Hair products that can cause irritation and acne

We all have hair products we can’t live without- from our shampoo to curl enhancers, or even anti-frizz serums. But some of your hair products might also be causing you to breakout! If you want to keep your gorgeous hair looking fabulous and have blemish-free skin you need to become an ingredient detective.

Before you start throwing out everything you own in your bathroom, you need to do some digging. Take a look at any gels, pomades, hair sprays, and avoid any products that add oil to your hair as they tend to be the most irritating. Ingredient labels don’t always underline the acne-causing ingredients, so although it says “oil-free,” or “non-comedogenic” it may still contain ingredients that cause blemishes. Stay away from common offenders like isopropyl myristate, silicones, petrolatum, PVP, CVP, copolymer ingredients, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, and sodium chloride are commonly found ingredients in hair products that you should avoid.

Wash and condition your hair before washing your face and body to remove any residue the hair products leave on your skin. After rinsing your shampoo and conditioner, wash your face so it’s the last thing that touches your skin.

To help prevent future blemishes, make these changes to your routine:

1. Do not touch your hair then your face as you could transfer your hair product to your skin. (You really shouldn’t be rubbing or touching your face during the day anyways!)
2. Cover your face when using hairspray. They have plastic face shields for a reason!
3. Style your hair before you apply your makeup, wash your hands twice to remove all the hair product residue.
4. Keep your hair away from your face. Style your hair so it doesn’t come into contact with your forehead or the side of your face.
5. Make sure your hair is put up in a bun while you sleep. To be extra cautious wash out the product before you sleep.
6. Avoid sleeping on dirty pillowcases and trade it out for a new one every 2-3 days.
7. Rinse out your comb/brush after using them with any hair products. Or keep different brushes and combs separately for hair products and without any hair products.
8. If you exercise with hair products use a headband to keep sweat from running down your face. Always wash your face immediately after exercising.
9. Use products that have no pore-clogging ingredients to be on the safe side. Limit use of “leave-in” products.
10. Avoid getting any hair products directly on your skin. If you do, rinse your skin!

Below is a list of ingredients that cause acne. You may want to get rid of all of your hair products that have these ingredients. Remember, the first ingredients on a label are the higher concentrations, and the ones at the end contain the least. Think like a detective. If breakouts just recently started happening, what new products have you been using? Stop using them for several weeks and see if your skin clears.

• Argan Oil (MoroccanOil)
• Apricot Oil
• Coconut Oil
• Peach Kernel Oil
• Palm Oil
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Rosehip Oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Shea Butter
• Cottonseed Oil
• Meadowfoam Seed Oil
• Soybean Oil
• Wheat Germ Oil
• Olive Oil
• Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
• Oleic Acid (and its derivatives)
• Oleyl Alcohol
• Decyl Oleate
• Isodecyl Oleate
• Sorbitan Oleate
• Botanicals
• Algae extract
• Carageenan
• Red Algae
• Isopropyl Myristate
• Isopropyl Palmitate
• Isoparaffin C13-14
• Isopropyl Linoleate
• Isopropyl Lanolate
• Isopropyl Isostearate
• Myristyl Myristate
• Myristyl Propionate
• Myreth 3 Myristate
• Butyl Stearate
• Isostearyl Isostearate
• PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate
• Isocetyl Stearate
• Oleyl Alcohol
• Isostearyl Alcohol
• Octyl Dodecanol
• Isocetyl Alcohol
• Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth-20 (only in combination)
• Glyceryl-3-diisostearate
• Polyglyceryl-3-diisostearate
• Laureth-4
• Laureth-23
• Steareth-10
• Oleth-3
• PPG 5 ceteth 10 phosphate
• Glyceryl Stearate SE (must have SE)
• Trideceth
• Lauric Acid
• Isostearic Acid
• Cetyl Acetate
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate
• Isopropyl Isostearate
• Isopropyl Linolate
• Isostearyl Isostearate
• Stearyl Heptanoate
• Sodium Chloride