What does pH mean for your strands?

Why is pH so important to your hair and scalp?

The pH scale ranges from 0-14 with 7 being neutral. Lower numbers are considered more acidic while the higher number are more alkaline. The higher the pH the harder the shampoo is on your hair. Your hair contains cuticles which are tiny shafts made up of scales. Water and alkaline-based products cause these scales to open, exposing the interior of your hair shaft.

Let’s take this a little further and discuss color. Oh yes good old hair color. When you color your hair, the color products open the cuticle so the color absorbs completely to the cortex. To help the hair from drying out, your scalp naturally produces oil with a slightly more acidic pH in order to close the hair shaft. Frequent coloring can result in your scalp producing to much oil, which will cause your hair to be greasy. This is where a pH balanced shampoo comes into play.

Now let’s say you don’t color your hair. Why is a pH balanced shampoo crucial? Many products can disrupt the natural pH of the hair. If you have a naturally oily scalp, dry brittle ends or thin hair pH balanced shampoos can balance this out!

The best pH level for a shampoo is between 3.5 and 4.5. A pH balanced shampoo not only helps keep cuticle down but prevents the scalp from producing too much oil. By balancing out the pH you can reverse damage and have that healthy hair you desire.