Chronic Skin Irritation and Your Skin’s pH

Your skin has a natural acidic layer—called the acid mantle—that helps lock in moisture, fight infection, and reduce inflammation. This acidity supports healthy skin structure, good bacteria, and skin repair. 

When the skin barrier is disrupted (especially true for those that suffer from eczema, rosacea,  irritant contact dermatitis, or even dry, aging skin) its pH rises, and with it, problems start to multiply. When your skin feels irritated, dry, or inflamed, you may reach for something to soothe it. But relief that lasts depends on more than just calming the surface — it depends on restoring your skin’s natural acidity, also known as its pH.

In his 2018 paper, pH in Nature, Humans and Skin, dermatologist Ehrhardt Proksch explains that inflammatory skin conditions usually share two things in common: higher skin pH and a disturbed barrier. This shift in acidity weakens the skin's ability to protect itself. Inflammation then increases and skin becomes more reactive, more damaged, and harder to heal.

Here’s what happens when your skin is not acidic enough:

-The skin barrier breaks down more easily

-Bad bacteria thrive while good ones decrease

-Moisture loss goes up

-Inflammation becomes harder to control

The solution? Topical acidification. According to Proksch, treatments that gently lower the skin’s pH can rebalance the microbiome, support the rebuilding of the barrier, and calm inflammation.

Why This Matters for You

This is exactly why our approach centers on re-acidification. Nu Barrier Balm is designed to restore the acidity your skin needs to function at its best — helping you stop irritation before it spirals into something worse.