Are your hair care products causing your acne?

As a little follow on from my hair care post, I thought it was worth mentioning that acne, particularly around the edges of the face, the jawline, and body acne (bacne) can be caused by hair products.

I found myself last year with a constant crop of little bumpy spots on the left side of my neck and a few more on my back. It made no sense as my face was clear. It was only as I stood in the showering pondering this issue, that I realised, whenever I apply hair conditioner, I do it by pulling my hair to one side (the left). Similarly, I plait my hair when in work (far less breakage than tying in a pony tail, and far more comfortable than in a clip or a bun), and the tail of the bun lies on the left side of my neck.

I also found that when I was allowing my conditioner to sink in, and then wash it out, my hair was always sat along my back.

So…easy tips for eliminating yet ANOTHER potential cause of your acne:

1. When applying conditioner, flip your head forwards, or lean so it is well out of the way of having any contact with your skin
2. If you are allowing your conditioner to soak into your hair, put a shower cap on, or at least tie or clip your hair out of the way. This applies to men too if your hair is long enough to require conditioner.
3.  Try not to lean forwards while conditioner is sitting in the hair as this can allow it to drip down the face
4.  Always cleanse your face and body  once all the hair faffing is finished. This will ensure that no product which may have come into contact with your skin is left on there
5. Also consider your shampoo and styling products. I have taught you to avoid SLS, foaming agents, fragrance etc in your skin care, however if shampoo or styling products are used with these products, and you are reactive to them, then an acne flare up is inevitable.
6.  If you have a fringe, apply your skincare before you dry it. I say this because once your fringe is dry and styled, you will be very hesitant to mess it up by applying skincare under it. This means that a large portion of your face will be missing out on the skin care ingredients it needs. I also use copious amounts of dry shampoo so that oil from my hair is not transferred to my forehead and vice versa    
7. Once you are out the shower, give your body a spritz with an anti-bacterial zinc spray – my favourite is La Roche PosaySerozinc
8. When applying heat protection/anti frizz spray to wet hair, ensure your body is covered, either use a towel or do when clothed. This will mean none of the product gets on your body causing irritation
9. If using styling and finishing products - especially those which give shine or have oil, try just to apply to the outside of the hair, rather than the bits that come into contact with your neck/back. Smooth over the top layer and leave the underneath - which no one can see anyway!
10. Finally, if you finish with a hair spray, or anti humidity spray, cover your face. It may seem silly, but especially if you have a fringe which you desperately want to stay in place, or stay straight, a lot of the product will end up on your skin. I literally hold a towel close to my face, flip my fringe over, and then spray. Your skin will thank you for the extra 30 seconds of work. You can also scare your boyfriend/family members in the process