The pH scale is Logarithmic: What this means for Hair Brains

One more interesting tidbit on the pH scale that really changed the way I look at pH and how acidic or basic a shampoo, conditioner or hair color may be: The pH Scale is Logarithmic!

What does this mean? Who cares? Haha. Well, it means that each value on the scale is 10x more acidic or basic than the previous. For example: A conditioner that is a pH 4 is 10 TIMES more acidic than a shampoo that is pH 5. That's a big deal! That means that a hair color that is a pH 8 is 100 TIMES more basic than a color that is pH 6! See what I mean? I used to think that there was little difference between a solution that is pH 7 and a pH 8. BUT, they are 10x different! To take it even further: a pH balanced shampoo at pH 4 is 1000x more acidic than pure water which is pH 7 or neutral. On the flip side, pure water is 1000x less acidic than the acid mantel of the hair.

I hope this can influence the way we choose and use our various hair products, back bar, hair colors and lighteners. You could be wasting your time and money if you apply an excellent detangler or conditioner and rinse it for 5 minutes in water. This type of knowledge can lead to much less aggressive color and lightening services and much healthier hair for your guests long term!

Trust me, if you slowly but surely over-process people's hair over a year or so, they will notice that you have been making their hair worse and less manageable. PLUS, doing what you can to preserve and maintain people's hair is what will keep them around for YEARS instead of MONTHS. PLUS, if you can really take a professional approach to treating hair the right way, you will be 1 in a Million that takes your job so seriously and your guests might never know why you are the ONLY one in the area that can do as much with their hair for as long as you have. Brighter, more vibrant colors. More Durable colors and healthier, stronger, smoother and LONGER hair!!! This makes you $$$! pH influences everything that hairdressers do and it's worth it to go out of our way to understand a little bit more about it. That makes us unique, informed and professional. It will set us apart from the ocean of stylists that want your clients!