Acne Triggered By Hair Products? There’s a New Shampoo for That

Dermatologist Iris Rubin, MD, was annoyed with haircare products that caused her patients’ skin to break out. The frustration became personal when she herself was noticing acne crop up after leaving the hair salon. So, she decided to leave her position as the medical director of dermatologic and vascular laser surgery at Children’s National Medical Center and develop Seen: a line of hair care products that work in harmony with the skin’s natural chemistry.

During her dermatology training, Dr. Rubin learned very little about how hair products can affect skin health. When we wash our hair, the residue from the shampoo and conditioner can stick to our skin, towel, and pillow, creating an endless cycle of pore-clogging.

Seen products aim to put a stop to this cyclical acne. They’re are non-comedogenic, which means they won’t clog pores and cause acne. Their succinct debut line includes just shampoo, conditioner, and blow out styling cream. Dr. Rubin has formulated the products with shea butter cetyl esters, plant-sugar derived squalene and hemisqualane, and a chamomile derivative. However, not all ingredients are all-natural. According to Dr. Rubin, “Our philosophy is to use the optimal mix of natural when possible, and safe synthetics when necessary, to get products that are amazing for the hair and the skin,” she told Forbes.