Are Your Hair Products Causing Breakouts?
An Esthetician’s Take
I’ll be honest—I never thought my hair products were causing my breakouts. But when I started noticing bumps along my shoulders and back, I had to take a closer look. Turns out, my shampoo, conditioner, and styling products were the sneaky culprits. If you’re dealing with stubborn breakouts, your hair routine might be to blame too. Let’s break it down.
Hair product ingredients that might be messing with your skin
Your hair routine could be leaving behind pore-clogging residue, leading to breakouts. Here’s what I always tell our clients to watch out for:
🚫 Silicones – These give hair that silky feel, but they also create a film that traps oil, bacteria, and sweat on your skin, leading to breakouts.
Common culprits: Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane.
🚫 Coconut oil – It’s amazing for hair hydration but highly comedogenic, meaning it clogs pores fast. If you’re acne-prone, this ingredient is a no-go near your skin.
Watch for: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil.
🚫 Petroleum-based oils – These heavy oils might be great for moisture retention in hair, but they also lock in dirt and bacteria on your skin, leading to congestion and breakouts.
Examples: Mineral Oil, Petrolatum.
🚫 Sulfates – These harsh detergents strip both your scalp and face of natural oils, disrupting your skin barrier and making acne worse.
Look out for: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES).
🚫 Fragrances & dyes – While they make your hair smell divine, artificial fragrances and dyes can irritate sensitive skin, causing redness and inflammation.
Often listed as: Parfum (Fragrance), FD&C dyes.
How to Keep Your Hair (and Skin) Happy
Good news! There are simple tweaks that can keep your skin clear without sacrificing your hair routine! Here’s what I recommend:
✅ Choose non-comedogenic hair products – Look for “oil-free” or “non-comedogenic” labels to minimize the risk of clogged pores.
✅ Wash your face after rinsing shampoo & conditioner – Hair product residue can drip onto your skin in the shower. A quick cleanse afterward prevents unwanted breakouts.
✅ Tie your hair back before bed – If you use styling products, keeping your hair off your face at night prevents product transfer onto your skin.
✅ Sleep in a silk bonnet – This keeps your hair (and its products) off your shoulders, back, and face while you sleep, reducing the risk of breakouts.
✅ Cleanse after workouts – Sweat + hair product residue = breakout central. A quick face wash post-gym can keep your skin happy.
✅ Sleep on a silk pillowcase – Unlike cotton, silk absorbs less oil and product, preventing buildup that could transfer onto your skin while you sleep.
Skincare isn’t the only factor in clear skin—your hair routine plays a huge role too! With a few simple changes, you can avoid more breakouts and keep both your skin and hair looking their best.
