There are three questions I’m asked all the time: 1) What does “pH balanced” shampoo even mean? 2) Does natural shampoo work in hard water areas? 3) Why don’t you make shampoo bars?
In this five minute read I’ll answer all three questions and explain how they are actually all connected.
But first, What is pH?
pH indicates the acidity, alkalinity or neutrality of a substance. The pH scale ranges from 1 to 14. Acidic substances have a pH lower than 7.0, 7.0 is neutral (water), and alkaline substances have a pH higher than 7.0 (hard water)
The pH of Hair & Scalp
Hair reaches ionic neutrality (its happy place) when the pH is around 3.67 (1). However, the pH of the scalp is more alkaline than the hair strands, sitting around 5.5 (the same as skin).
What Happens to Hair when it’s too Alkaline?
Hair becomes temporarily alkaline when it’s exposed to products that aren’t pH balanced. Products with an alkaline pH increase the negative electrical charge of the hair and cause friction between the fibres. This can lead to cuticle damage, ie: DRY FRIZZ THAT’S HARD TO COMB AND FEELS GROSS.
In the shower, hair with an alkaline pH absorbs water right down to the cuticles, hydrating the fibres and breaking the down keratin molecules. This causes hair to loose its shape and curl, and also causes breakage.
Ideally the pH of hair products should be less than 5.5. Our tests revealed optimal shampoo results and experience when the product pH ranged between 3.7 and 4.9.
The pH of Shampoo Bars
The majority of shampoo bars are essentially bars of cold processed soap, which have a pH around 9 – 10, way to alkaline for hair. Some shampoo bars are not made the old-fashioned way and are a mixture of more gentle detergents, although on their own they are still too alkaline. We have spotted very few shampoo bars on the market that include pH balancing ingredients in their formulations. This explains why shampoo bars leave your hair feeling super dried out and frizzy, especially if you dye or bleach your hair.
So, why don’t we make pH balanced shampoo bars? Actually, I used to make them years ago for my family. To be honest, they just weren’t doing the job for my long, thick hair and I’m not a fan of rubbing a bar of soap on my head. There, I said it. But don’t worry, I invented this instead.
Why pH Balanced Shampoo is Important
A pH-balanced shampoo ensures that hair cuticles stay closed, preventing moisture loss, taming frizz and reducing static. It also prevents the scalp from producing too much oil after you shampoo. For colour-treated hair, using shampoo with a pH above 5.5 will open the cuticle and cause your colour to fade much faster.
The Hard Water & Lather Connection
When it comes to shampoo, the sensory experience is an important factor that can’t be ignored. Although hair doesn’t need a lot of lather to be cleaned properly, most of us are conditioned to expect it and we enjoy it. If you live in a hard water (alkaline) area and you’re using alkaline shampoo bars, you’ll never achieve the shampoo experience you’re craving. In fact, many people find using shampoo bars in hard water areas is utterly useless and give up on them. The reason they don’t lather is because the alkaline shampoo + hard water = solution that can’t make bubbles.
We’ve formulated the first ever pH balanced, water-activated shampoo. It’s formulated in the ideal pH range for hair and scalp, and it works in both hard and soft water areas. We also added some key ingredients that encourage blood flow to the hair follicles (2) (caffeine from Guarana Seed (3) and Rosemary), and strengthen the hair (Coconut milk protein and Acacia gum). You can learn more about it here.
Watch it in action!
References
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