thenimblelife22
Active Member
So, I know that pH testing is all the rage now since the debut of Kimmaytube's phenomenal video on pH balance and it's role in haircare. I enjoyed that video just as much as the next person, but I gotta say I'm a little perplexed at the extremes people have gone to when it comes to evaluating products based on their pH. I felt compelled to write this post to (1) see if anyone felt the same as I did and (2) get clarification or correction if I'm wrong.
Basically, I find myself now at odds with this whole movement for several reasons. Firstly, I believe that pH as it relates to hair care is not being evaluated in it's proper context. I am open to criticism on this so I really welcome you all to correct me at any time, but I'm wondering why pH is being touted as the premier characteristic in determining whether or not a product is "good" for the hair?
As The Natural Haven pointed out per the two scientific studies she sited on her blog,
"1. Hair does not absorb noticeable amounts of acid or base between pH 4-10 ( J Soc Cosmet Chem, pp 393-405, 1981)
2. The cuticle separation distance is within the same range between pH 4 -9 (J Invest Dermatol 105: pp96-99, 1995)"
For that reason, I feel like Kimmaytube was a bit off in a few of her claims in her videos, particularly her declaration that one should not put any products on their hair with a pH higher than 7.0 because it puts too much stress on the cuticles of the hair. She likened the use of baking soda to the use of a mild relaxer (!!!) simply because the two fell into "the same" pH range (baking soda at about 8 and the mild relaxer at about 10-11). Now please don't mistake me for a baking soda proponent because I'm not, and I don't believe it's the best for our hair. That said, someone has to call attention to the fact that baking soda and lye relaxers are two very, very different chemical compounds. Firstly, baking soda is only mildly alkaline (not very alkaline as stated in the video) as it registers generally around 8, which is only one off from water, which is neutral at 7 (i.e. scientifically, you don't measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance by it's distance from hair. You measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance based on it's distance from water, which it neutral. Hair itself is acidic in comparison to water, so it's be misleading to say that something with a pH of 8 is very alkaline in comparison). Baking soda even has neutralizing properties, which is why most people keep a box in their fridge to neutralize odors. Wikipedia describes baking soda's neutralizing properties as:
"Many laboratories keep a bottle of sodium bicarbonate powder within easy reach, because sodium bicarbonate is amphoteric, reacting with acids and bases. Furthermore, as it is relatively innocuous in most situations, there is no harm in using excess sodium bicarbonate. Lastly, sodium bicarbonate powder may be used to smother a small fire."
Relaxers of all types are generally very alkaline at pH's of 11-14 (14 is the most alkaline), but even if there was one with a pH of 8 like baking soda, the pH is not the main reason why the relaxer is so damaging to the hair—the chemical composition is! Relaxers are ammonium and hydroxide based substances that literally corrode away the hair's cystine bonds! The chemical composition of Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, does no such thing, even if you could find a relaxer mild enough to match it's pH.
The above point brings me to the main concern I have with everyone running out and testing all of their products—we're focusing more on the pH of our products than we are on the actual composition of our products, when it's the later that affects our hair the most, good or bad. That's not to say that pH isn't important, because it's definitely good to know, but to my understanding at least (again, please correct me if I'm wrong) pH—unless it's an extreme pH on either side of the spectrum, of course—should not be the sole focus. I was really sad to see comments all over kimmaytube's page from viewers who were saying "I had a remedy that I was using for years and it worked great but now that I know it's a pH of 8, I'm going to throw it out and never use it again!" I'm like, if it works for you, and we can already determine that the hair cuticle won't be distressed at a pH between 4 and 9, why would you stop using it?
Secondly, this whole ordeal raised a red flag for me because it seemed to throw out centuries of positive testimonials from women of all cultures over one arbitrary characteristic. Instead of saying, "Hmm, the pH's of AVC, lemon juice, castille soap, etc, seem to be different than the pH of hair, but these items have traditionally worked for all types of women throughout the ages. Perhaps there's another factor in play," the case was made that ALL these women were wrong and that all these products must be barred from usage forever or diluted to infinitesimal amounts. Essentially then, no one knew what they were doing with their hair before the advent of modern science in pH testing methods and today's commercially produced hair products.
Again, I didn't write all this to be controversial or to be difficult, but the way all of this pH stuff has played out has been very distressing to me. No one's arguing that Dr. Bronner's is strong (I switched two a different brand of castille soap because it was to strong even for my body) or that baking soda might have a drying effect on the hair. I totally acknowledge all of that. All I'm saying is that there are specific characteristics about what's in both of those products that make them have the effect they do, rather than just their pHs.
Just in case anyone wants to know, I am not a scientist or anything like that, but I studied for 3 years as a chemical engineering major in college before switching to business, so I'm referencing a lot of what I can remember from organic chemistry and what I've found elsewhere. I could go on about inconsistencies I perceived from the videos (What baking soda is made out of, Paula Begoun's take on pH and it's effect on hair, needing an acidifier after contact with water, etc) but I guess I'll stop here. I can't stress enough how much I love Kimmaytube and how much I really appreciate her videos. This was the only one that I felt very opposed to the information she presented, but I didn't want to write to her because I know she feels very strongly about her position, to say the least. I do believe that she put a lot of research in to this, I just think some of her conclusions and statements are to be questioned. I just question the whole premise of pH being the end all be all in hair care. But I posted this here to encourage discussion and evaluation of both my and kimmaytube's claims.
Basically, I find myself now at odds with this whole movement for several reasons. Firstly, I believe that pH as it relates to hair care is not being evaluated in it's proper context. I am open to criticism on this so I really welcome you all to correct me at any time, but I'm wondering why pH is being touted as the premier characteristic in determining whether or not a product is "good" for the hair?
As The Natural Haven pointed out per the two scientific studies she sited on her blog,
"1. Hair does not absorb noticeable amounts of acid or base between pH 4-10 ( J Soc Cosmet Chem, pp 393-405, 1981)
2. The cuticle separation distance is within the same range between pH 4 -9 (J Invest Dermatol 105: pp96-99, 1995)"
For that reason, I feel like Kimmaytube was a bit off in a few of her claims in her videos, particularly her declaration that one should not put any products on their hair with a pH higher than 7.0 because it puts too much stress on the cuticles of the hair. She likened the use of baking soda to the use of a mild relaxer (!!!) simply because the two fell into "the same" pH range (baking soda at about 8 and the mild relaxer at about 10-11). Now please don't mistake me for a baking soda proponent because I'm not, and I don't believe it's the best for our hair. That said, someone has to call attention to the fact that baking soda and lye relaxers are two very, very different chemical compounds. Firstly, baking soda is only mildly alkaline (not very alkaline as stated in the video) as it registers generally around 8, which is only one off from water, which is neutral at 7 (i.e. scientifically, you don't measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance by it's distance from hair. You measure the acidity or alkalinity of a substance based on it's distance from water, which it neutral. Hair itself is acidic in comparison to water, so it's be misleading to say that something with a pH of 8 is very alkaline in comparison). Baking soda even has neutralizing properties, which is why most people keep a box in their fridge to neutralize odors. Wikipedia describes baking soda's neutralizing properties as:
"Many laboratories keep a bottle of sodium bicarbonate powder within easy reach, because sodium bicarbonate is amphoteric, reacting with acids and bases. Furthermore, as it is relatively innocuous in most situations, there is no harm in using excess sodium bicarbonate. Lastly, sodium bicarbonate powder may be used to smother a small fire."
Relaxers of all types are generally very alkaline at pH's of 11-14 (14 is the most alkaline), but even if there was one with a pH of 8 like baking soda, the pH is not the main reason why the relaxer is so damaging to the hair—the chemical composition is! Relaxers are ammonium and hydroxide based substances that literally corrode away the hair's cystine bonds! The chemical composition of Baking soda, sodium bicarbonate, does no such thing, even if you could find a relaxer mild enough to match it's pH.
The above point brings me to the main concern I have with everyone running out and testing all of their products—we're focusing more on the pH of our products than we are on the actual composition of our products, when it's the later that affects our hair the most, good or bad. That's not to say that pH isn't important, because it's definitely good to know, but to my understanding at least (again, please correct me if I'm wrong) pH—unless it's an extreme pH on either side of the spectrum, of course—should not be the sole focus. I was really sad to see comments all over kimmaytube's page from viewers who were saying "I had a remedy that I was using for years and it worked great but now that I know it's a pH of 8, I'm going to throw it out and never use it again!" I'm like, if it works for you, and we can already determine that the hair cuticle won't be distressed at a pH between 4 and 9, why would you stop using it?
Secondly, this whole ordeal raised a red flag for me because it seemed to throw out centuries of positive testimonials from women of all cultures over one arbitrary characteristic. Instead of saying, "Hmm, the pH's of AVC, lemon juice, castille soap, etc, seem to be different than the pH of hair, but these items have traditionally worked for all types of women throughout the ages. Perhaps there's another factor in play," the case was made that ALL these women were wrong and that all these products must be barred from usage forever or diluted to infinitesimal amounts. Essentially then, no one knew what they were doing with their hair before the advent of modern science in pH testing methods and today's commercially produced hair products.
Again, I didn't write all this to be controversial or to be difficult, but the way all of this pH stuff has played out has been very distressing to me. No one's arguing that Dr. Bronner's is strong (I switched two a different brand of castille soap because it was to strong even for my body) or that baking soda might have a drying effect on the hair. I totally acknowledge all of that. All I'm saying is that there are specific characteristics about what's in both of those products that make them have the effect they do, rather than just their pHs.
Just in case anyone wants to know, I am not a scientist or anything like that, but I studied for 3 years as a chemical engineering major in college before switching to business, so I'm referencing a lot of what I can remember from organic chemistry and what I've found elsewhere. I could go on about inconsistencies I perceived from the videos (What baking soda is made out of, Paula Begoun's take on pH and it's effect on hair, needing an acidifier after contact with water, etc) but I guess I'll stop here. I can't stress enough how much I love Kimmaytube and how much I really appreciate her videos. This was the only one that I felt very opposed to the information she presented, but I didn't want to write to her because I know she feels very strongly about her position, to say the least. I do believe that she put a lot of research in to this, I just think some of her conclusions and statements are to be questioned. I just question the whole premise of pH being the end all be all in hair care. But I posted this here to encourage discussion and evaluation of both my and kimmaytube's claims.