Written By Jennifer Raskin / Reviewed By Ray Spotts

Perhaps you’ve seen “acid mantle” on skincare products and wondered what that means. It’s something that has been known about since the early 1900s, but today, it’s becoming a hot topic in skincare.

As the name implies, acid mantle refers to the skin’s acidic nature on the surface. Think of it as a very thin film that keeps germs and viral agents from breaking through.

This helpful layer keeps the skin’s microbiome in good health. Composed of sebum which contains amino acids, triglycerides, wax esters, and fatty acids, when things are in balance, it works wonderfully.

But sometimes, that acid mantle is disrupted. There are certain things that can cause imbalance to the natural pH levels of your skin which will make it dry, red, irritated, and aged in appearance.

What Could Disturb the Skin’s Acid Mantle?

There are a few things to watch out for that might be tearing apart that acid mantle. Cleansers and soaps are often to blame by increasing the pH of your skin. Age is another factor as the efficiency of that acid mantle depletes with time.

If you have any inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, acne, or rosacea, your skin pH is higher than it should be. To turn things around, you’ll have to restore the balance.

How to Restore Your Acid Mantle

Should your skin seem dry, irritated, or aged, you might want to smooth things over by restoring that pH level. Here’s how!

Cleanse gently

Choose a cleanser that contains ceramides, fatty acids, and other ingredients that can nourish your acid mantle back to health. Look for things that have a lower pH and offer gentle cleansing action.

Take it easy on exfoliation

Exfoliation is important for healthy skin cell turnover but certain products can damage your skin when the acid mantle is compromised. Chemically-exfoliating acids are preferred over scrubs with rough bits and pieces.

Moisturize the right way

Choosing moisturizers that include ceramides, probiotics, and hyaluronic acid can help restore the pH balance to your skin and restore that acid mantle. Not all products will mention pH levels, but if you go for those ingredients, you should notice an improvement in your skin’s health.

If your skin doesn’t seem to improve, you might want to visit your dermatologist to help you get things under control. Often with inflammatory skin diseases, it can take a little more effort, but it’s worth it when your skin’s acid mantle is back in a harmonious place.

Looking for 100% chemical-free, all-natural nourishing face and body oils? Check out Earth & Elm Nourishing Face Oil and Earth & Elm Nourishing Body Oil. Subscribe to our Trusted Health Club newsletter for more information about natural living tips, natural health, oral care, skincare, body care and foot care. If you are looking for more health resources check out the Trusted Health Resources list. 

Written By:

Jennifer Raskin is a freelance writer, wife and mom that loves cold weather despite her location in Florida, cooking, reading, watching ‘80s movies, weight-lifting, and wine tasting.

Reviewed By:

Founder Ray Spotts has a passion for all things natural and has made a life study of nature as it relates to health and well-being. Ray became a forerunner bringing products to market that are extraordinarily effective and free from potentially harmful chemicals and additives. For this reason Ray formed Trusted Health Products, a company you can trust for clean, effective, and healthy products. Ray is an organic gardener, likes fishing, hiking, and teaching and mentoring people to start new businesses. You can get his book for free, “How To Succeed In Business Based On God’s Word,” at www.rayspotts.com.