I’d been battling a losing battle with blemishes and acne for the past month and a half. I’d never really had perfect smooth skin but I’d stopped getting breakouts too. I’m getting too old for having a face full of acne! So, I was at quite a loss last month when my whole face inexplicably broke out. Not only was I getting hard painful acne, I was also getting lots and lots of bumps under my skin which were horrid. My forehead, where I don’t get many spots, was a mess as were my cheeks.
I initially thought it was a skin product I was trying out so I stopped using it. Instead of going away, I kept getting one bump after another on my skin and it really bugged me.
That was until I was reading some reviews online and came across a user of Tresemme hair conditioner who loved how soft the conditioner made her hair, but said that it caused her to get body acne. That got me thinking. What if the skin problems I was facing was not to do with skincare but with the Tresemme conditioner I was using? I gave it a rave review previously, but I’d never thought it might affect the skin.
My hair conditioner was finishing, so I decided to stop instead of restocking, just to see if my gut feeling was right. I went instead for Himalaya Herbals Protein Conditioner which I have also reviewed.
Within 3 days of stopping my Tresemme conditioner, I realised I was not getting any new spots. Within a week, and with a little help from my trusty apple cider vinegar toner, my skin is now almost back to the way it was i.e. relatively smooth, with no new blemishes or spots. I’m very happy about that.
However, it got me wondering about why the Tresemme conditioner would cause my skin to break out. I’ve never had a hair product do this to me before. It could be because I wash my hair everyday so I am exposed to the product a lot and something in it did not agree with me.
Either way, I seem to have isolated the hair conditioner as the cause of my traumatic month-long battle with problem skin and I’m working on clearing it up now, with great success.
Have you had a hair product break you out before?
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i used that tresemme before too, well, it did not cause breakouts on my skin. but, i had dandruff break out badly, i stopped using a week later. now, i got phobia of the related products
PB says: Ooh my sister had dandruff too during this period of using Tresemme. I’m scratching this product and brand off my list!
Hey, I did read somewhere that some shampoos and conditioner creates acne. Can’t remember the brands. I was quite surprised too. I guess it’s something in the ingredient that causes this.
PB says: Really? I must find that list somewhere. Thanks for the info and yes, I think it must be a pore-clogging ingredient in there
Hey, I just read from another blog that these 2 ingredients used in many shampoos can cause acne:
Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
PB says: Thanks for the info. Unfortunately those ingredients are in everything aren’t they?
I ended up on this website as i googled “hair conditioner causing acne”. Obviously I am thinking the same thing! A month ago I bought Joico Reconstruct – does great things for my hair, but my face is a mess (I’m 35!!). I had this problem a few years ago when I realised Clairol Herbal Essence conditioner was the cause of severe breakouts below my ears and down my neck. This time I have angry acne – painful, plus the under the skin bumps down my ckeeks and neck – and I just noticed on my hairline. I wonder what ingredients are common to both! Will have to find out so I can avoid future issues. More people should know about this issue!
I had the same problem with Joico Reconstruct it made my hair look so good but I have been breaking out so much and I never use to. Thank you for posting this.
I have been having acne for almost 2 months now when I realised that it was my hair conditioner that was causing it and it was Clairol Herbal Essence!
PB says: Thanks for sharing! Hard to believe its the shampoo eh?
I use Herbal Essences and Im ok with it. Pantene causes severe breakouts
I recently started using new Herbal Essences products for long hair. I bought huge bottles of the shampoo and conditioner because they were on sale, as well as the leave-in conditioner. Around the same time, I also started using a new makeup and facial cleanser.
Pretty soon the acne on my face (which has always been pretty bad) suddenly got much worse. I haven’t had a problem with acne on my forehead since I was a teenager, and that was where I broke out the most. My cheeks joined in shortly after. I have these tiny little bumps all over my skin that make it feel like bubble wrap.
I stopped using the new cleanser and makeup for weeks and my acne was still getting worse. Then recently it dawned on me that it might be the hair products. I googled “herbal essences cause pimples” and found this page. Thanks very much for your post and everyone’s comments. This has been very helpful, and I am going to buy a different brand of shampoo and conditioner today.
PS: Yes, sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate are in pretty much everything. They are chemicals used to cause suds, or foam in products like soap and shampoo.
Jen HM: Thanks for your comment Jen. I’m glad this has been of help and I hope your skin gets better!
Hi All,
I too have been experiencing scalp acne and google “conditioners causing acne” and this site was one that was populated. I recently started using the tresemme colorthrive brand for brunettes and reds along side Pantene red expressions raidant repair rich treatment. I honestly believe that it is the conditioners. They are so loaded down with an agglomoration of moisturizers that you can feel on your skin after you rinse. My scalp and back have both been effected. I am unsure of what ingredient it is, but I do not believe it is the “sodium’s” for the aformentioned reasons and that they are not found in the conditioners. I have used the Herbal Essence, Suave, Paul Mitchell, Fructis Garnier, and SunSilk lines and have not experienced these problems.
Thought I’d add my two cents. I’ve been using Suave shampoo and conditioner for over a decade. First the Balancing, and then, when that was discontinued, the Clarifying. After the birth of my fourth child, a year ago, I began to break out for the first time since high school. Accutane took care of it then. About the same time my six year old daughter started breaking out. I worried she was going through precocious puberty. After stumbling across some website talking about various chemicals in shampoos, I decided to try using a Burt’s Bees shampoo on my daughter. Thought I’d try it myself, too. To my amazement, BOTH of our complexions cleared. I don’t know what ingredient was causing the acne. Burt’ Bees says it is Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate Free, Paraben Free, and Phthalate Free. Whatever it’s worth.
And thank you everyone for sharing your experiences.
I’ve been using intensive conditioning treatments on my hair and have been having TERRIBLE breakouts. So annoying – they are great for my hair – but awful for my skin. I wish I could isolate the ingredient that does this, but it does seem to be the conditioners or treatments not the shampoo as I didn’t change shampoo.
I googled “shampoo/cond causing acne?” and waa-laa ended up here. So glad to see I’m not losing my mind. However, I must say the culprit is Sunsilk for me. I have never in my life had acne on my back and now after a few weeks of using this line I have it all over my back, neck, behind my ears. And they are painful. Although I love the smell and what it does for my hair I have to stop using it. I just bought Burt’s Bees (recommended by my mom) so I hope it helps.
i went a month and a half trying to figure out why i was suddenly breaking out so badly.So i also decided to google and ask, can my shampoo be the cause of my acne, and it led me to this site, and i am actually using Tressemme! Believe it or not i just washed my hair, but this will be the last time.I aslo thought there was something wrong with me… thank you ssoooo much for posting this ,hopefully this will be the end of my acne
I have not personally experience any breakouts from shampoo or conditioner..but then i have never used tresemme or clairol herbal essence. My sister once had bad dandruff after using dove, and after using numerous anti dandruff shampoos, selsun blue worked miracles on her. She just recently started using tresemme..and i hope she won’t experience break outs from this cos she bought big bottles of tresemme shampoo and conditioner!
well…I too experienced breakouts from using tresemme dry scalp conditioner. They would pretty much cover my shoulders and back and forehead area. However, the problem has stopped and I still use the same conditioner. I simply re- washed the areas that the conditoner covered with my bathing soap i.e. shoulders, back…
Then I wash my face and tone it after leaving the shower. As long as I wash the residue away it’s all good. And I still luv what it does for my hair.
Thank you very much for sharing this info. I’ve been bothered a lot lately on having lots of pimples on my forehead & cheeks, I thought I was having hormonal imbalance or something about my face products, already stopped using those but still having pimples.. I happen to browse through your blog & guess what I’m also using Tresemme. I’ll stop using it ASAP & hope my face goes back to normal..,.
hi there,
i have had problem over the last couple of months with pimples covering my shoulders, neck and back i am using herbal essence 2 in 1 and have just changed to sunsilk.
i have been to the doctors twice 1st time they priscribed me steroid cream which made it worse so went back and saw another doctor who 2day has prescibed me selsun will let you no the out come as only used it for the 1st time this evening but it has made my skin dry.
i want to try everything as am going on holiday soon and it is really getting me down. if anyone can tell me of which shampoo/conditioner to use and where to get it from that doesn’t cause this problem would be most appreciated?!!!!!
thanks
Thank god…. i have suffered with these boils that break out regular around my hair line and neck, it has really been getting me down and then it dawned on me that just maybe it could be Treseme….low and behold it looks like my theory is correct. Today i will stop using it and see what happens in a week – i will report back! Im smiling now x
Have stopped using the Treseme products now for 5 days and all has cleared up – many thanks Treseme Conditioner for ruining my skin and leaving me with scars. Atleast now i will not have any more break outs and feel human again and not aged and haggered looking!
Well, I’ still a teenager, anyways, I’ve never had problems with acne ever in my life, before. But all of a sudden about two or three weeks ago, I started to break out really badly on my forehead, and now it’s starting to spread. Then it dawned on me, that it might be the new shampoo I’m using. It happens to be suave, so I figured out yesterday I would just stop using it.
I hope that solves my problem, and it’s good to know I’m not crazy.
Small texturized bumps all over my temples and neck anda around my ears and back…it makes perfect sense it’s our hair products…BUT I’m not using any of those mentioned above. I’m using Aveda of all choices, which claims to be au natural….and Bumble and Bumble… and Alba, another natural…I am going to try the Burt’s Bee’s to see if it’s the Sodium part that’s giving me hell. Has anyone else been using these? We all have different dispositions to all the products out there…but the parfume is probably a culprit too.
Gotta love blogs…thanks for the input….
Aveda products make my skin break out terribly! They were wonderful for my hair but terrible for my skin.
Yes I just recently bought the aveda damage remedy shampoo and conditioner and my skin started breaking out terribly along my cheeks! What shampoo did you use? And have you substituded it with something else, that doesn’t break out your skin?
Bumble and bumble coconut shampoo and conditioner gave me the worst acne on my scalp, neck and face – and it took forever to clear up. I googled the ingredients and cocnut is considered to cause acne – so even though something is natural it can cause acne sadly.
I’ve been trying out a new, all-organic shampoo (with non SLSs, etc) in recent weeks (not the conditioner) because I thought it might be my normal shampoo (non-brand name) causing bumps and pimples on my scalp. However, this change seems to have stopped the scalp issues, but caused another problem – my back and upper decolletage/chest have been breaking out like crazy! Just today I checked out the ingredients, and I think it might have something to do with the fact that there’s a whole lot of, albeit natural, oils in the shampoo – shea butter, etc. I don’t think I’ll continue to use it.
I have been using Andrew Collinge Blonde shampoo and alberto Balsam Strawberries and Cream Conditioner and I have never felt so depressed and terrible in my life. I do suffer from the odd spot but nothing like this. I have had painful bumps under my skin on my cheeks and around my hairline and forehead for the past 2 months now. I really did have a sneaky suspicion that it was my hair causing the problems and now I guess it really is! I just hope to god it clears up soon.
I have been battling with spots on my back and forehead and around my ears for months now. The doctor suggested it was an allergic reaction but nothing has helped. Tresemme conditioner- who wuld have thought it!! I have been using the product for the duration of my spot outbreak. I will stop using it and hope i get an improvement in my skins condition. I was beginning to get upset with the state of my skin. All is not lost I hope!!
Found this web site… http://www.acne-advice.com/articles/get_rid_of_acne.shtml Check it out. It links sodium laurel sulfate and other chemicals to acne which are found in most shampoos, conditioners, body washes and facial cleansers. I have been researching chemicals in cosmetics and bath products steady for the past couple months. Mostly “all” of your brand name products that you find at wal-mart, target, bath and body, etc are TOXIC! The chemicals that are in these products are cheap and that is why the products are cheap. The sodium laurel sulfate strips your skin about 6 layers… that is why you feel so clean afterwards. (It’s what is in your soap at car washes) You get what you pay for. Organic, 100% natural products are expensive becuase they are made with great quality ingredients that are not cancer causing!!! And people wonder why they get cancer. Hello… maybe becuase we live in a world where consumers are groomed to shop for the cheap crappy products. You are dousing yourself in chemical after chemical… slathering it on your skin day in and day out.
I also have another link that sums up the TOP 20 TOXIC CHEMICALS in these products. Most are carcinogens and others are linked to reproductive failure among other things. http://www.natural-skincare-authority.com/cosmetic-chemicals.html PLEASE READ YOUR LABLES!!! YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE PUTTING ON YOUR SKIN! Burts Bees have some great mostly natural products http://www.burtsbees.com but they aren’t 100% chemical free.
Aubrey Organice http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ on the other hand are 100% all natural products. They do not test on animals and they disclose all the ingredients right on thier web site. All products have several reviews too. I am going to try the Honeysuckle Shampoo and Conditioner for Dry hair and get back to you. I am currently using Aveda for dry hair ($24.00) per bottle. I am breaking out sooo bad that I have a ton of those underground zits. My chest and back are horrible! I have been using it for 2-3 days now. I will discontinue immediately. Ugh!!! Hopefully it will clear up!!!
I’m a long time pantene user, but recently switched to herbal essences because I liked the smell. Lo and behold, the sides of my neck and my back broke out. I think now I’m going to switch to Burt’s Bees – I’ve always liked their products.
A side note about the whole “not tested on animals” thing…It’s actually a bit of a scam. In the United States, it is illegal to sell a cosmetic product that has not been tested on animals. Companies that claim they have not tested on animals usually have commissioned a third-party company to do the testing for them so they can put that nice “not-tested on animals” label on their product.
Im so relieved i found this site! About four months ago a started breaking out really bad. I mean ive always had pimples but never like this, it was like no matter what i did it just wouldnt get better. Acne was spreading all over my jawline and cheeks. Ive NEVER had acne on my cheeks before!! So the other day i started thinking, what did i change five months ago that could have caused this. My mom said not to worry that it was just summer, but i was breaking out like this long before summer started. then it hit me!!! HERBAL ESSENCE!! i had just started using it again five months ago for the first time in five years!! THAT WAS IT! that was the only thing i had changed around the time my face started breaking out. So since im low on shampoo ive given it up and use the suave clarifying shampoo, but i just bought a big tub of herbal essence conditioner and the mousse, so it stinks but im just going to have to waste it, id rather have my skin back to normal than perfect hair. besides, my hair was just as healthy before i used herbal essence.
Wow, i am very surprised, but happily so because i was about to go to bed, having just peered and poked at the state of my skin today and feeling rotten about a new outbreak around my hairline, in front of my ears and blackheads on my chin..when i decided to do a quick search on what organs these parts of the face relate…i’m a trainee herbalist and have my own brand of natural products and well the long and short of it is that i look after myself fairly well and like to get to the bottom of body issues…i couldn’t remember which organs the hairline relates to and was looking to be reminded (i know for instance that the forehead relates to congestion in the digestive system, the cheeks relate to deficiency in the lungs and the jawline relate to imbalances in the menstrual cycle and hormones)….the hairline, i would naturally relate to the lymphatic system (which when the lymph fluid isn’t circulating properly can be a big cause of spots, pimples and dull skin/complexion) so i am face brushing as i write this…anyway, i’ll get to the point: i came across this forum and saw straight away someone linking spots around the hairline to Tresemme and a light went on – ping! – i am staying at a friend’s house currently, away from my usual stash of natural homemade products, and i used her tresemme conditioner yesterday and since then my skin’s been breaking out…and the same thing happened about a week ago when i first arrived and put a bit of the conditioner on the tips of my hair…amazing, i’m really thinking there’s a link because the spots i have are more link bumps under the skin and that mixed with generally the condition of my complexion being uneven, itchy and firey, would tell me that the outbreak is certainly an allergic response/skin irritation, rather than something caused by any internal imbalance…re: sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate (SLE’s), it would be surprising that those things would be causing the irritation on their own as, you’re quite right, they are in virtually all shop-bought products…BUT (and it’s a big but you’ll notice)…the ‘blend’ of other ingredients in these products (like Tresemme) could be causing the SLE’s to chemically react and could be altering the composition of the blend – in the natural product industry it would be called a bad ‘synergy’ – and instance where one or more ingredients, whilst harmless alone, display new problems/dangers when blended…you might ask: but surely these products meet regulations etc etc…yes they do, but that never means anything i’m afraid…take it from me (i have to have all my product formula’s tested at great expense and they don’t contain anywhere near the harmful chemicals in the big brands)….what the regulations do for the big companies/brands is protect them from lawsuits – if a smaller, natural brand had anything like the evidence against them that these big guys have got (thousands of forums like this with people discussing similar negative symptoms) they would be closed down within seconds…
to end: we live in a supply and demand culture: what we demand, they supply so we do indeed ‘vote’ for our lifestyle preference through the products that we buy…so, don’t buy these products…do your own homework, learn about your mind and body, only you can know what works for you – don’t put your faith in mega-brands – they make huge mark-ups simply because the products cost so little to make due to the very low quality, cheap ingredients…you really do get what you pay for – organic and natural products cost a lot more i know, but then why not just have 1 decent shampoo sitting on the shelf in the shower, make it last, rather than 5 cheap bottles which altogether cost you the same anyway and give you spots to boot…
i very much thank-you for coming into my ether tonight and educating me on the Tresemme debate…it’s so good that people put the information out there and talk about their lives and experiences…long may it last…it’s a myth that witches are the ugly ones – they’re the one’s that know, and it shows! x
Wow….much the same as several of you, I have been experiencing acne almost exactly the way you first described it – tons of little white heads on my forehead, concentration around the hair line and jawline and even on my back…pretty, huh? I am 38. Though I have been plagued with the occassional hormonal breakout and a boil her and there, for the most part I would describe my skin prior to this as being fairly acne free. I started to rifel through the changes in products I’ve had lately…mineral makeup, ah no…that’s supposed to make my skin better and actually in the weeks preceeding the last couple months when I first started using it my skin showed noticable improvement. Um, shampoo…nah, no way a new shampoo and conditioner could do this. But wait a secon, I became a Sephora junkie recently and bought Fekkai Advantage Brilliant Glossing shampoo and conditioner with Olive oil to add luster back into my color treated hair. On a hunch I Googled “shampoo causes acne” and here I am. Whoah. Thanks everyone for weighing….tomorrow I am back to good old tried and true Pantene and I may try the Burts Bees Wax line too. Anyone have experience with it to know if it is ok?
Looks like a previous comment by Grace said the Burt’s Bees shampoo helped clear up skin. I would try it. Ever since I started using a Cleansing Conditioner with no damaging ingredients like the sulfates and detergents called WEN, my skin has not broken out ONCE! I imagine that a product like Burt’s Bees will do the same.
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