of lipids and cholesterol. That’s it. No masks. Nothing else.
Focus on lifestyle changes. Reducing stress, getting more sleep, and drinking more water have all been shown to also effect our skin’s barrier. While this is primarily anecdotal, and there isn’t a ton of evidence to it, I do think it’s worth changing any of these aspects to help your skin. You never know!
Use SPF. Damage to your skin barrier, to repeat it, makes your skin more permeable. That means you’re at risk of increased sun damage. So wear SPF like your life depends on it; if you’re going to be outside for any amount of time, make sure to employ physical barriers as well, such as long sleeves and hats.
Use gentle products. In the next section, I’ll make a few recommendations that also won’t break the bank.
Be careful with make up products. I wear foundation and powder every day and I’ve made sure these are good for my skin’s pH barrier. I have been avoiding any unnecessary make up items, such as contour, eye shadow, etc. to avoid having to use anything besides oil and my face wash to remove them.
Product recommendations
Jojoba oil: Jojoba oil has a high content of wax esters, making is suitable to help repair the skin barrier. It’s anti-inflammatory and good for all skin types. Make sure you buy pure jojoba oil with nothing else added. I use Leven Rose Jojoba Oil.
Dermalogica UltraCalming Barrier Repair: This “velvety moisturizer helps fortify sensitized skin with a damaged barrier” is perfect to use underneath foundation, as it can double as a primer. I would add a dollop of SPF as well.
First Aid Beauty Cleanser: This cleanser is a pure, unscented basic that doesn’t lather and will help restore your skin’s barrier.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: This is the OG of repairing your skin barrier: it’s ultra hydrating and very gentle, free of any ingredients that might continue to wear down your skin’s barrier. Also, it’s super affordable.
