pH Testing Hair Products

[Brunette2021]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering whether anyone routinely checks the pH of products before applying them to their hair? I have found videos on YouTube advising against applying anything to your hair that is not first tested with pH testing strips to see if it is suitable for hair, whether that be shampoo, conditioner, masks or oils. Is this necessary?

Many thanks for any insight the members of this community can provide.

[lakhesis]

Hello and welcome!

Yes, pH testing makes sense, as the wrong pH might open up cuticles on your hair and it can cause more damage.

However, most hair care products are definitely not in the pH range that would seriously damage your hair. You can also google the pH of the product in question to see if it is in that 3,5 - 5,5 range.

I usually test homemade apple cider vinegar rinses with a simple pH strip, just to see that I diluted them properly.

[Brunette2021]

Thanks so much, lakhesis! I'll check Google for pH information since it seems it is not included on most products.

[foreveryours]

Thanks so much, lakhesis! I'll check Google for pH information since it seems it is not included on most products.

Sometimes you can find this information in the product's published MSDS

[Hexana]

I randomly check some products for their PH value but more out of curiosity to see if the ones with the "ideal" PH make my hair feel better than the others

[lapushka]

If you want to do it, do it. But IMO, it's not necessary.

Some products do mention that they're pH balanced, though, so there's that, but... you may even want to check those. I actually thought that shampoo typically always has the same pH? Which would make it kind of superfluous. :shrug:

I don't know. Might spot-check a couple items, for fun. But if those are OK, I wouldn't bother anymore, not each and every product; personally.

[foreveryours]

If you want to do it, do it. But IMO, it's not necessary.

Some products do mention that they're pH balanced, though, so there's that, but... you may even want to check those. I actually thought that shampoo typically always has the same pH? Which would make it kind of superfluous. :shrug:

I don't know. Might spot-check a couple items, for fun. But if those are OK, I wouldn't bother anymore, not each and every product; personally.

I hate phrases like "pH balanced", they're meaningless.

Brunette2021, if you'd like to measure yourself, at least read this so your measurement has meaning

https://skinchakra.eu/blog/archives/516-pH-measurement-in-cosmetic-lab-why-we-dilute-samples.html

[lapushka]

Yeah, on that note, foreveryours... I was wondering... don't you need water in order to pH test something? I always thought that, and now here you are with the dilution thing. :hmm: I was under the impression that you can't just stick a strip into a "finished product" just like that and expect a *correct* reading.

[foreveryours]

Yeah, on that note, foreveryours... I was wondering... don't you need water in order to pH test something? I always thought that, and now here you are with the dilution thing. :hmm: I was under the impression that you can't just stick a strip into a "finished product" just like that and expect a *correct* reading.

pH has no meaning outside of water so your impression was correct. The reason you need dilution is that most finished products are "thick" so direct measurement doesn't work very well. But extreme dilution will change the measured pH