Are your hair products breaking you out?

It's bad enough having sensitive skin, but when a hair styling product is a contributer to acne and clogged pores...c'mon! One of my readers asked me how to cope with this issue. Having to choose between perfectly coiffed hair and flawless skin is just unfair...we want both!!


First things first, time for me to lay down a little wisdom: The scientific word for clogged pores (aka pimples, acne, stuff everyone hates) is comedones. Substances that clog pores are thereby known as comedogenic. For people with sensitive, acne-prone skin, it is important to use products that contain non-comedogenic ingredients. 


Instead of me listing off all comedogenic substances, I thought it would be more beneficial to give some general tips:

• Avoid getting hair products directly on your skin. As this is probably hard to do, make sure to rinse your skin well afterwards to remove any product residue.
• Try to use hair products that are made from water or glycerine instead of oil or petroleum. Look for labels that say 'contain noncomedogenic ingredients'.
• Wash your hands well after applying product to your hair in order to minimize transferring product from your hands to your skin.
• Don't use shampoo+conditioner mixes. These contain thick, rich ingredients that can increase the risk of acne.
• Don't use hair products if you anticipate that you'll be exercising or sweating. This may lead to the product dripping down onto your face.

Here are a few products that I read about online that won't break you out. I haven't tried all of these myself, so please take these recommendations with a grain of salt!

• Baby Shampoo - gentle and mild enough for a baby's skin, but can cleanse an adult's scalp just as well
• Kiss My Face Upper Management Gel - made with all natural, organic ingredients.
• Aloe Vera Gel (any brand) - handy to keep around as it doubles as relief for sunburn and skin irritiations
• Men's Science hair product line - a bit pricey, but labeled as noncomedogenic
• Giovanni hair product line - made with all natural ingredients

Check out this link for a more comprehensive list of "safe" hair care products.

Though this post is about hair products, comedogenic substances can be in creams, lotions, etc. Be aware of what you are putting on your skin, especially your face! Check out the labels/ingredients if you are acne-prone. You could be making your situation worse without even knowing it!

Happy hair styling everyone :)

Vertical Nail Ridges and Review

A couple of months ago I started noticing vertical ridges on my fingernails. Thanks to Google, I didn't have to freak out for very long...I was reassured, after reading two or three sites, that this is a normal phenomena that occurs with age...but wait, I'm not that old! Since when are the mid-twenties what is implied when one says "with age"?? With a little more nosing around the net, I found out that vertical ridges can be caused by a variety of reasons, including: malnutrition, disease, and lack of moisture. 

I'm a single gal, full-time student and part-time consultant, so unfortunately, I am not the healthiest eater. I started taking some multivitamins, not as a substitute for my poor eating habits, but to supplement my newfound desire to eat healthier. Mom touting the virtues of fruits and veggies just doesn't have the same effect as the prospect of a flawed manicure! 

I received a clean bill of health at my most recent physical, so that leaves the lack of moisture issue. I had always browsed the cuticle oils and treatments in the drugstore nail polish aisle, but never really understood the hype. Enter internet wisdom: The job of our cuticles is to protect the area between the skin and nail from infection. If the cuticle is dry or cracked, it is unable to properly do its job! Damaged cuticles can lead to issues like vertical nail ridges and infection. While I am a nut about moisturizing my body, I oftentimes neglect my hands. I mean, sure, I keep a mini bottle of hand lotion in my bag for those days when I'm feeling super dry...but that's about it...and my cuticles are not something I really notice unless I'm getting them tended to at a salon. I decided to buy two cuticle care products and give them a go. I'm happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Check out my reviews below!

Review:

Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail and Cuticle Oil

Vitamin E is beneficial in repairing cracked cuticles and that was my main criteria for purchasing this product. The bottle comes with a convenient in-lid brush (nail polish style) that makes application very easy. I just brush the unscented oil onto my cuticles and gently massage it in afterwards. The great thing about this product is that it really gets sucked up by my skin and cuticles, not leaving me with an oily feeling for too long afterwards. This positive point may also be my only real issue with the oil, it doesn't last very long! There is immediate moisture-delivery to my cuticles, but it is not the long-lasting type of moisture. This isn't an issue when I am performing an at-home manicure and am using the oil to aid in grooming my cuticles, but when I want to deep moisturize my cuticles, I like to pair this oil with Burt's Bees cuticle cream.

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

This is a very thick, emollient cream which really gives my cuticles the moisture they are lacking! The ingredients include sweet almond oil, lemon peel oil, cocoa seed butter, sunflower seed oil, and beeswax, of course. It has a very strong lemon scent, which I really love! Be sure to warm the product up with your fingers before massaging onto your cuticles, otherwise not a lot comes out...I literally created a mini-dent in the cream and then was able to dole the product out in the amount I wanted. Unlike the Sally Hansen Oil, this product really lingers. Best to use it at night! 

Will I repurchase? Yes!

The Sally Hansen oil + Burt's Bees cream combo has really made a difference in my fingernail/hand health ;) The ridges aren't completely gone, but now, after a couple months of TLC, they are limited to my thumbnails. Here's hoping my nightly moisturizing ritual and healthy eating will keep the ridges away for good!

My HG Moisturizer

As you may recall, back in June I had yet to find my Holy Grail body moisturizer (link to post). I mean, sure...I'd found a some 'O.K.' or 'pretty good' products, but not the the product (yes, yes, I have a flair for drama...deal with it!). Last month, I stumbled upon Johnson and Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil and now I can proudly say that I have found my HG body moisturizer!! :) 

Johnson and Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil with Aloe Vera and Vitamin E Review

Johnson and Johnson Claims: 

This is a "creamy oil enriched with soothing Aloe and Vitamin E, [which] combines rich emollients with Johnson's Baby Oil to provide long-lasting moisturization. Our indulgent, non-greasy creamy oil absorbs quickly and leaves nothing but softness behind on the skin. Its sweet yet subtle fragrance will delight your senses...To Use: Smooth over entire body for baby soft skin."

My experience:

Creamy baby oil is the perfect way to describe this moisturizer. It isn't as thick as a lotion, but it isn't as slippery as oil. It's a very light formulation that easily blends into your skin and leaves behind long lasting moisture. I have been using this product every day for almost two months now and I can definitely report a change in the texture and softness of my skin! This moisturizer is non-irritating, even when I apply it to my legs after shaving. I used to be a compulsive scratcher...my legs would feel itchy and dry by the end of the day. Now that is no longer an issue...the smooth and soft feeling continues until the next day when I get in the shower :) Another added bonus in my book is the shimmer incorporated into the product. I love shimmery arms and legs, especially in the summer months! 

-PROS-

• Non-irritating
• Non-greasy or sticky
• Absorbs into skin quickly
• Inexpensive, available at most drugstores, Target, Walmart, etc.
• Nice light scent
• Imparts moisture that lasts all day long, no need to reapply
• Hint of shimmer

-CONS-

• Need to use a lot of product to achieve soft and smooth feeling. I use about two squirts for my lower leg, two to three for my thighs...etc. 
• Not very much product in the bottle (8 fl. oz.), I have been averaging a bottle a month.

Will I repurchase? YES! I already have bought 3 bottles (am on my second, wanted to make sure I had a back-up ready to go). Although it finishes up very quickly, this product is 100% worth it. Not only is Johnson and Johnson's a brand I trust, it is also very inexpensive and readily available. Here's hoping that this product becomes part of their permanent line! 

For all of you out there with dry, sensitive skin, give this product a try. It might just be your HG moisturizer!