The foundation of healthy, vibrant skin is a balanced acid mantle, or in other words, the skin’s protective barrier.
The acid mantle is present all over the body, including the scalp. It is produced by the body and exists as an invisible film on the very surface of the skin, mainly composed of sebum, moisture-binding substances, urea, and lactic acid.
Why is the skin’s acid mantle important?
The acid mantle has several functions:
- it maintains the skin’s pH level. The balanced skin surface has a pH of about 5 – 5.5.
- it prevents harmful bacteria, fungi, and microorganisms from establishing themselves on the skin, as they do not thrive in the acidic environment.
- it preserves the balance between moisture and oil on the skin’s surface.
- it protects the skin from internal and external attacks.
What happens when the acid mantle is disrupted?
When our acid mantle becomes unbalanced or damaged, skin problems can occur such as:
- dryness and dehydration.
- overproduction of sebum to restore balance.
- skin irritations (eczema).
- sensitivity.
- blemishes and acne.
Every time we wash our skin, we also wash away a bit of the acid mantle.
To keep it intact and the skin healthy, it’s important to review your cleansing products for the face, body, and hair.
Many skin and hair care products do not have the same pH as the skin and can disrupt the protective acid mantle.
If you use products with drying surfactants or wash too often, you risk washing away too much of the acid mantle.
The body rebuilds it, but the skin’s pH can become unbalanced. This creates an opportunity for bacteria and microorganisms to take hold, the skin struggles to retain moisture, and begins to overproduce sebum—a condition where acne bacteria thrive.
The acid mantle can also be affected by excessive sun exposure, poor diet, certain medications, and internal and external stress.
How to restore the acid mantle
If you feel your acid mantle has been disrupted, we recommend using:
- a mild, preferably non-foaming cleanser for the face such as Odylique – Creamy Coconut Cleanser.
- a gentle shower gel like the ones we offer.
- a shampoo that cleanses without drying out hair or scalp, such as Bruns Frisörer nr 04.
- a moisturizing oil or cream. For example, evening primrose oil can be used on the face, eye area, and body. i+m Sensitive Moisturizing Cream is good for dry skin. Choose i+m Sensitive Intensive Cream if your skin is very dry. A facial oil and cream can be combined during winter for extra protection, applying the oil first.
