Date: 27/02/2015

Author: Ingrid Katz (Pure Aesthetics)

Exercise regimes, yoga, meditation, life coaching... what we haven't tried to reach the elusive goal of "balance".

But what does balance mean for our skins? Being pH balanced means far more to our skins than we may realise. I'd go as far as to say that being pH balanced is the foundation of skin health.

pH refers to the potential hydrogen present on a surface or in a substance (thanks high school chemistry!). This ranges from 0-14 on a pH scale, with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic and anything above 7 is alkaline. Our skins' perfect pH is at 5.5 which means it is slightly acidic and in this state, has its acid mantle or barrier in place to prevent loss of moisture and invasion of bacteria or pollution. This is where it feels safe, comfortable and able to allow the underlying structure to continue with its much needed daily routine.

If the skin is in an alkaline state, it becomes dry, sensitive and inflamed which will prevent it from functioning at its optimal level. That "tight" feeling you experience after washing your face with soap (which we truly hope nobody reading this newsletter is doing), is due to the alkaline state that soap leaves your skin in. This results in an accelerated ageing process – something we all want to avoid. Toner is often used to bring the alkaline pH back to a neutral balance – yes, that's what toners are for... not to just remove excess cleanser from the skin. These days, many good quality cleansers are pH balanced too, which negates the need of a toner.

An over acidic skin is rare to see, but will result in redness, inflammation and breakouts, often feeling painful to the touch.

Thankfully balancing your skin is a lot easier than the other aspects of our lives – without a therapy session needed! We recommend the use of a pH balanced cleansing routine to start the process. At Pure Aesthetics we suggest; Optiphi Facial Cleanser, Dermaceutic Foamer 5 or Foamer 15 and QMS Deep Cleansing & Freshening Tonic.