What do pH levels have to do with colour-changing make-up?

Colour-changing make-up products might exude a magical character but we help you decipher the science behind them

ICYMI, Tarte’s Maracuja Juicy Lip & Cheek Shift has scored a top-ranking spot on the list of products that have been purchased the most due to influencer recommendations in 2022, reveals a report by LTK, a marketplace that allows you to shop your favourite creator’s most-loved products. And this piece of news is relevant here because the product in the case featured a pH-activated, colour-changing formulation. This category of make-up products has become ubiquitous all of a sudden—from Instagram’s ‘explore’ section to TikTok’s trend charts. From the aforementioned lip and cheek gloss by the beauty giant to Youthforia’s Byo Blush and Givenchy’s Noir Révélateur (black blush), the market is flooded with pH make-up. While it may seem like sorcery, the science behind this state-of-the-art colour-changing technology can be understood from elementary classroom lessons. We put together a handy primer. 

Understanding the basics 

An abbreviation for ‘potential of hydrogen’, pH measures the amount of hydrogen in a substance. “Loosely, a pH value describes the acidity of a substance,” says New Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Jushya Sarin. Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, celebrity dermatologist and founder, ISAAC Luxe, informs that pH refers to the measure of H+ ions in a solution which determines whether it is an acidic or alkaline solution. “It measures on a scale of 0 to 14. Generally, neutral pH is considered to be 7 or (6.6 to 7.3). Anything below this point becomes acidic and anything above would be alkaline,” says the skin expert. 

Water is a neutral substance, for it has a pH level of 7 more often than not; however, it varies from substance to substance. Coming back to the beauty talk, “The natural pH of the skin ranges from 4.6 to 6. A pH of 5.5 is considered best for your skin and is recommended in products as well,” says Sarin.Just like it’s not the same for two substances, it’s not the same for all skin types too. “Normal pH level is usually seen in the aforementioned range; not all people have the same pH level. Many factors affect the pH of the skin, including sebum production, skincare routine, your environment, and the area on the body among others. pH levels vary slightly for men and women; men usually have more acidic skin. The skin also becomes more alkaline with age, especially for women as they go through menopause,” says Mittal Gupta.

pH’s equation with make-up

Mittal Gupta shares that while shopping for make-up, one should always consider checking its pH level to keep potential damage or irritation at bay. “The ideal pH level of make-up products should be somewhere between the customary pH of the face. You should not look at any product with a pH lower than 4.5 or higher than 7,” she says. Megha Asher, co-founder of skincare brand Juicy Chemistry, also shares that the pH of the brand’s base, lips and eye make-up lies between 4.5 to 6 to keep the pH of the skin in check. “We created a line of colour cosmetics that is pH-balanced, keeping in mind that these are leave-on products,” she says. “If you are unsure of what exactly the pH of your favourite make-up product is, you can confirm by pH-testing them with a litmus paper. You can also consult a dermatologist to find out what would work for your skin,” suggests Mittal Gupta.

At this point, it’s interesting to know that pH levels don’t just vary from person to person but can also vary from one part of your face (think cheeks) to another (think lips). “As pH level majorly depends on sebum production, high sebum-secreting areas of the face have a higher acidic pH level (ranging between 5.4 to 5.6) like the cheeks, whereas the lips, devoid of sebum glands, tend to have a more neutral pH (6.2 to 7.6),” says Mittal Gupta. This is also why a colour-changing lip gloss or blush might turn out to be bubblegum pink on one and viva magenta on the other. 

To cop or to ditch?

On the surface, there appear to be no red flags when it comes to pH-activated make-up. Sarin believes that such make-up products are safer than regular ones, given that the formulation empowers it to indicate when it has gone bad as a matter of course. However, all the beauty bibles suggest that a patch test is an inevitable mandate, as for any other product. “Although pH-reactive make-up products are manufactured for all types of skin, considering the use of chemicals or dyes as pH indicators, one must be careful as it can trigger some sensitivity or irritation in sensitive skin types or for those with skin conditions like rosacea and eczema,” warns Mittal Gupta. While this niche [pH-activated make-up] isn’t fully explored in India yet, we can only hope for more premium quality offerings to emerge in this category.

Below are our top five pH-reactive make-up products recommendations: 

• Black Honey from Clinique 

• BYO BLUSH Color Changing Blush Oil from Youthforia

• Dior Addict Lip Glow

• Glassy Blush By The Glass from Espressoh

• Noir Révélateur from Givenchy

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