happy hair, clear skin

i have had a ton of clients asking about acne safe hair styling products lately so decided to write a quick post about what we've found so far. i found a couple of promising brands via an article written by teen vogue on acne safe hair products. you can check out the article here. the tricky thing about hair products is that even when they contain safe ingredients, they are more likely to be cloggy because of their intended use. these products are designed to stay in your hair through sweat, humidity, working, twerking, etcetera. while it's great that a product can withstand all of this it can also be making it travel from your hair on to your face and body, causing breakouts. whether you are using an sS approved product or experimenting with something that looks safe, here are a few helpful tips to prevent hair induced breakouts.

make sure to change your pillowcases! use one side of the pillow, flip it the next day to use a clean side, then switch your case and repeat.
cleanse + tone into your hairline and behind your ears! these are often neglected parts of the face that only get washed when we shampoo. use your facial cleanser and toner to prevent buildup and make sure you are rinsing shampoo, conditioner, and facial cleanser thoroughly from these areas.
never touch your face after touching your hair! when i'm getting ready for the day i do my hair, then wash my hands using acne safe soap and THEN do my makeup etcetera. be mindful of this throughout the day as well.
having your hair tied back off of your face and using no product is your best bet. this list should be used as a reference for what products to use if you must for a hot date or a wedding. on the day to day we prefer that you aren't using styling products at all. (or at least until you are completely clear, then can introduce a hair product (or other variable, one at a time for at least a month) to isolate any new breakouts to it).
manufacturers often times will change ingredient lists without announcing it so make sure to check the ingredients each time you refill. tip: a change in formulation is often accompanied by packaging changes!

tried and tested acne safe shampoo & conditioner: these products have gone through our testing products and received the sS stamp of approval!

- shikai shower gel - double duty shower gel + shampoo available at sS

- earth science unscented shampoo available at sS

- AG fast food shampoo available at sS

- AG ultramoist conditioner available at sS

- AG colour savour conditioner available at sS

- skinSALVATION conditioner available at sS

shikai body wash - doubles as acne-safe shampoo!

promising shampoo & conditioner: the ingredient listings LOOK safe but by no means have been tested by sS to ensure their safety. we don't recommend that you use these products during the initial clearing process. after you are clear you can introduce them as a single variable in your regimen and see if you break out.

- various nature's gate shampoos and conditioners, read labels to make sure the one you are after doesn't contain any cloggy ingredients. fragrance and tocopherol are the number one questionable offenders in these shampoos.

- trader joe's tea tree tingle shampoo and conditioner

- selsun blue shampoo - great alternative to cloggy head + shoulders but may still be cloggy for some.

- aveeno nourish + dandruff control shampoo

- mineral fusion anti-dandruff shampoo

- terax conditioner

promising hair spray: the ingredient listings LOOK safe but by no means have been tested by sS to ensure their safety. we don't recommend that you use these products during the initial clearing process. after you are clear you can introduce them as a single variable in your regimen and see if you break out.

*make sure you wash any leave in product from your hair before going to bed! even products that look safe can break you out if transferred to your pillowcase and then your face, night after night.

- rahua voluminous spray

- john masters sea mist sea salt spray

- giovanni LA hold hairspray

promising gels, waxes and pomades: the ingredient listings LOOK safe but by no means have been tested by sS to ensure their safety. we don't recommend that you use these products during the initial clearing process. after you are clear you can introduce them as a single variable in your regimen and see if you break out.

*make sure you wash any leave in product from your hair before going to bed! even products that look safe can break you out if transferred to your pillowcase and then your face, night after night.

- rahua hair wax

- john masters bourbon vanilla tangerine hair texturizer

- john masters sculpting clay

- john masters sweet orange silk protein styling gel

- giovanni wicked texture pomade this product has been used by several sS'ers and is safe!

- shikai color reflect volumizing mousse

promising leave it tx: the ingredient listings LOOK safe but by no means have been tested by sS to ensure their safety. we don't recommend that you use these products during the initial clearing process. after you are clear you can introduce them as a single variable in your regimen and see if you break out.

*make sure you wash any leave in product from your hair before going to bed! even products that look safe can break you out if transferred to your pillowcase and then your face, night after night.

- rahua omega 9 hair mask

- chi silk infusions reconstructing complex leave in treatment

- tresemme thermal creations heat tamer spray

- biosilk silk therapy

- john masters green tea calendula conditioning mist

promising products for color treated hair:

the ingredient listings LOOK safe but by no means have been tested by sS to ensure their safety. we don't recommend that you use these products during the initial clearing process. after you are clear you can introduce them as a single variable in your regimen and see if you break out.

- john masters herbal cider hair clarifier and color sealer

promising products for curly hair:

- spiral spritz

- knot today leave-in conditioner

- curling custard

- tiny twirls daily moisturizing styler

- detangling conditioner

- foam shampoo

this list is ever growing. we will update it as products are tested to let all of you out there know if things gained the sS stamp of approval or if they may cause breakouts. we value your input and experiences. please let us know if you have tried any of these products in the past or if you introduce them into your life. if you come in for a treatment, mention what you're using in your hair and we can identify if you are having breakouts around your hairline as a result.

may happy hair and clear skin be with you all!

xoxo,

liesse and team sS