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Number One Reason for Dehydrated and Breakout Prone Skin

If you get this right, you can significantly reduce a lot of your skin issues.

Here it is…

Don’t upset your acid mantle!

Let me explain what I mean…

The skin’s top layer, visible to the naked eye, is a barrier. This layer works as a shield and protects our skin from water loss through evaporation and attacks from environmental irritants. Water loss can result in dehydrated skin, and attacks by environmental irritants can lead to breakouts. Dehydrated and breakout-prone skin can lead to many other problems, like pigmentation.

So, now you understand why this top layer’s barrier function is essential. If you want hydrated skin with fewer or no breakouts and bright and glowing skin with less pigmentation, we need to have a strong barrier.

So, the goal here is to keep this barrier strong.

But what can make it weak?
It gets weekend if its acidity is affected.

The pH of this layer is between 4.5 and 5.5. We learned from our chemistry lessons in school that pH measures the acidity or alkalinity of a substance. A pH between 4.5 and 5.5 makes this layer acidic. Hence, this layer is also called the acid mantle. Mantle because it works like a shield, a cloak.

For this layer to be an effective shield, its pH should not be disturbed. It should be in the range mentioned above.

Sounds easy, right?
The good news is, yes, it is easy…
The bad news is it is easy to get it wrong and disturb that pH range.

Suppose the pH falls below or goes above the range. In that case, the layer cannot effectively retain hydration and protect the skin from attacks.

So, what can alter the pH of this layer? I have listed below some of the common reasons:

Avoid denatured alcohol. Check the ingredient list and make sure the product you are using or planning to use does not contain denatured alcohol.
Avoid witch hazel. Often, witch hazel is distilled in alcohol. Many manufacturers mention witch hazel on the ingredient list without mentioning that it was prepared using alcohol.
Avoid essential oils. The ingredient list will not mention essential oils. Instead, it will mention the oil’s name. Some of the common essential oils used in skincare are peppermint oil, tea tree oil, rose oil, frankincense oil, and chamomile oil.
Avoid fragrance. Some products mention they have extracted the fragrance from organic ingredients. This makes zero difference. It will still harm your skin. Some of the other common names that fragrances appear in skincare are perfume, parfum, limonene and linalool.
Avoid using too many actives at once. Active ingredients are usually found in serums, and using multiple serums in one routine can be too much for your skin to handle.
Be careful the cleanser you are using. If incorrect ones are used, they can strip your skin of hydration.
Avoid an ingredient called sodium laureth sulphate.
Don’t cleanse your face too many times in a day.
Don’t use the soap you use for your body on your face. The face needs fewer strong ingredients than our body. Instead, use face cleansers.
Don’t over-exfoliate your face. Exfoliating more than three times a week can strip your skin of its essential substances. Also, remember that if you do a whole face threading or waxing, you should wait at least a couple of days before you use an exfoliating product on your face.
Use chemical exfoliants. Avoid physical exfoliants as much as possible.
Always use sunscreen. Everyday!!