Creating pH Balance for Healthy, Strong Hair
There is no such thing as balance is there? I think I’ve gotten glimpses of balance. You know, for all 45 seconds I think I have my life together I claim balance yep… all 45 seconds if indeed it lasts that long. Le sigh.
I’ve kinda figured through my journey of life so far that there is not such thing as balance. So I’m rolling with it. But balance in hair is however achievable and necessary. Your body is the one thing that you can sort of lean on for optimal performance if its balanced. You know what I mean. After the age of 25 you eat the wrong thing for a sustained period of time and you will look like an over fed, pimply and decidedly nervous porpoise however decidedly less and less cute as the years pass.
Even if you can’t manage to put together your work, school and social calendar and cross reference that successfully to your family and friends social calendar you can achieve the all important pH balance for your hair!
What is pH balance in the hair world and why is it important?
Okay we are getting all sciency!!! pH plays an important role in the strength of your hair. The pH scale runs from zero to 14, with 0 – 6 being the acidic side, 7 being neutral and 8-14 being alkaline.
This is the secret to achieving the right balance for your hair. Listening? Okay - hair type 1 and hair type 2 need to use a shampoo that is neutral or slightly acidic (6 - 7 in pH). Curls are to be treated differently. Therefore hair type 3 and hair type 4 is more basic (NOT BASIC like that girl) I mean the pH balance is basic, so if you want to reduce frizz, use shampoos that are more acidic (4.5 - 6 in pH). Its all about balance. What happens when your hair is out of balance? The outer layer of your hair starts to lift causing issues like breakage and frizz. Plus, the more alkaline your scalp, the more chance there is of bacteria and oils being affected, which can potentially cause dandruff and grease.
So what can we do? I mean I don’t know about you but I haven’t seen pH emblazoned across any of my shampoo and conditioner bottles lately, have you? Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to test your own shampoo. pH strips aren't usually as accurate as pH meters, but you can still use these to give you an idea of the pH of your shampoo. If you use pH strips (which you can get at your local pharmacist), make sure you get the type that give readings from 0-14. You don't want something ultra basic that only gives 'acid' , 'base' and 'neutral' readings. Your pH strips should come with a color chart that you can compare your tester with after you've dipped it in the shampoo.
Pour 10g of shampoo into a container mix with 100g of water. Mix gently but thoroughly with butter knife - don't make too much lather.
Cover and leave undisturbed for 30 minutes.
Remove the strip from its packaging.
Dip the pH strip in the soap mixture and wait for the color to change in line with the instructions.
Compare the color of the pH strips with the color chart to determine the pH.
Finding shampoos and conditioners that DO focus on pH balance isn’t too hard. Consider Grow Gorgeous whose tag line is Intelligent Hair Care for a range of products developed with pH balance based on hair type in mind.
Have you ever tested the pH balance in your hair? Do you think that your hairs balance may be out of whack based on your hair concerns : brittle, breaking, dandruff, oily etc.
Please let us know how you plan on bringing your hair back into balance below! All natural tip - Aloe Vera is a natural pH balancer for all hair types!
