pH...

     It would be lovely if all skin care products displayed there pH balance number wouldn't it?  Well I recently went to a class on pH and the skin, and I feel everyone should be knowledgeable on these facts!  First, I want to go over what pH is so you understand it and know what to look for.  PH stands for potential hydrogen.  Potential hydrogen plays one of the biggest roles in our skin's barrier, the acid mantle, which is formed by secretions from sweat and sebaceous glands along with the breakdown of fatty acids by beneficial microflora.  In Laymen's terms, pH is important for healthy skin because it helps regulate oil secretions which is crucial for all skin types, right?  Most definitely!  The pH scale goes from 0-14.  0-7 is acidic and 7-14 is alkaline.  The skin must be acidic, and the neutral pH of skin is found between 4-6.  Here is the scale:

     Now this means that the products we use should be PH balanced.  The sad thing is... nearly all drug store cleansers and a lot of the "acne" products out there are a pH of 7-10 which is alkaline!!  The manufactures reasonings: ingredients are cheaper when you do not balance your product and if the product strips you of your oil then you will have less breakouts which makes you think the product is working... not nice!  
     So now that you are a pro on pH, it is time to make a conscious effort to drop those store bought products and research some products that will really leave your skin clean and healthy.  Some pH balanced products out there are Dermalogica,  Fresh, Arcona, and Murad.  Just to name a few.
And one last tip... never use bar soap on your face unless it says it is balanced.  Bar soap is a pH of 9-12!
Please comment below if you have any questions.