[Acidic or Alkaline] How to Restore Your Skin's pH Balance?

What is the pH of the skin? How can you tell if your skin is healthy? Why is the pH of your skin important? Here's everything you need to know about pH and skin, including how to determine the pH of your skin and how to choose the ideal pH for skin care products.

pH this pH that and alkaline, acidic, and neutral pH. You’ve probably seen several products tout their pH levels but what does this all mean to you? Bear with the basics without the nitty gritty scientific specifics and it’ll help you understand it a lot better!

What is pH?

PH is a measure of how acidic/basic water is. pH is measured on a logarithmic scale that goes from 0 to 14; 0 being the most acidic and 14 being the most Basic.

A pH of 7 is neutral which is the pH of pure water – it is neither acidic nor basic. pHs less than 7 are acidic and pHs greater than 7 are alkaline (basic).

What's the typical pH of skin?

Skin is on the acidic side of the scale and on average around a pH around 4.7. There’s a natural range to this depending on your skin type! It can be slightly more or it can be slightly less.

The pH of oily skin tends to range from 4 to 5.2, while the pH of dry skin is typically above 5.5.

Why pH is important for skin?

The pH of the skin plays an important role in the condition of the skin. The pH of your skin depends on the skin's acid mantle, a protective layer of skin that shields the skin from external threats such as acne-causing bacteria and dermatitis infections.

The protective acid mantle is made up of ceramides, cholesterols and enzymes and it is important to the mantle’s pH balanced to ensure that your skin is always protected.

Simply put, when we say your skin is healthy, it means that there is a good balance between acidity and alkalinity and that the acid mantle is maintained in skin care products with optimal pH.

Which pH is good for skin?

This may surprise you that the surface and top layers of the skin are naturally slightly acidic. The optimal pH of the skin on most of our face and body lies between 4.7 and 5.75.

Balanced skin maintains its barrier best at around 5.5 - slightly acidic and this is the ideal pH value of our skin. When the skin maintains the ideal pH level of 5.5, the skin is able to maintain a good skin barrier and act as a real protective defense organ along with natural oils, moisturizers and bacteria.

* Beauty Tip: Your hair's natural pH is slightly acidic, around 4.5-5.5, and it's important to keep it at this level to ensure the overall health of your healthy hair.

Choose hair care products such as shampoo or conditioner with a pH between 3.5 and 5.5. Because as if it falls below 6.0, then the hair cuticle contracts and contracts.

Be wary that many conventional products can disrupt this delicate pH balance of the hair and push it into the alkaline side, which can lead to cuticle damage and fiber breakage.

How do you know if you skin pH balance is off?

When the pH is out of the ideal range, your skin is less protected and you may experience some skin troubles, such as acne, dryness and skin conditions like psoriasis. This is why it's important to be aware the pH of your skin care products to ensure you aren't doing anything that make your skin compromised.

What does alkaline skin mean?

Alkaline skin is much more common than skin that is too acidic as soaps with a pH between 9 and 11 are widely used in cosmetic and personal care industries due to their water solubility.

Remember, 7 is neutral on the pH 1 to 14 scale. So if the pH is above 7, it is alkaline. When the pH rises above 7 on the pH scale, the skin becomes alkaline. If it's too alkaline, like nine and up, the skin becomes dry and sensitive due to the weakened lipid layer.

How do you know if your skin is too alkaline?

Have you ever felt squeaky clean after using your soap or facial cleanser? How about if your skin feels dry after washing? These are signs that the acid mantle we talked about earlier is no longer at its optimal pH and is stripping the skin of its natural barrier.

The skin's barrier is slightly acidic for a reason which helps keep moisture in and bacteria out. If your pH balance is off and it's too alkaline, you’ll notice some unpleasant changes in your skin.

Here are symptoms if your skin is too alkaline:

• Dry, tight skin
• Sensitive skin
• Prone to sun damage
• Premature skin
• Flaky, rough patches
• Skin redness, irritation
• Eczema

How do you balance the pH level your skin?

1. Avoid harsh/alkaline facial cleansers and soaps

A facial cleanser or a soap are skin care products that can easily adjust the pH of your skin to the side of alkalinity. Even just using plain water (pH 7) would increase the pH of your skin!

2. Use properly PH balanced face toners

Choosing a pH-balancing facial toner after cleansing will help recalibrate and restore your skin’s pH balance. The great thing about Korean toner is that they often have more wonderful benefits beyond restoring your pH! They also prep your skin for the next skin care steps to help deliver skincare ingredients deeper into skin.

What is the best pH for a facial cleanser?

While using the wrong facial cleanser can easily throw your skin's pH out of tune, there are several pH friendly cleansers out there that you can depend on!

Ideally, you should look for facial cleansers with a pH close to your skin's natural level – usually between 4.5 – 7. Products with a pH lower than 4.5 can be too acidic and hot harsh people with dry or sensitive skin.

( A related blog post: How To Pick The Right Face Cleanser for Your Skin Type?)

Best pH balanced Korean facial cleansers

Heimish All Clean Green Foam

This hypoallergenic product has a pH of 5.5 that maintains the optimal pH balance of the skin while effectively removes impurities on the skin.

It made up of natural active ingredients, such as Centella Asiatica and Witch Hazel, which is known for effectively soothing and healing properties, make it perfect for sensitive, inflamed or stressed-out skin.

Purito Defence Barrier pH Cleanser

Purito Defence Barrier pH Cleanser is designed to provide a gentle yet effective cleanse while maintaining your skin’s natural pH balance. Formulated with soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica and tea tree extract, it calms irritated skin while removing impurities and excess oil.

This low-pH cleanser is ideal for sensitive and acne-prone skin, ensuring a clean, hydrated, and balanced complexion without stripping away essential moisture.

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Low-ph Cleansing Foam

Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Low-pH Cleansing Foam offers a mild and hydrating cleanse that maintains your skin’s natural acidity. Infused with hyaluronic acid, this foam cleanser deeply moisturizes while effectively removing dirt, makeup, and impurities.

Its gentle formula is suitable for all skin types, leaving your skin feeling fresh, soft, and supple without causing dryness or irritation.

I'm from Mugwort Gel Cleanser

I'm from Mugwort Gel Cleanser utilizes the calming properties of mugwort extract to provide a soothing and purifying cleanse. This gel cleanser effectively removes impurities, excess oil, and makeup while gently calming and revitalizing the skin.

Its gentle, botanical-infused formula is perfect for all skin types, especially sensitive and irritated skin, ensuring a clean, refreshed, and balanced complexion.

Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a gentle yet effective cleanser designed to start your day with a fresh, clean face. This gel cleanser is formulated with a low pH level to maintain the skin's optimal acidic balance, protecting its natural barrier and preventing irritation.

It contains tea tree oil and natural BHA to help control oil production, exfoliate dead skin cells, and clear away impurities without stripping your skin of its natural moisture.

Perfect for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin, this cleanser leaves your skin feeling refreshed, smooth, and ready to absorb the benefits of your skincare routine.

Pyunkang Yul Calming Low pH Foaming Cleanser

Pyunkang Yul Calming Low pH Foaming Cleanser is a gentle yet effective cleanser designed to maintain the skin's natural balance. With a low pH formula, it ensures that your skin’s protective barrier remains intact while thoroughly removing impurities.

Infused with soothing ingredients like Centella Asiatica extract and tea tree oil, this foaming cleanser calms irritated skin, reduces redness, and controls excess oil. Ideal for sensitive and acne-prone skin, its rich, creamy foam leaves your face feeling clean, refreshed, and hydrated without any tightness or dryness.

* Tip: All three are ideal facial cleansers as a second step in the double cleansing method in your Korean skin care routine!

What is the best pH for a toner?

A good toner formula should have a pH of around 5-7. These will help all skin types maintain the acid mantle and once the pH is back in balance, skin also becomes less sensitive to environmental threats.

(Related blog post: 11 Best Korean Hydrating Toners for Glowing Skin)

Do toners really balance pH?

Toners - especially hydrating Korean toners - are primarily designed to balance your skin's pH, as cleansing can throw off this balance. This means that facial toners usually have a neutral or slightly acidic pH to keep your protective mantle healthy.

In addition, pH-adjusting toners help your skin work better to pH-dependent actives like AHA (glycolic acid, lactic acid, mandelic acid), azelaic acid, niacinamide, BHA (salicylic acid), vitamin C and retinoids (tretinoin, retinol).

What toners are bad for skin?

When choosing a toner, do yourself a favor and avoid toners with alcohols! Alcohol-based toners are actually a bad idea for every skin type, as alcohols strip the skin of natural lipids and risk drying out the skin.

Alcohols can cause disruptions to sebaceous glands (under your skin) which are responsible for the skin’s oil production which is important for our skin’s balance and protection. This will further exacerbate dryness and lack of moisture. We’d like to avoid that of course! 

The Best pH-balancing Korean facial toner

Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner

Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner is a multi-functional product that acts as both a cleanser and a toner. Infused with licorice root extract, it brightens and evens out the skin tone while maintaining the skin’s optimal pH balance.

This gentle toner helps to remove residual impurities after cleansing, leaving your skin clean, hydrated, and radiant. Suitable for all skin types, it ensures a smooth, clear, and glowing complexion.

Kaine Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner

Kaine Kombu Balancing Ampoule Toner is a nourishing and hydrating toner enriched with kombu (seaweed) extract. This ampoule toner is formulated to balance your skin's moisture levels, providing deep hydration and replenishing essential nutrients.

The kombu extract, rich in vitamins and minerals, helps to strengthen the skin barrier, improve elasticity, and enhance overall skin health. With its lightweight, non-sticky texture, it absorbs quickly into the skin, leaving it feeling soft, supple, and revitalized. Perfect for all skin types, this toner helps to prepare your skin for the next steps in your skincare routine.

Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner

Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner is a deeply hydrating toner that preps and balances the skin's pH level after cleansing. Enriched with soothing botanical extracts and hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, this toner provides an instant boost of moisture, leaving your skin feeling soft and supple.

Its gentle formula calms irritated skin, reduces redness, and enhances the effectiveness of your subsequent skincare products. Suitable for all skin types, especially sensitive skin, this toner ensures a smooth and hydrated base, ready to absorb the benefits of your skincare routine.

Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin Toner

Benton Snail Bee High Content Skin Toner is a multifunctional toner that combines the benefits of snail mucin and bee venom to deliver intense hydration and repair damaged skin. Snail mucin helps to regenerate skin cells and improve texture, while bee venom promotes collagen production and soothes inflammation.

This toner also contains botanical extracts that provide antioxidant protection and improve skin elasticity. Lightweight and fast-absorbing, it leaves your skin feeling refreshed, hydrated, and more resilient.

Ideal for all skin types, especially those with sensitivity or signs of aging, this toner prepares your skin for the next steps in your skincare regimen.

Huxley Extract It Toner

This refreshing toner is made from 90% naturally-derived ingredients, including certified organic, ethically-sourced Sahara Prickly Pear seed oil and cactus extract, that maintain the skin's pH balance, tones, and smoothes the skin while leaving it fresh, clear, and moisturized.

Etude SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner

Etude SoonJung pH 5.5 Relief Toner is formulated to soothe and hydrate sensitive and irritated skin while maintaining a healthy pH level. This toner is enriched with panthenol and madecassoside, which help to repair and strengthen the skin barrier.

Its gentle formula provides essential moisture and relief, making it ideal for sensitive skin. Use this toner to achieve a calm, hydrated, and balanced complexion every day.

Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner

Cosrx Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner is a rich, nourishing toner formulated with 72.6% black bee propolis extract and 10% honey extract. This powerful combination provides deep hydration and nourishment, promoting a healthy, glowing complexion.

Propolis is known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making this toner ideal for soothing and calming irritated skin. Its lightweight yet moisturizing texture absorbs quickly, leaving your skin feeling smooth, plump, and revitalized.

Perfect for dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin, this toner enhances the skin's natural radiance and prepares it for the next steps in your skincare routine.

Olivarrier pH 5.5 Dual Moist Toning Lotion 

This product does the job of both a toner and a lotion and is jam-packed with wonderful ingredients, antioxidant-rich green tea leaf extract, micro-hyaluronic acid and panthenol, which promotes moisture and nutrients while soothing irritated, reddened skin.

This unscented moisturizing toner is mild acidic that is similar to the pH of healthy skin and works well on all skin types. This is a perfect face care product if you want to have a vegan and cruelty free option.