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Almost all shaving creams have a pH value >8. A higher pH value may weaken the hair, thereby making the shave easier. But looking at the ingredients and the pH value, a shaving cream is almost like an old fashioned soap. So it may weaken the hair (theoretically), but doesn’t it disturb your whole skin acid barrier as well? Why are there no companies making very mild pH skin balanced shaving foams, I’ve never found one that has a pH of about 4-5?
So how bad is this high pH value, does a good shaving cream really have to be this alkaline for it to work? Are most shaving creams not just very stripping soaps? What would be the best most mild alternative to a high pH shaving foam?We discussed this a little bit in Episode 158: http://thebeautybrains.com/2017/02/how-does-color-changing-makeup-work-episode-158/
“Do high ph shaving creams work better?Christopher asks… Many shaving creams seem to have very high pH’s. Some assert that alkaline shaving cream opens up the cuticle of the hair, which makes the oils and conditioners enter the strands more effectively and therefore making cutting it easier. This seems like a well-marketed excuse. Is there merit to the idea that opening the cuticle of the hair with a pH cream better accepts the conditioning agents and makes it easier to cut? If so, is it worth the high pH trade-off?Shaving creams traditionally are formulated from true soaps which mean they inherently have a high pH. It is true that very high pH can swell the hair shaft which would soften and weaken the hair. (This is one of the tricks used in hair coloring products and to some degree relaxers.) It’s not really about opening the cuticle but about swelling the hair shaft.However, I’ve never seen any data showing that shaving cream works that way, possibly because the pH isn’t as high as the other products we mentioned and it’s not left on the hair/skin for very long. But at least it’s theoretically possible.The “trade off” that Christopher mentioned is that high pH soaps can deplete the natural acid mantle of your skin which protects your skin. If any slight improvement in the ease of hair cutting worth a potential compromise of your skin barrier? I guess that depends on how hard it is for you to shave…”Follow up in the comments:
Hi Randy (and Carly above) I’m the guy who sent in the question and since sending it in I’ve done some trying different products with various pH levels and have some interesting results. Of course all of these are entirely anecdotal it has been my experience nevertheless:
Traditional shaving soaps with a brush old-fogey style seem to work the best across the board in terms slickness and cushion from the foam. They take a bit more time to lather up well, but for whatever reason I’ve had the best shaves with them. Also, their pH’s are all over the place from 8 to 11. I don’t know why, but they don’t seem to bother my skin even when taking my time and re-lathering my face for multiple razor passes. In fact, they leave a better post shave feel. Maybe it is the minerals being left over on my face and not getting rinsed down the drain? I’m in NYC, we are known for “good” water…
Some soaps (that weren’t marketed as shaving soaps) worked really well when I literally put the bar on my face and lathered up that way vs. using a brush. The ones that seemed to work well this way were soaps made using castor oil. My guess is the castor oil was used for “superfatting” and the slickness was this oil. Could be the reason the lather wasn’t great trying to whip it up with a brush. Oddly, syndets like Dove work better right on the face vs. a brush and in general didn’t get as thick in lather, when they did the lather would dissipate quickly and feel tacky.
Cremo cream shaving creams tended to have a more acidic pH, however never were as slick, or foamy (at all) for me. Could be the isethionates vs. real soap (similar to the Dove).
All in all, I like traditional shave soaps and a brush after trying many things. The thick lather provides cushion and slickness that I haven’t been able to find matched in anything else including some syndet bars. Maybe it has to do also with the fact that most alkaline liquids in general are naturally slick? Who knows? This kind of goes to show me how certain attributes like the pH boogeyman can be a hyped, but it is really only one factor in a product and other attributes like I noted could totally outweigh a perceived negative.
As to the coconut oil for shaving comment. I’ve tried it, I hate it personally. I don’t know why, maybe the high saturation, but coconut oil isn’t as slick as other oils like Olive. If I were in a pinch I would choose Olive over coconut personally.
I think I remember Perry on some episode talking about those like 100% silicone gels for anti-chaffing. Haven’t gone down that road yet, but it wouldn’t be the weirdest thing I’ve done…
At the moment I use a surfactant free cleansing milk or just a regular moisturizer for shaving. If you search for the ones that provide a kind of slippery layer, they are okay. But well, I can imagine there is some kind of scientific reasoning behind the very high pH values of regular shaving creams. Although I really can’t believe the high pH value is good for your skin (looking at all the research on old soaps and how low pH skin cleansers are far less damaging to skin).
But rinsing the shaving cream off of your face helps shift the pH as well. Also if you put on some sort of aftershave balm it is going to be pH friendly. I kind of think it is a non-issue because you shave, rise, then apply something skin friendly, it isn’t something that has constant contact with your skin and is keeping your skin at a high pH for hours throughout the day.
@patrickBOOTH
Science says otherwise. All the studies on high pH soaps and skin cleansers say it’s disrupting your fatty acid layer and it also alters the skin microflora. After your rinse it of the high pH has disrupted this whole balance. A low ph toner/moisturizer afterwards does help, but this doesn’t restore the specific fatty acid and microflora on skin immediately, and may take up to 6-12 hours. Removing these beneficial lipids and proteins impairs the SC as evidenced by an increase in TEWL, dehydration, altered desquamation, and increased penetration of topically applied substances, therefore increasing skin sensitivity and irritation in rosacea patients (link).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9407174
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18489300
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12207765
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2436413
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11393212True, but at the same time, pure water could do all of those things as well. Do you worry about water? I think theoretically this could all be true on some micro level, but if you don’t perceive any discernible problem then what is the problem? I get that knowing something is happening on some small unperceivable scale is a bit haunting, but if it isn’t effecting your life on a daily basis it’s probably a waste of brainspace unless it is linked to a long-term life-threatening disease. But yeah, Cremo shaving cream is acidic (I emailed them and asked).
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