In my day-to-day life, I cram in many activities into my meagre 24 hours allowance. Everything from work, gym, playing with my cats, events and photoshoots take up a lot of time and energy. Not only that, these things expose me to a lot of pollution, germs and dirt. You can't really avoid these things out in the open, polluted air (Malaysia being famous for its 180 PSI haze, on and off), the UV-rays from sun exposure (yes, even when you drive) and neither can you avoid sweat and grime in the gym.

Even if you stay indoors all day long, you still get polluted air filtering in via your air-conditioning (home or office) and contaminants that are stuck onto things you carry around with you (I mean, honestly, how many of you clean your phones or handbags daily?). I am guilty of never cleaning my bags and only cleaning my phone when the screen gets too grimy. Eeeks. So you see, contaminants are everywhere, and they follow you everywhere too, because your material items are a mode of transportation.

These things are the main causes of inflammation, infection and stress on your skin. You can shower after each and every task and clean everything everyday – but honestly, how many germs can you actually clean off over and over again? Not to mention, what a waste of water!


Which brings me to my point: Stay clean with the right shower gel, so you can still have lesser showers a day, and still stay fresh and clean!




Introducing, Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels. This new range comes in 7 smashing variants: Cool, Re-energize, Skincare, Original, Fresh, Nourishing and Radiance. Each denotes a different scent and use – but they have one thing in common – help your skin stay germ-free, moisturized and of course, keeps your skin's pH-levels balanced.

My family have always used Dettol's shower gels (my grandmother especially), but I've always detested the clinical and medicinal scents – like what Dettol's older and stronger products smell like. Not for this range – they have completely reworked the formula into one that smells like flora and fruits, depending on which range you're getting. I personally like the Skincare & Re-energize scents, but you can always pop one open at the store for free smells. You'd be spoilt for choice.





Why the emphasis on pH balance? Because your skin is protected by a natural secretion called the acid mantle. It is a very fine layer of film that keeps skin protected from bacteria, viruses and contaminants. At the same time, this layer of protective film also keeps your skin soft and supple, preventing it from drying out by trapping moisture in. So basically when you bathe, you are keeping the acid mantle clean so that it can do its job and keep you safe!


To maintain your acid mantle, you need to help it maintain a healthy pH level, which is between 4 to 6. Any level from 1-6 are acidic, 7 being neutral and levels 8-13 are alkaline. Because it is an 'acid' mantle, the 4–6 range is great because it's closer to the neutral pH level, and not too acidic (because we need moderation for everything in life). Now, let me show you how Dettol works in maintaining skin's pH level, with the Hydrion pH pen – that tests your pH levels.



I first washed my hands with Brand X body wash and drew the first line. Next I used Dettol's pH Balance shower gel, and drew the second line. The results are as below. As you can see, the first line for Brand X, shows a pH color between 2-3, whereas the second line shows a healthier pH level between 4-5. It's quite a difference, no?



Of course, many people get a little skeptical about the pen. Therefore I drew a third line, using toothpaste to cover that section. You can see the alkaline pH showing a greenish color, ranging between a 7-8 (not so obvious because of my skin tone). When it dried up later on, the color was much closer to 8.




Now you see why Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels works so well for your daily skincare (it's so easy too!). A proper caring regimen for your acid mantle includes proper cleansing, followed by a good moisturizer (or body lotion). As this range already contains anti-bacterial properties, you can let Dettol take care of that for you! For further care, use a good sunscreen with at least an SPF30 daily. UV-rays are not to be fooled around with.

Staying germ-free is very important, especially if you're a mother with babies and kids. As for myself, I only have my cats, a hamster and a guinea pig to care for – but pets carry certain harmful microorganisms with them too! I'm glad I have Dettol pH Balance Shower Gel to rely on, to remove all the germs and bacteria after playing with them and especially before I eat or go to bed. I love my pets but I don't want to carry their germs with me, so Dettol pretty much helps keep us happy and germ-free!


Have I also mentioned that these are perfect for the gym?





The new packaging for this is also much handler-friendly as well. My boyfriend carries a bottle for the gym, and we are packing this into the luggage bag for our next travel destination! Love how the snap-shut cover is tight enough to keep from spillage.





Take the Dettol pH Challenge!
Why? Because if you understood everything I mentioned about pH levels, you should get this challenge right! And once you get it right, you'd get RM5 OFF any Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels (625ml) at Guardian stores nationwide, on top on in store promotions, between 1 Nov – 31 Dec. Don't forget to share it out, with the hashtag #DettolphBalance, okay? Protect your skin and stay healthy!