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Olay Age<br />
Defying Classic<br />
Cleanser, $6<br />
Pro+Therapy MD<br />
Skin Balancing<br />
Cleanser, $30<br />
pH-<br />
Balanced<br />
Skin<br />
By: Suria Aktar<br />
THE SKINNY ON...<br />
Dry, tight, or breakout-prone<br />
skin is often a sign that your<br />
pH levels are out of whack. Get<br />
ready to get centered.<br />
A New Sort of Scale<br />
You probably haven’t even the term pH balance<br />
much since high school chem, but the state of<br />
your skin depends on it. A quick refresher: pH<br />
refers to levels of acidity and alkalinity, 0 being<br />
the most acidic and 14 being the most alkaline.<br />
Your skin’s protective barrier is happiest at a<br />
slightly acidic 5.5. “There, it retains moisture<br />
and keeps out infection and irritants,” says<br />
Rosemarie Osborne, PhD, research fellow at<br />
P&G Beauty. But everyday habits (even simple<br />
ones like washing your face—see boxes at right)<br />
can send your pH slidng away from the magic<br />
number.<br />
Is Your pH<br />
in Check?<br />
A well-balanced complexion<br />
is smooth, moist, and comfortable.<br />
If you are more in the<br />
flaky, sensitive, or breakout<br />
prone camp, tweak your routine<br />
with these derm-approved tips,<br />
and expect happier, healthier<br />
skin in two to four weeks.<br />
Another reason<br />
to monitor pH:<br />
Men with chronically higher<br />
pH levels have more wrinkles<br />
than those with more acidic,<br />
well-balanced skin, to a study<br />
published in the British Journal<br />
of<br />
Dermatology.<br />
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Sebamed<br />
Cleansing Bar,<br />
$13 for 3<br />
Watch Out For Water<br />
H20 with its Ph of 7, makes<br />
skin more alkaline. Moisture<br />
right after washing to<br />
rebalance the barrier, says<br />
Sherry Ingrahm, a Dermatologist<br />
in Houston, Texas<br />
Beware of Soap<br />
Most contain harsh detergents<br />
that grab on to grime<br />
and skin’s protective lipids.<br />
Avoid ingredients like sodium<br />
stearate, and palmate.<br />
(or try washes below)<br />
61 ARIES / JUNE <strong>2014</strong>
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