Stratum corneum (SC) is the first line of defense against desiccation and penetration of chemicals and allergens into the body.  This bio-membrane consists of keratinous proteins embedded in a lipid matrix.  SC has been well engineered to renew itself in an orderly fashion and it is a hot bed of enzymatic activity that help control desquamation, hydration and barrier synthesis.  Several of these processes are affected by SC hydration and pH and have optimal values for their optimal function.<br/>Products such as cleansers and leave-on lotions applied on skin can affect the hydration and pH properties of the SC and in turn can affect its structure and function.  Typical pH of healthy SC is around 4.5 to 5.  For this reason, there has been trend in the recent years to create products at skin’s natural pH with the implication that the products with pH different from skin’s natural pH are harsher towards skin.  In this review, the role of pH of cleansers and leave-on lotions on skin pH and its functional properties is examined.  It is shown that a product at skin’s natural pH may or may not be ideal for a product depending upon the type of ingredient present in the formulation.  Thus, the importance of understanding the interaction of ingredients in a product at the formulated pH with SC proteins and lipids is discussed with specific examples from leave-on and wash off products.    <br/>

Effect of pH of skincare and cleansing products on the stratum corneum barrier function

254th National Meeting (2017)

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