Women’s skin is sensitive and has a delicate skin barrier that usually requires gentle and effective cleansing products. That is why they need to be mindful while purchasing their cleansing soap. One of the most important and crucial factors that gets overlooked is pH balance in a soap.
Most women fall for the idea of fragrance and rich textured soaps and neglect the pH of their soap. Most soap bars have a pH range of 9-10 which is alkaline and is not quite suitable for skin.
Skin is in the pH range of 4.5 to 5.5 which acts as the acidic mantle for your skin . This provides a protective shield for your skin and keeps it protected from foreign substances like environmental stressors, pollutants and bacterial infections.
A traditional alkaline soap would strip this acidic barrier and cause discomfort. So it becomes important for women to select the best soap for their skin which aligns with the skin pH and helps in gentle cleansing while preserving the acid mantle of the skin.
Skin’s acid mantle
The acid mantle of the skin is like a thin protective film on the skin. It is the first defense barrier film of the skin which protects the skin. Sebaceous glands secrete sebum and the sweat glands produce sweat in the body. These two secretions when sitting on the surface mix with dead skin cells and beneficial bacteria.
This leads to formation of a fluid barrier on the surface and it is called the acid mantle. This protective film is slightly acidic as most fungi, bacteria and viruses can survive in neutral and basic environments and this barrier protects skin from infections. It is a defensive mechanism against the environmental pollutants, bad bacteria and toxins. It also helps to seal the moisture in the skin.
Why do women require pH balance?
Women have delicate skin and it goes through several physiological changes which makes their skin more sensitive. It directly affects the skin chemistry. Hormonal changes, intimate care in their body makes their skin in need of distinct pH requirements.
During some phases of their menstrual cycle the acidic pH balance gets quite distinct and using a high pH alkaline soap would strip the barrier and cause serious discomfort and skin tightness as it dries the skin.
For intimate areas it could be more troubling as the microbiome is strictly acid down there. It is necessary to protect the microbial flora of the skin as it protects the skin. If the pH of skin is disrupted this allows entry of bad bacteria and causes infections especially in the intimate area of women.
That is why women need to find a soap that balances their skin pH instead of damaging the acidic mantle of the skin to protect skin. It would also prevent yeast infections and bad odor in the private parts.
This is why even dermatologists recommend women to use a soap which matches the skin’s acidic pH especially in the private parts.
Why are traditional soaps not ideal?
Usually traditional soaps are manufactured using alkali lyes during saponification. It helps in promoting effective cleanse of impurities from the skin by binding to dirt and particles. This is why they are highly alkaline with pH of 9-10. It may cause skin damage. Firstly these soap bars damage the skin’s acidic mantle and cause infections on the skin.
When an alkaline soap bar is used on the skin it disrupts the moisture barrier as the keratin cells get disassembled and this causes increased transepidermal water loss from the skin and skin becomes dry and dehydrated. It dissolves the lipid barrier of the skin because of its harsh cleansing action.
It makes the skin appear excessively dry and tight. It also allows the entry of bad bacteria, fungi and viruses into the skin as it alters the pH and leads to skin infections. This happens mostly in intimate areas of the body.
How to choose the best soap for women?
While purchasing the best soap for women must look for these qualities in their soap bars to ensure a delicate and gentle pH balanced cleanse-
- Skip using traditional soap bars which are formulated with alkalis instead opt for syndet bars.
- Opt for soaps labelled as syndent or derm bars as they have a pH around 5.5.
- Check for labels and purchase the ones with pH balanced and 5.5 pH range mentioned on them.
- Check the ingredient list to ensure acid adjusters presence to balance the pH of the soap like lactic acid or citric acid.
- Choose gentle cleansing soap bars and avoid harsh surfactants, look for mild cleansing surfactants.
- Avoid fragrant soaps and look for non fragrant, non irritating soaps.
- It must be enriched with nourishing ingredients like glycerin and other humectants.
Final thoughts
It is essential for women to select the right soap for their skin as they have a delicate pH system that needs to be maintained. If it gets damaged it could lead to several skin concerns which could be problematic. That is why they must avoid traditional soaps and opt for mild cleansing pH balanced soaps in their routine in order to protect the acid mantle.
