You normally see acne in teens and adults, but babies and toddlers can get it too. Yes, acne can affect us all. Moreover, it’s hard to find the culprit in most cases.
But, did you know that there are curly hair product ingredients that cause acne? So, if you or your kiddos have sensitive skin, read this post carefully.
My son came home one day with swollen eyes and red marks underneath them. He also had bumps all over his face. He began scratching them and rubbing his eyes, which further irritated his skin.
I immediately thought that he may have eaten something at school. But then again his teachers are aware that he is only allowed to eat the food we provide from home. He also insisted that he wasn’t given anything else.
I couldn’t figure it out to save my life! It happened out of nowhere.
I took him to the Pediatrician just to make sure he wasn’t having an allergic reaction to food. I was particularly concerned about that because food allergies run in our family. If left untreated, unknown allergies could eventually damage vital organs. I didn’t want to take any chances.
The doctor examined his face and recommended switching our laundry detergent. That’s when I had an AHA moment. We sometimes get rashes on our bodies. The fragrance and dye from the detergent could be the cause. It makes sense. But I think there’s more to my son’s breakouts than how we wash his clothes.
That’s when I realized that it could be the hair products I use on his hair. I recently changed his curly hair products and routine, so it seemed plausible. But, I’m not exactly sure which ingredient(s) was the culprit.
According to Naturally Curly, botanicals, oils, shea butter and cocoa butter could cause breakouts. You can find their complete list below.
Hair Product Ingredients That May Cause Acne
Apricot Oil
Coconut Oil
Peach Kernel Oil
Palm Oil
Hemp seed oil
Sweet Almond Oil
Grape seed oil
Rosehip oil
Cocoa Butter
Shea Butter
Corn oil
Cottonseed oil
Meadow foam seed oil
Soybean oil
Wheat germ oil
Olive oil
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Oleic Acid + its derivatives
Oleic Acid
Oleyl Alcohol
Decyl Oleate
Isodecyl Oleate
Sorbitan Oleate
Isopropyl Linoleate
Botanicals
Algae Extract
Isopropyl Lanolate
Isopropyl Isostearate
Carageenan
Red Algae
Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Isoparaffin C13-14
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 and Ceteareth-20
Glyceryl-3-diisostearate
Polyglyceryl-3-diisostearate
Laureth 4
Laureth 23
Steareth-10
Oleth-3
PPG 5 ceteth 10 phosphate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Trideceth
Lauric Acid
Isostearic Acid
Hexylene Glycol
Cetyl Acetate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Isopropyl Isostearate
Isopropyl linolate
Isostearyl isostearate
Stearyl heptanoate
Decyl oleate
I don’t use a lot of oils on my son’s hair. He’s always responded well to shea butter and cocoa butter. There’s no way to test every single ingredient on this list. So, I basically had to go through trial and error, which didn’t take long. I decided to swap out all the harsh ingredients for a more gentle variety.
6 Curly Hair Products that Won’t Cause Acne
Kinky Curly Come Clean Shampoo
Some curly hair products have a lot of ingredients. But, this clarifying shampoo doesn’t have a long list. I recommend using it once every one to two times a month. The shampoo leaves hair feeling squeaky clean, removing oils and product build up.
Kinky Curly Knot Today
This leave in conditioner also doesn’t have a whole of ingredients. It’s gentle on the hair and adds moisture back to your curls. It does a great job of adding curl definition too.
Camille Rose Curl Maker
Add this product to curls in small sections to make curls pop. Not only is it gentle, it’s also great for all hair types. I’ll use it on my children’s 3a, 3b, 3c wash-n-gos, and my 4c braid outs.
Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse
This mild Shampoo gently cleanses hair without stripping moisture from curls.
Camille Rose Moroccan Pear Conditioning Custard
Most days I skip the shampoo process all together and co-wash instead. Just apply the product throughout the hair, massage the scalp, and rinse. It leaves the hair feeling moisturized and smelling fresh.
Curly Kids Super Detangling Shampoo
The Curly Kids line was developed for curly, kinky, coily and frizzy hair. Their cleansing shampoo works wonders on mixed and multi textured hair. It’s also tangle free, reduces breakage, and promotes healthy hair growth.
Make Your Own Hair Products to Avoid Acne
As my daughter explains in the video below, you can actually make curly hair products to avoid breakouts using ingredients from your kitchen.
Avocado Banana Treatment
The great thing about making your own hair care products is that you know exactly what’s in it. Avocados and bananas are great at strengthening and moisturizing hair. It also promotes growth. I like to whip up my own concoction to treat our curls.
What You’ll Need:
One avocado
One Banana
1 Tablespoon Raw Natural Honey
2 Tablespoons Aloe Vera Gel
1 Teaspoon Jamaican Black Caster Oil
5 Drops Biosil
1 cup of water
Directions
I recommend using a food processor or blender to combine the ingredients. This will give your DIY curly hair mask a smooth texture, which will make rinsing curls easy.
Apply the curly hair treatment in small sections and let it sit for at least a half hour. Rinse thoroughly and follow up with your curly hair routine.
Toddler acne could be challenging. Fortunately, my 3-year-old’s acne cleared up once I switched curly hair products. So, the next time you notice unusual acne, comb through product labels. Limit the amount of items used and keep hair routine simple. You’ll have to be a detective. Also, remember that it may take a while, but you’ll eventually get positive results.
Has you child suffered from acne? How did you get rid of it?