I learned the importance of using a low pH cleanser after an experience with a high pH cleanser that striped my skin. A high pH cleanser can completely throw off the balance of your skin and cause all sorts of skin conditions. Keep reading to learn the importance of low pH skincare and how cleansers can affect your skin!

What is pH?

Let me unlock memories of your high school chemistry class to talk about pH. PH measures the acidity of substances on a scale of 1-14 (1 is the most acidic, 7 is water, and 14 is alkaline). Some examples of acidic substances are tomatoes, citrus, and apple cider vinegar. Some examples of alkaline substances are bleach and amonia. Alright, before you fall asleep let’s get back to skincare!

Your Skin and pH

Your skin has a natural pH level between 4.7 and 5.7 meaning the skin is acidic.To avoid disrupting the skin’s barrier and natural pH level, we should be using skincare that is also naturally acidic. Many cleansers are too harsh and have too high of a pH that disrupts the skin barrier. Have you ever used a cleanser that makes your skin feel squeaky clean? That squeaky feeling is a sign the cleanser’s pH is too high and it’s likely striping the skin as well.  When the skin’s pH levels are off, the skin is susceptible to all sorts of conditions like acne, redness, and irritation. Cleansers should have a pH between 4-6 because it’s within the skin’s natural pH range.

My Experience With a High pH Cleanser

I’ve known high pH cleansers can strip the skin for years, but it took using a high pH cleanser myself to learn my lesson. Korres sent me their famous greek yoghurt foaming cream cleanser to try out. I was excited to try this cleanser because it is so hyped up. I also thought this cleanser would be a great fit for me because cream cleansers are typically gentle for dry skin.

When I used this cleanser, my skin didn’t feel hydrated, but it didn’t feel particularly irritated either. However, after about a week of using the Korres cleanser, my skin felt tight and I developed deep, painful zits. Before I started using this cleanser, my skin was doing pretty well aside from some acne I got from wearing my mask at work. I couldn’t figure out why this cleanser was breaking me out until I had an epiphany and decided to investigate the pH.

I looked it up online and I found various sources saying this cleanser had a pH of approximately 7 (Resting Nice Face). I bought some pH testing strips on Amazon that confirmed the pH is approximately 7 which is on the high side compared to the skin’s natural pH of 5.

My Favorite Low pH Cleansers

Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Cleanser

I absolutely adored the Krave Beauty matcha hemp cleanser when I used it a few months ago. This cleanser is very gentle and hydrating without stripping the skin of it’s natural oils or disrupting its pH levels. Krave’s website says the pH levels of the matcha hemp cleanser average between 5-6 making it a wonderful low pH cleanser. Read my full review of the Krave matcha hemp cleanser here. 

Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Cleanser

Another one of my favorite low pH cleansers is the Cosrx low pH good morning cleanser. They make it so easy including low pH in the title lol! This cleanser has a pH of approximately 5 which is right within the skin’s natural pH range. This cleanser is very gentle and it doesn’t strip my dry skin. Despite the name, you can use the cleanser day and night.

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser

It’s been awhile since I’ve used the Glossier milky jelly cleanser, but I remember having a delightful experience with it (one of my early reviews from 2019 lol!). This cleanser has a nice slimy formula that hydrates the skin and removes all makeup residue without striping. The milky jelly cleanser has a pH between 4.5-5.

Have you ever had an experience with a cleanser that was too harsh?