There’s a beauty trend doing rounds on the internet—and thrilling our makeup-loving hearts. Colour-shifting makeup (you heard that right), also known as pH makeup, brings science and art together and gives a playful nod to individualism. If you’ve been on the quest to find your ideal makeup hues, this is a major win. What is it? How do you do it? How exactly does it go in your routine? Ahead, find out everything and more.
What is pH-based makeup?
Think makeup that syncs with your skin’s chemistry—pH-based products give you just that. They start out as a colourless canvas and transform into faint hues of red and pink upon application. The secret? Its litmus paper-like formulation that adapts to your skin’s natural pH levels. No more guessing games with shades—pH-based makeup ensures an undertone that complements your skin tone. We see an absolute win for those who love an au naturale finish.
Let’s dig deeper: The science behind pH-based makeup
Oh, the irony. Just when we thought we’d left those daunting chemistry lessons behind, they sneak back into our lives through the back door of beauty. Let’s talk about the science of pH and its connection with our skin. The pH scale, spanning from one to 14, measures the acidity or basicity of any formula. Seven is the neutral midpoint on the scale. Our skin, too, has its ideal pH balance and veering too far towards the basic end may damage our skin barrier.
However, one should note that the pH of your lips differs from the pH of the rest of your skin. This causes the same product to give off different shades on your cheeks and lips—and also allows for looks that subtly change through the day.
Trends to try out with colour-shifting makeup
pH-based makeup has been making waves for a while now, but its production had remained relatively niche until recently. Many new brands have entered the scene, each offering their own innovative colour-changing collections. So gone are the days when you walked through makeup aisles to find the right foundation shade. With pH-based buys, achieving the coveted cloud skin look is a breeze; as it reveals your skin’s natural glow. Besides, as summer is synonymous with sun-kissed cheeks and berry-stained lips, one can capture this vibe with pH-based lipsticks and cheek tints, too. If you’re looking for a more-natural, your skin but better look than pH-based products are definitely worth trying out.
Tira recommends
Ready to cop your first (or next) colour-changing picks? Here’s what to go for:
- Praush Beauty Pout Cushion pH Color Changing Lip Gloss Oil - Mykind
- Typsy Beauty Shade Shifter Lip & Cheek Oil - 01 Ph-Enomenal
- RENEE Madness PH Stick - Pink Pay Off
- KIRO Ph-Play Lip & Cheek Oil - Pink Funfetti (5.5ml)
- Aqualogica Plump+ Pouty Li-Ph Lip Gloss - Peach Vanilla
- PIXI Hello Kitty Lip Tone - Prettiness
