Hair Care Products and Acne

During this series on pore clogging ingredients, we have talked extensively about many different products that you use on your face, but what other types of products cause breakouts? Your hair comes in direct contact with your face most of the day, so your hair products are going to affect your acne. In fact, using acne safe products on your hair is just as important as using acne safe products on your face.

 Hair products without pore-clogging ingredients are a bit tricky to find. As far as we know, there is no special brand that creates shampoo, conditioner, etc specifically for acne prone skin. This means that we need to check all the ingredients on every bottle of hair product we buy and use.

 Natural Products:

Some clients decide to go a very natural route and make homemade shampoo to keep their skin safe or buy their hair care from a health food store. However, just because the products were handmade or from a health food store does not mean they are safe for acne prone skin. Always check ingredients before purchasing or creating a product to make sure it is safe and will not clog pores.  Our pore-clogging list is available at UtahAcneClinic.com.

If you would like to use products with a more natural base it is rather important to watch out for the following ingredients. These are great natural oils that can be very beneficial for those who do not suffer from acne, but they will cause breakouts if you are acne prone.

Cocoa butter

Mink oil

Wheat germ oil

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Coconut butter

Soybean oil

Caster oil

Other essential oils

Not So Natural Products:

We also have clients who use Pureology, ColorProof and some AG HairCare products without aggravating their acne. If you would like to go this route with your shampoo and conditioner, please check every individual bottle of product you use for new and unsafe ingredients.

If you are suffering from acne and have questions about the products you are using or on how to ultimately clear your skin, please call the Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic of Salt Lake City. We are here to guide you on your journey to a clear complexion.

Coconut Oil - Don’t Let The Hype Fool You-Pore Clogging Products: A Series

Coconut oil has exploded in the beauty market this year and while you probably have some friends that swear by the stuff for moisture, smell, etc. - it is a no no for acne sufferers.

With the popularity of coconut oil, many people have preached that this creamy oil can clear acne among all it’s other uses. Unfortunately this claim is not true. The thought behind coconut oil and clearing acne is that coconut oil contains acids with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, and antibacterial properties that help kill yeast and parasites. This boosts your immune system to fight infections. In theory, this fight against infections would also fight against acne breakouts. 

We know, it would be such a simple fix if coconut oil did help acne sufferers, but this theory is flawed because of the molecule in coconut oil. It is a very small molecule and it will CLOG your pores. Simple as that -  PLEASE BE AWARE - coconut oil is going to clog your pores, it is highly comedogenic. We have seen clients who have used the oil before coming into the clinic with increased breakouts where they slathered straight coconut oil or products containing the oil on their skin.

You need to stay away from any form of this stuff if you are acne prone! This includes shampoos, lotions, makeup products, etc.  Do not use coconut masks for your hair and stay away from “off the shelf” products that contain the oil.

We suggest you consult our list of pore clogging ingredients before buying any type of beauty product from the store and never let the hype of coconut oil touch your skin.

Below, we have listed some popular hair products that contain coconut oil. Please notice that coconut oil is in all types of hair products- including masques, mists, leave in conditioners, etc. As an acne sufferer you are required to check all ingredients in all of your products, even if they are the same brand.

Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque

The Pureology Precious Oil Softening Hair Masque is not safe for acne prone skin because the masque uses coconut oil to repair fading hair color and generally dry hair. This product is a great example of changes in product ingredients throughout the same brand. Pureology does have  acne safe shampoo and conditioner that many acne sufferers use daily. If you would have just assumed that this hair masque was safe because it was made by Pureology, you would have encountered breakouts within a few uses.  Always check the ingredients, even on products you have used before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler
Coconut oil is one of 17 organic ingredients in this leave-in conditioner that detangles, hydrates, and strengthens hair. But will not be a friend to anyone who suffers from acne.

Carol's Daughter Monoi Oil Sacred Strengthening Serum

The headlining “up and coming” new oil called  monoi oil, comes from an exotic mixture of Coconut oil and flowers. Not a hair oil I would recommend if you’re acne prone.

Kiehl's Amino Acid Conditioner

Kiehl’s is a well known brand that works wonders on most skin and hair, but this conditioner will not work to keep acne sufferers safe from breakouts. This hydrating and lightweight conditioner contains coconut oil and will cause breakouts around the scalp.

Aveda’s Sun Care Soins Soleil

This water resistant spray contains coconut oil, palm oil and shea butter. Again, not safe for acne prone skin even though it’s a hair care product.

If you want to clear your acne, you need to use the correct products for your skin as well as your hair. SkintherapySkincare and Acne Clinic of Salt Lake City can put you on the right path towards clear skin find us at UtahAcneClinic.com and on Instagram at Skintherapyacneclinic.

Lip Products that Clog Pores

Pore Clogging Products: A Series

Hey there, guess what! We are going to start a new series on the blog! The series is called Pore Clogging Products and Their Ingredients.  We will be taking some time, twice a month to dig into all the products that you can and can’t use if you are acne prone.  

We are starting with lip products, specifically lip balms. Some of you will notice that you are constantly getting blackheads or breakouts on and around your lips. These breakouts are most likely occurring because of the products you use on your lips everyday. 

Here is a bit of a guide to safe and unsafe lip balms for those that are acne prone.

The most important thing when picking out lip balm is to make sure to check the active and inactive ingredients before you start wearing it. Some lip balms will be okay with their active ingredients, but will contain pore clogging, non-active ingredients.

Below, we have listed some of the most popular types of lip balms and their active and non-active ingredients. You will notice that the pore clogging ingredients are all listed in the non-active section of these product’s ingredient lists. They are highlighted in red for you to notice.

Eos Smooth Sphere Lip Balm

 

Inactive Ingredients:

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Beeswax/Cera Alba (Cire D'abeille)*, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Natural Flavor (Aroma), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)*, Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf/Stem Extract*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Tocopherol, Cucumis Melo (Honeydew Melon) Seed Extract*, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract*, Limonene**, Linalool**. *Organic. **Component of Natural Flavor. Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth.

 

ChapStick Classic Lip Balm SPF 4, Original

Active Ingredients:

Contains: Padimate O (1.5%) (Sunscreen), White Petrolatum (44%) (Skin Protectant)

Inactive Ingredients:

Arachadyl Propionate, Camphor, Carnauba (Copernicia Cerifera) Wax, Cetyl Alcohol, D&C Red 6 Barium Lake (CI 15850), FD&C Yellow 5 Aluminum Lake, Fragrance, Isopropyl Lanolate, Isopropyl Myristate, Lanolin, Light Mineral Oil, Methylparaben, Octyldodecanol, Oleyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Propylparaben, Titanium Dioxide, White Wax

Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Balm, Classic Beeswax

Active Ingredients: 

Beeswax (Apis Mellifera), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Lanolin, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Comfrey (Symphytum Officinale) Root Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Canola Oil

Carmex

Active Ingredients: 

Octinoxate (6.4%), Oxybenzone (5.4%)

Inactive Ingredients: 

Beeswax, Camphor, Cetyl Esters, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Flavor, Lanolin, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Menthol, Ozokerite, Paraffin, Petrolatum, Phenol, Salicylic Acid, Theobroma Cacao (cocoa) Seed Butter

 Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Lip Moisturizer SPF 15

Active Ingredients: 

Octinoxate (7.5%), Oxybenzone 4%

Inactive Ingredients: 

Castor (Ricinus Communis) Seed Oil (Ricinus Communis), Corn Oil (Zea Mays), Ozokerite, Petrolatum, Beeswax (Apis Mellifera), Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carnauba (Copernicia Cerifera) Wax (Copernicia Cerifera), BHT

 Blistex Medicated Lip Balm, SPF 15

Active Ingredients:  

Dimethicone (2.0%, Lip Protectant), Oxybenzone (2.5%, Sunscreen), Padimate O (6.6%, Sunscreen)

Inactive Ingredients: 

Beeswax, Camphor, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Euphorbia Cerifera Candelilla Wax, Flavor, Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Stearate, Lanolin, Lanolin Oil, Menthol, Methylparaben, Mineral Oil, Ozokerite, Paraffin, Petrolatum, Polybutene, Propylparaben, Red 6 Lake, Theobroma Cocoa Seed Butter

I know what you’re thinking, if all of these products have pore-clogging ingredients, what am I supposed to use on my lips? We highly suggest using simple vaseline or aquaphor on an everyday basis for your lips. Vaseline (not the lip therapy though it has shea butter)or aquaphor really is the most helpful thing for dry lips anyway. So keep it simple and throw all your other lip balms away. We guarantee you will see a difference around your lips. No more blackheads.  

Make sure to stay tuned for our next post about Pore Clogging Products. If you’d like to learn even more about safe products for acne sufferers and other acne fighting techniques, call the Skintherapy Skincare and Acne Clinic of Salt LakeCity to schedule an appointment today.