So let’s go all the way back to chemistry class: pH is a scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of any solution. And whether you realize it or not, your skin’s pH (and the pH of your skin care) has a huge effect on the skin’s functionality itself. Here’s everything you need to know. The range, here, is important. The pH of the skin varies slightly for men and women—men usually having more acidic skin. The skin also becomes more alkaline with age, especially for women as they go through menopause. “The pH level of our skin changes at around age 50, skin becomes more sensitive, and women are more likely to develop rashes and easily irritated skin,” says board-certified dermatologist Keira Barr, M.D. Skin type can also affect the pH, with oily skin tending to be more acidic (sebum itself is quite acidic).
