Shampoos

• Davines Oi Shampoo
• Iles Formula Shampoo
• Unite 7 Seconds Shampoo
• Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo
• Olaplex No. 4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo
• Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancer Toning Purple Shampoo
• Redken Acidic Bonding Shampoo
• Redken Frizz Dismiss Sodium Chloride-Free Shampoo
• Pureology Hydrate, Strengthen, and Pure Volume Shampoos
• Living Proof “Full” Shampoo
• Malibu Scalp Wellness Shampoo
• AG Fast Food Shampoo
• AG Ultra Moist Shampoo
• SEEN Haircare (all products)
• Batiste Dry Shampoo “Blush”
• JOICO Color Endure Sulfate-Free Shampoo
• L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care Shampoo
• Kirkland Signature Professional Salon Formula Moisture Shampoo
• Neutrogena T/Sal Shampoo
• Nizoral (for dandruff/folliculitis)
• OUAI Fine Hair Shampoo
• OUAI Detox Shampoo
• K18 Peptide Prep pH Maintenance Shampoo
• K18 Peptide Prep Clarifying Detox Shampoo

Conditioners

• Davines Oi Conditioner
• Iles Formula Conditioner
• Redken All Soft Conditioner
• Redken Frizz Dismiss Sodium Chloride-Free Conditioner
• Pureology Strengthen Conditioner
• Oribe Signature Conditioner
• Oribe Beautiful Color Conditioner
• AG Fast Food Leave-In Conditioner
• Nexxus Ceraphix Conditioner
• SEEN Conditioner
• Pantene Classic Clean Conditioner
• Wella “Elements” Daily Renewing Conditioner
• Purezero Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner

Leave-Ins & Treatments

• Davines Oi All-In-One Milk
• Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector Mask
• Olaplex No. 0 Intensive Bond Building Hair Treatment
• IGK Antisocial Overnight Bond Building Dry Hair Mask
• Amika Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask

Styling Products

• Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo
• Amika Brooklyn Bombshell Blowout Spray
• Amika Undone Volume and Matte Texture Spray
• VERB Ghost Oil
• Verb Glossy Shine Heat Protectant Spray
• Verb Ghost Hairspray
• Redken Frizz Dismiss Smooth Force Lightweight Lotion Spray
• IGK Beach Club Volumizing Texture Spray
• Color Wow Dream Coat Anti-Frizz Treatment
• Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer
• Color Wow Raise the Root Thicken and Lift Spray
• Tresemme Thermal Creations Protective Spray
• John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Serum

This is a long master list of ingredients that have a moderate to high comedogenic rating or the potential to clog pores. While formulation plays a big role and everyone’s skin reacts differently, avoiding as many of these ingredients as possible, if not all, can make a  big difference. I don’t treat every pore-clogging ingredient as bible, but I do think it’s important to be aware of them. Again, formulation really does matter.Check your skincare if it’s not from me, your haircare, body products, toothpaste, makeup

• Acetic acid hexadecyl ester
• Acetylated Lanolin
• Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
• Acetylated wool fat
• Acetylated wool wax
• Adansonia digitata l.
• Agar
• Ahnfeltiopsis concinna extract
• Alaria esculenta extract
• Alga bladderwrack
• Algae
• Algae Extract
• Algin
• Alginate
• Alginic acid
• Algea
• Aphanothece sacrum polysaccharide
• Arthrospira plantensis
• Ascophyllum nodosum extract
• Asparagopsis armata extract
• Baobab
• Beeswax **
• Bismuth
• Bryopsis africana
• Butyl Octadecanoate
• Butyl Stearate
• Butyrospermum
• Cacao seed butter
• Capea biruncinata var. denuda sonder
• Capea biruncinata var. elongata sonder
• Carageenan gum
• Carastay c
• Caulerpa lentillifera extract
• Caulerpa filiformis
• Carrageenan
• Carrageenan Moss
• Cera alba
• Cera bianca
• Cera flava
• Cera olea
• Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20 (must be together)
• Cetyl Acetate
• Chaetomorpha linum (aerea) cladophora radiosa
• Chlamydomonas reinhardtii extract
• Chlorella
• Chlorophyceae
• Chondrus Crispus (aka Irish Moss or Carageenan Moss)
• Cladophora cf. subsimplex
• Cladosiphon okamuranus extract
• Coal Tar
• Coco-caprylate
• Cocoa Butter **
• Coconut Alkanes
• Coconut Butter
• Coconut Extract
• Coconut Nucifera extract
• Coconut Oil **
• Cocos nucifera oil
• cocos nucifera seed butter
• Coenochloris signiensis extract
• Colloidal Sulfur
• Cotton Awws Oil
• Cotton Seed Oil
• Corallina officinalis extract
• Corn
• Corn oil
• Creosote
• Cystoseira tamariscifolia extract
• D & C Red # 17
• D & C Red # 21
• D & C Red # 3
• D & C Red # 30
• D & C Red # 36
• Decyl Oleate
• Decyloleate
• Dicotyledons succinate
• Dictyopteris membranacea
• Dictyopteris polypodioides
• Diethylhexyl sodium sulfosuccinate
• Diisooctyl succinate
• Dilsea carnosa extract
• Dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate
• Dioctyl Succinate
• Disodium laureth sulfosuccinate
• Disodium Monooleamido
• Disodium Monooleamido peg 2 sulfosuccinate
• Disodium oleamido peg-2 sulfosuccinate
• Dodecanoic acid
• Dodecoic acid
• Dodecylic acid
• Dunaliella salina extract
• Duodecylic acid
• Durvillaea antarctica extract
• Ecklonia cava
• Ecklonia cava extract
• Ecklonia radiata
• Enteromorpha compressa extract
• Ethoxylated Lanolin
• Ethylhexyl Palmitate
• Ethylhexyl Stearate
• Eucheuma spinosum extract
• Fucoxanthin
• Fucus serratus
• Fucus vesiculosus
• Gamtae extract
• Gelidiella acerosa extract
• Gelidium amansii extract
• Gigartina stellata extract
• Glyceryl monostearate
• Glyceryl Stearate SE
• Glyceryl-3 Diisostearate
• Glycine soja oil
• Glycine max
• Gracilariopsis chorda extract
• Haematococcus pluvialis extract
• Haematococcus pluvialis
• Haslea ostrearia extract
• Hexadecanol acetate
• Hexadecyl Acetate
• Hexadecyl Alcohol
• Himanthalia elongata extract
• Hizikia fusiforme extract
• Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
• Hydrolyzed rhodophycea extract
• Hydrous magnesium silicate
• Hypnea musciformis extract
• Hypneaceae extract
• Irish Moss
• Isocetyl Alcohol
• Isocetyl Stearate
• Isodecyl Oleate
• Isohexadecanol
• Isohexadecyl alcohol
• Isohexadecyl stearate
• Isooctadecyl isooctadecanoate
• Isopalmitic alcohol
• Isopalmityl alcohol
• Isopropyl isodecanoate
• Isopropyl Isostearate
• Isopropyl Linolate
• Isopropyl Myristate **
• Isopropyl Palmitate
• Isostearyl Isostearate
• Isostearyl Neopentanoate
• Jania rubens extract
• Jojoba wax
• Kappaphycus alvarezii extract
• Karite
• Kelp
• Kousou ekisu
• Laminaria
• Laminaria Digitata Extract
• Laminaria Saccharina Extract (Laminaria Saccharine)
• Lanolin acetate
• Lanolin alcohol acetate
• Lanolin polyoxyethylene ether
• Laureth-23
• Laureth-4
• Lauric Acid
• Linolate
• Liquor carbonis detergens
• Liquor picis carbonis
• Lithothamnium calcareum powder
• Lpc
• Macroalgae
• Macrocystis pyrifera extract
• Mangifera indica seed butter
• Mango Butter
• Marula
• Marula oil
• Methylsilanol mannuronate
• Mink Oil
• Moss
• Myristate
• Myristic Acid
• Myristyl
• Myristyl Lactate
• Myristyl Myristate
• Myristyl Propionate
• N-hexadecyl alcohol
• N-hexadecyl ethanoate
• Octadecanoic acid
• Octadecyl heptanoate
• Octyl Palmitate
• Octyl Stearate
• Oleth-3
• Oleth-3 phosphate
• Oleyl Alcohol
• Palmaria palmata extract
• Palmityl Acetate
• Palmityl Alcohol
• Parkii
• PEG 2 Sulfosuccinate
• PEG 2- Sulfosuccinate
• PEG 16 Lanolin
• PEG 200 Dilaurate
• PEG-75
• PEG 8 Stearate
• Pelvetia canaliculata extract
• PES
• Phaeodactylum tricornutum extract
• Phaeophyceae
• Pix carbonis
• PG Monostearate
• PGMS
• PPG-2 Myristyl
• PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate
• PPG 2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
• Plankton
• Polyethylene glycol 200
• Polyethylene glycol dodecyl ether
• Polyethylene glycol jojoba acid
• Polyethylene glycol lauryl ether
• Polyethylene glycol monododecyl ether
• Polyethylene glycol stearate
• Polyoxyethylene lauryl ether
• Polysiphonia elongata extract
• Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
• Polyglyceryl-3-Disostearate
• Porphyra umbilicalis
• Porphyridium
• Porphyridium cruentum extract
• Porphyridium polysaccharide
• Potassium Chloride
• Potassium Salt
• Propanoic Acid
• Propylene Glycol Monostearate
• Pyrene coal tar pitch
• Red Algae
• Rhodophyta
• Rhodophyceae extract
• Sargassum filipendula extract
• Sargassum fusiforme extract
• Sclerocarya birrea
• Sclerocarya birrea seed oil
• Seaweed
• Sea fern
• Sesame
• Sesamum indicum
• Shark Liver Oil
• Shark Squalene
• Shea
• Shea Butter **
• Sheep alcohol
• Simmondsia chinensis seed wax
• Sles
• Slo
• Sls
• Sodium Alginate
• Sodium Alkylethersulfate
• Sodium Docusate
• Sodium Dodecyl sulphate
• Sodium Laureth Sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Ether sulfate
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
• Soja
• Solulan 16
• Sorbitan Monooleate
• Sorbitan Oleate
• Soy
• Soybean
• Soybean Oil
• Sphacelaria
• Spirulina
• Squalene
• Steareth 10
• Stearic Acid Tea
• Stearyl Heptanoate
• Starch
• Sulfated Castor Oil
• Sulfated Jojoba Oil
• Sulfosuccinate
• Sulphated castor oil
• Talc
• Talcum
• Tea stearate
• Tetradecanoic acid
• Tetradecyl lactate
• Tetradecyl myristate
• Tetradecyl propionate
• Theobroma butter
• Theobroma cocoa seed butter
• Theobroma oil
• Triticum aestivum
• Triticum vulgare
• Turkey red oil
• Undaria Pinnatifida
• Ulva lactuca
• Ulva fasciata
• Ulva rhacodes
• Vegetable gelatin
• Vitellaria paradoxa
• Vulvic acid
• Wakame
• Wheat
• Wheat Germ Glyceride
• Wheat Germ Oil
• Wool alcohol
• Wool fat
• Xanthophyta
• Xylene
• Xylitol
• Zea mays

Morning workout

• Prior: cleanse and spf
• After: full AM routine

Mid day workout

• Prior: remove any makeup with micellar water or any gentle cleanser
• After: cleanse, moisturize, spf (if unable to cleanse, use micellar water & SPF)

Evening workout

• Prior: remove makeup
• After: immediately do your full night routine

Protein Powders & Shakes

• Alani Nu Plant Protein
• ALOHA Plant-Based Protein Powder
• Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein Powder
• Designs for Health Pure Paleo Collagen Protein Powder
• Four Sigmatic Plant-Based Protein Powder
• Nuzest Clean Lean Protein
• Ora Organic Vegan Protein Powder
• Orgain Organic Protein and Greens Vegan Protein Powder
• Orgain Organic Plant-Based Protein Powder
• OWYN (WYN) Plant-Based Protein Shake
• Truvani Organic Vegan Protein Powder (excluding chocolate peanut butter flavor)
• Vega Protein Made Simple
• Vega Protein and Greens Vegan Protein Powder
• Vega Sport Premium Vegan Protein Powder (excluding peanut butter flavor)
• Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
• Vital Proteins Marine Collagen

Protein Bars & Cookies

• ALOHA Protein Bars (excluding peanut butter flavors)
• GoMacro MacroBar (excluding peanut butter flavors)
• Lenny & Larry’s The Complete Cookie (excluding peanut butter flavors)
• RXBARs (excluding peanut butter flavors)

Pre-Workout & Energy Drinks

• Amino Energy Drink
• Oca Plant-Based Energy Drink
• Alani Nu Pre-Workout
• Ghost Legend V3 Pre-Workout
• BUM Energy Drink
• RAZE Energy Drink
• Ruse (Ryse) Fuel Energy Drink
• Lost & Found Energy Drink

These are foods and supplements that can aggravate acne. Avoiding them, especially during the clearing and purging stages, gives your skin the best chance to heal.

Try to Avoid/Reduce:

• Iodides
• Iodized salt
• Milk (including organic, especially non-fat)
• Cheese
• Whey or soy protein & protein bars
• Soy (tofu, tempeh, soy milk, edamame, soy sauce)
• Seafood & shellfish (cod, scallops)
• Spirulina, chlorella, blue-green algae
• Kelp, miso soup, seaweed, seaweed supplements
• Vitamins with iodides, iodine, kelp, potassium iodide (also avoid biotin + B12)
• Peanut butter, peanuts
• Peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil
• Organ meats (including pâté)
• Cakes, pies, cookies, candy, donuts (excess sugar)
• Fried foods
• Red wine & excess alcohol

Good Substitutes:

• Pink Himalayan salt, sea salt, Celtic salt
• Almond, oat, or coconut milk
• Nut cheese
• Pea protein (e.g. Vega Sport, Ora Organics)
• Freshwater fish (salmon, bass, cod)
• Grass-fed beef
• Almond butter & other nut butters
• Olive oil, coconut oil

Foods That Support Clearer Skin:

• Green tea (especially matcha)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Herbal teas & adaptogen coffee (e.g. Four Sigmatic)
• Brazil nuts
• Pinto beans
• Halibut, wild-caught salmon, chicken
• Spinach, leafy greens, asparagus
• Turmeric, ginger, Ceylon cinnamon
• Foods rich in B3 (mushrooms, tuna, salmon, chicken breasts, leafy greens)
• Foods rich in Omega-3s (salmon, mackerel, white fish, Omega-3 enriched eggs, walnuts, hemp seeds, brussels sprouts, winter squash, navy beans, blueberries)

A well-balanced, low-glycemic diet supports overall health and skin healing.

Supplements That May Help:

• Omega 3, 6, 9 (reduce inflammation, balance oil, support hydration)
• Zinc methionine (reduces inflammation)
• Adaptogens (support stress response)

Recommended Brands:

• Nordic Naturals Omega
• DMK EFA’s
• Optizinc
• Zitsticka Skin Discipline
• Four Sigmatic adaptogen coffee
• Custom Probiotics or SporeBiotics*
  (*Consult a nutritionist or get testing before adding probiotics)

Antioxidants (RDA Guidelines):

• Vitamin A: 700 mcg (women), 900 mcg (men)
• Vitamin C: 75 mcg (women), 90 mcg (men)
• Vitamin E: 15 mg
• Zinc: 30 mg
• N-Acetylcysteine: 1000–1500 mg
• Selenium: 55 mcg

Insulin Support (for balanced blood sugar):

• Berberine: 500–1000 mg
• Chromium: 150 mcg
• Vitamin D: 400–800 IU

Purging vs. Breakouts

• When starting active ingredients (like mandelic acid, benzoyl peroxide, or retinol), your skin may purge.
• Purging happens when cell turnover speeds up, pushing out blockages that were already forming beneath the surface.
• This can look like more breakouts at first, especially in your usual breakout zones.
• Purging is temporary and a sign that your products are working.

Consistency is Key

• Use your routine exactly as instructed. Even skipping steps (like icing) can delay results.
• Adjustments to your actives are normal and purposeful to keep progress moving.
• Allow at least 90 days to see visible improvements. Some people clear sooner, others take longer.

If You Feel Dry or Irritated

• Pause actives for 1–2 days (max).
• Focus on hydration and barrier support.
• Spot treat with Cell Protection Balm or Aquaphor.
• Restart actives as soon as your skin feels better, don’t wait too long to resume.

Daily Habits That Help

• Always wash your hands before touching your face.
• Cleanse after brushing your teeth and washing your hair to avoid residue.
• Use lukewarm water (never hot).
• Change pillowcases every 2 days (or flip nightly). Satin cases reduce friction.
• Use a fresh washcloth daily or disposable towels like Clean Skin Club.
• Limit caffeine and energy drinks; focus on water and fresh juices.
• Check toothpaste and lip balm for pore-clogging ingredients (like SLS).
• Remove makeup with gentle options like cleansing milk, ultra-gentle cleanser, or Bioderma Sensibio (pink cap).
• Be mindful of hand lotion and resting your face on your hands.

Laundry Tips

• Use acne-safe, fragrance-free detergents:Purex Free & ClearThe Honest CompanyMolly’s Suds (unscented)ECOS
• Avoid fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and scent beads.
• Use wool dryer balls instead.

Breaking the Picking Cycle

• Ice your skin instead of picking.
• Use hydrocolloid patches (but not overnight).
• Throw away magnifying mirrors.
• Pause and visualize your skin healing before you pick.

Mindset & Encouragement

• Healing isn’t linear, ups and downs are normal.
• Flare-ups don’t mean failure.
• Consistency matters more than perfection.
• Be patient and kind to yourself throughout the process.
• Your skin doesn’t define your worth or beauty.

TBA- We are currently updating our list.