Finding the shampoo of your life is almost as hard as making a real match on Tinder, and it's essential to keep your great hair safe and sound. That's why today we're getting more scientific than ever, and we're talking about something you need to keep in mind when buying products to wash your hair: the pH.
What is pH?
Yes, my friend, pH matters, and it's nothing more or less than the degree of acidity or alkalinity of any solution. First of all, here's a little spoiler: if you want your shampoo to be an absolute bestie for your mane, its pH should be between 4.5 and 5.5, i.e. it should be neutral or acidic, but never basic, and now we'll tell you why.
How does pH influence hair?
My dear, the pH of your scalp is 5.5, while the pH of your hair is 3.67, and when you apply a product with a more alkaline pH, the hair fiber, which is already negatively charged (anionic) due to the presence of keratin, becomes even more charged. And now comes the drama: the more anionic electrical charge your hair has, the more friction there is between the fibers, the more easily the hair breaks and splits, causing frizz and frizz.
Also, when you wash your hair with a more basic pH shampoo (water also has a pH of 7, much more alkaline than your mane, by the way), the hair fiber increases its ability to absorb water, and as we have told you in previous chapters, that is not cool, since the cuticle is damaged a lot, and split ends appear in your life.
What pH should a shampoo have?
It is very important to use a shampoo with a pH between 4.5 and 5.5, with a cationic (positive) charge that neutralizes the negative charge of the hair, to improve its quality, avoid the frizz that leads us down the path of bitterness, and keep it always nourished and healthy.
That's why our Melrose, Tasmania and L'Essentiel shampoos are formulated at pH 5.5, in addition to being loaded with active ingredients that nourish and moisturize your hair to the maximum.
Or if you're a very legal blonde's team, our Le Blonde shampoo is also formulated at pH 5.5.
Ahhhh, we forgot to tell you that for a shampoo to be more or less basic, and to dry more or less your hair, there are some ingredients that are of vital importance: surfactants. (👀Watch out! Don't confuse them with sulfates, they are two totally different things!) or surfactants, but we'll talk about that later... STAY TUNED! ✨
