The pH value: acidic, alkaline or neutral?

"pH-neutral" – you've probably seen this term many times in skincare products. Creams and body washes, in particular, often claim to have this property. If you've been asking yourself: What does this mean? And are pH-neutral products really best for my skin? Perfect! Then today's story is exactly for you!

I'll take a step back and start today with a little excursion, this time into the world of chemistry.

pH VALUE OR 'ACIDIC VS. BASIC'

So first of all: What exactly does pH mean? Basically, pH tells us whether an aqueous solution is acidic or basic. Why are the letters p and H used for this? These stand for potential of hydrogen, from the Latin pondus hydrogenii or potentia hydrogenii. Water, or more precisely pure water, is also the basis for the definition of “pH-neutral”. However, neutrality is not defined as a pH of 0, but as 7. So pH-neutral means pH = 7. Completely logical? Not quite, but you get used to it :-) From this, all solutions below a pH of 7 are acidic, and all those above this are basic or alkaline.

Still too abstract? Here's a small list of examples:

Now back to my original question: What pH value is best for caring for your skin? Your skin itself provides the answer, or more precisely, its structure. We don't even need to delve into this in depth. Directly on the surface, you'll find the hydrolipid film, a thin layer of sweat, sebum, and water. This film has a pH value of 4.5 to 5.5. The exact value varies from person to person and isn't the same in all areas of the body—but in any case, it's a slightly acidic environment. This explains the name "acid" protective layer.