pH Drift: The Invisible Imbalance Accelerating Sensitivity and Aging

🧪 What Is “Skin pH Drift”?

Your skin naturally sits at a slightly acidic pH (4.5–5.5). This acidity is essential for keeping your microbiota balanced, your barrier strong, and inflammation under control.

But modern lifestyle factors — over-cleansing, pollution, hot showers, water hardness, exfoliation, stress, and ageing — slowly push your skin toward a more alkaline state. This phenomenon is now called skin pH drift.

When the skin becomes less acidic, it loses its natural defenses, leading to:

• Redness
• Dryness
• Sensitivity
• Dullness
• Breakouts
• Premature ageing

🔬 Why Acidity Matters for Skin Health

A slightly acidic pH helps your skin:

• Maintain microbiota equilibrium
• Control lipid (ceramide) production
• Prevent pathogen overgrowth
• Support enzymatic repair
• Maintain moisture balance

When pH rises (becomes more alkaline), your barrier weakens and inflammation increases, a major contributor to inflammaging.

Studies show that even one alkaline cleansing event can disrupt pH for hours.

🌿 Modern Habits That Disrupt pH

✔ Hard water (rich in calcium + magnesium)
✔ Hot showers/steam
✔ Harsh or alkaline cleansers
✔ Over-exfoliating (acids, scrubs, peels)
✔ Stress and poor sleep
✔ Environmental pollution
✔ Ageing — which naturally shifts pH upward

All of these accumulate, pushing the skin away from its ideal acidity.

💎 The Dermaluci pH-Smart Routine

At Dr Dermaluci Lab, Smart Beauty means formulations that respect your skin’s natural chemistry.

Morning (pH Defense):

1️. Gentle Facial Cleanser with Aloe & Niacinamide — pH-balanced, supportive of microbiota and ceramides
2️. Vitamin C + Collagen Serum — naturally acidic antioxidant boost that helps rebalance pH
3️. 5x Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C Cream — supports the skin’s hydrolipid film
4️. SPF 50 Daily Defense  protects from UV-induced pH disruption

Night (pH Recovery):

1️⃣ Mild cleanse
2️⃣ 5x HA + Vitamin C Cream for overnight hydration and barrier repair

Tip: If you use exfoliating acids, keep them to 1–2 times per week to avoid chronic pH destabilisation.

❓FAQs

1. Can I restore my skin’s pH naturally?
Yes, consistent use of pH-balanced products and barrier-strengthening ingredients can normalise acidity within days to weeks.

2. Does ageing raise skin pH?
Yes, with age, the skin becomes more alkaline, weakening repair and barrier function.

3. Does pH affect microbiota?
Absolutely — beneficial bacteria thrive in an acidic environment; an alkaline one disrupts microbial balance.

✅ Benefits Checklist

☑ Restores healthy skin acidity
☑ Strengthens barrier and microbiota
☑ Reduces irritation and redness
☑ Prevents dullness and dryness
☑ Supports long-term anti-ageing

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