Close your eyes and imagine your dream hair. Let us guess- soft strands with silky ends? Boosts of volume with luscious curls? To reach these high hair standards, we tend to rely on shine-enhancing, bounce-promising products. While doing this, we blissfully ignore the scientific side of things, such as what pH balanced shampoo is. However, for those flowing locks that are perpetually envied, you need to start from the inside out. It's time to start looking at the health of both your hair and scalp. Granted, it may not sound so glamorous, but a pH balanced shampoo may very well be the missing piece of your haircare regime. Put all the styling products and complicated formulas to one side for a moment- it's time to go back to basics.
Keep reading for GG's guide to what pH balanced shampoo is and whether or not you need one on your bathroom shelf.
What is pH balance?
To begin, what is pH balance? It all sounds very complicated but in reality, it's quite simple. In fact, if you dig deep enough you might find you have some previous knowledge about what a pH balance is. Let's recap what we once learned in science class.
The pH balance represents how acidic, alkaline, or neutral something is on a scale of 0 to 14. The neutral point is 7, right in the middle. Anything below that is considered acidic. Meanwhile, anything above that, from 7.1 to 14, is alkaline.
The hair and scalp thrive off a pH that is on the acidic side. To be specific, the hair's ideal pH is between 3.6 and 5.5, whereas the scalp usually sits at 5.5.
What does pH balanced shampoo mean?
What a pH balanced shampoo means is that it has roughly the same pH as what it is made to be used on. In other words, a pH-balanced shampoo will have a pH of around 5.5, similar to that of the strands and scalp.
Not only does this type of shampoo help the scalp and strands to remain in their optimum pH state, it also helps hair that has been bleached, coloured, and styled with external chemicals to return back to its natural pH.
But what does a pH balanced shampoo mean for your dream hair, you ask?
What a pH-balanced shampoo means is that your hair and scalp will be kept at their natural, optimal pH levels. In turn, your hair's cuticles will stay smooth and closed, locking in moisture. Meanwhile, your scalp will be gently cleansed of daily build up with its natural microbiome maintained for glossy, healthier-looking and more manageable hair.
It can be difficult to know the pH level of hair products as it is often not stated on products. However, you can trust that Grow Gorgeous' Balance Collection is specifically designed with pH balanced formulas. From the Balance Shine-Enhancing Overnight Mask to the Fibre-Sealing Split Ends Treatment, the soothing Allantoin and Amino Acids work to promote a healthy scalp environment while the Blended Green Tea Extract and Fruit Acid to smooth hair cuticles and reveal glossier-looking strands.
Why does the pH level of hair products matter?
The pH value of water is 7. It is therefore not advised to wash the hair using only water, as it can create an alkaline environment for the hair and scalp. However, that's not to say that adding any sort shampoo or conditioner to the mix will be an automatic solution. Having discussed what a pH balanced shampoo means for the hair, it may be self-explanatory why the pH level of hair products matter. Let's take a look at what can happen when instead of a shampoo and conditioner such as the Balance Duo, you continue to use products that cause the hair and scalp to become off-balance.
Formulas that are highly alkaline can be overly harsh on the scalp, stripping it of its natural oils. In doing this, they can trigger the scalp to over-produce oils afterward to compensate post-shampoo. That's right, what you're using to clean your hair from oils might only be contributing to the problem! What's more, for those with colour-treated hair, using a shampoo with a pH above 5.5 will open the cuticle, causing your colour to fade quicker.
After constant use of hair products with a high pH, you'll soon notice the difference. With a pH that is off-balance, you may experience some itchiness, flakiness, or dryness on the scalp. Meanwhile, your strands might verge towards the frizzier side, giving a bed-head finish that lasts all day.
So before trying the quick fix solutions, stop and assess your hair and scalp's health. Could it simply be a matter of restoring its pH level? For your hair to truly thrive, it requires optimal growing conditions. Now that you know what a pH balanced shampoo is, you're ready to take the first step towards transforming your hair from the inside out!
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