Keep skin ACIDIC

WHAT IS HEALTHY SKIN?  The epidermis consists of many layers, the top layer being the Stratum Corneum. The Integumentary System (your skin...as well as the largest organ of the body) is an amazing thing....it actually has the ability to regulate and heal itself. It is self-serving and efficient, and does NOT require expensive, fancy shmancy serums and creams to keep a youthful appearance.  The problem herein lies with cumulative exposure to the sun, life-style choices, improper diet, lack of exercise (ya gotta sweat those toxins out) and not enough water consumption (imperative for healthy skin!).  That's why, for thousands of years, women have explored unique and different ways to care for their skin, in order to maintain a luminous, healthy and youthful appearance....the ultimate goal right?

Setting-up camp on top of the Stratum Corneum is something known as the "acid mantle".  Your body has the ability to create a healthy, needed, acid layer generated to protect the skin.  Remember, the skin doesn't care about beauty blogs, it has many important health-related functions: To keep-out pathogens, to regulate body temperature, to keep our internal organs and fluids contained...just to name a few.   

When is this acid mantle at its best?  The moment you wake-up in the morning after a good nights rest. While you were sleeping, your  skin was working diligently, getting your acid and pH-level on track. Why is this such a big deal?  Because healthy skin is *acidic skin. The acid mantle needs to have a pH of 5.5, more or less, in order to ward-off bacteria. Bacteria cannot survive in an acidic environment. Moreover, bacteria just ADORES sugar.  So, if you continuously strip the natural oils from your skin by using harsh detergents to wash your face....and if you continuously feed your addiction to sugary snacks, then guess what's gonna happen?  Acne will have a big fat, loud and boisterous party on your skin!  

Skin needs to maintain a 5.5 pH level in order to avoid an environment for bacteria to grow. This is why Salicylic Acid treatments are so affective for those with mild to moderate acne. 

Normal skin turns over (sloughs away naturally) every 28 days. If you force your skin into a higher pH by using harsh astringents for example, you will dry it out. The dryer the skin, the higher the pH (not good).....so, rather than every 28 days, this skin will turn-over every 7-8 days. Your skin needs time to build-up and heal itself. A 7-8 day turn-over is not healthy skin, but rather, dry flakey unhealthy skin....yuck. 

REMEDIES: Use a mild cleanser (at around a 7 pH level), a mild "toner" (4.4 pH is good), and a light moisturizer (for day)....a good moisturizer should be right at 5.5.

Although I can't vouch for this cleanser from LaRouche-Posay, I love love love that they announce their pH smack-dab on the label!  Good for you LaRouche!

Do your research, find out your product's pH levels, ask questions, understand the basic histology of your skin, and always remember that acidic skin is healthy skin.

* see my blog on Skin Care 101

---Ciao for now :)