Can Beard Oil Cause Acne?

I’m sure that this question has crossed your mind whilst growing or potentially starting to grow your facial hair. A common link to acne is oily skin and since beard oil is an oil-based product, shouldn’t it affect breakouts? Not necessarily, let’s look deeper into this!

What is Acne?

Acne is an inflammatory issue on the skin that is caused by a combination of oil, bacteria, and hormones. It is the most common skin disease in humans and only humans (apart from some minor acne forms in dogs and cats). There are four key processes involved in acne: increased production of sebum (our natural skin oil), blockage of the pilosebaceous unit, increased inflammation and increased number of bacteria. It should be noted that the exact sequence of events is not yet fully understood.

Some people have a mild form of acne, with only occasional spots or outbreaks, while others have more severe acne, with large areas of the face and body affected. These spots can be whiteheads, blackheads or inflamed, pus-filled pimples. You can read in more detail about acne ­­here.

Oily skin has been commonly linked to acne, but so too has dry skin. Why might you ask? Whether it is due to environmental factors or poor skin care routine, dry skin can irritate the skin and clog pores, trapping bacteria in the pores. Having said that, if you have any signs of ongoing acne breakouts, avoid putting any products (including beard oil) on your facial hair and skin without seeing a health practitioner for advice.

Beard Oil

Here at Levee + Lowe™ we have carefully crafted our beard oils to use high quality botanical oils with low comedogenic scores. This means the oils have a low chance of clogging your pores up which can lead to breakouts!

The Comedogenic Scale

• 0 – won’t clog pores
• 1 – very low likelihood to clog pores
• 2 – moderately low likelihood to clog pores
• 3 – moderate likelihood to clog pores
• 4 – high likelihood of clogging pores
• 5 – high likelihood of clogging pores

A good quality beard oil should absorb quickly and feel lightweight. It will soften your hair follicles, help alleviate beard itchiness, reduce beard dandruff (beardruff), strengthen and moisturise the hair. Apply beard oil after your shower and start with a few drops in your palm, thoroughly rub the oil through your beard follicles and massage into skin beneath.

Look for beard oils with the following essential oils to help combat breakouts:

• Lavender Essential Oil is known to be calming and anti-blemish.
• Lemongrass Essential Oil has been shown to be antimicrobial, meaning it’s non-irritant properties aid in treating inflamed skin.
• Eucalyptus Essential Oil contain antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, as well as helping retain moisture in the skin.

Remember, there is no “absolute” prediction on how YOUR skin will respond or react to products. For instance, avocado oil can be moisturizing for some people with oily skin, while for others with oily skin it can lead to more breakouts. This reaffirms the complexity of acne and how it is yet not fully understood.

Summary

Using a high-quality beard oil may help reduce skin inflammation, and keep your skin and hair hydrated. Always read the ingredient lists of products and do small a skin patch test to confirm no reactions. It’s important to remember that without a suitable skincare and beard care routine, your facial hair can trap excess oils, dead skin cells, and bacteria that can potentially lead to breakouts. Exfoliate and clean your beard with a good quality shampoo and conditioner. Check out our range of solid shampoo bars that work to remove excess dirt, oils and product without compromising our environment with plastic packaging.

References

Ahmad Z. (2010). The uses and properties of almond oil. Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 16(1), 10–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2009.06.015

Aldawsari, H. M., Badr-Eldin, S. M., Labib, G. S., & El-Kamel, A. H. (2015). Design and formulation of a topical hydrogel integrating lemongrass-loaded nanosponges with an enhanced antifungal effect: in vitro/in vivo evaluation. International journal of nanomedicine, 10, 893–902. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S74771

Boucetta, K. Q., Charrouf, Z., Aguenaou, H., Derouiche, A., & Bensouda, Y. (2015). The effect of dietary and/or cosmetic argan oil on postmenopausal skin elasticity. Clinical interventions in aging, 10, 339–349. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S71684

Boucetta, K. Q., Charrouf, Z., Derouiche, A., Rahali, Y., & Bensouda, Y. (2014). Skin hydration in postmenopausal women: argan oil benefit with oral and/or topical use. Przeglad menopauzalny = Menopause review, 13(5), 280–288. https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2014.46470

Hammer, K.A. (2015). Treatment of acne with tea tree oil (melaleuca) products: a review of efficacy, tolerability and potential modes of action. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 45(2), 106-110. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2014.10.011

Karpanen, T. J., Conway, B. R., Worthington, T., Hilton, A. C., Elliott, T. S., & Lambert, P. A. (2010). Enhanced chlorhexidine skin penetration with eucalyptus oil. BMC infectious diseases, 10, 278. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2334-10-278

Manca, M. L., Matricardi, P., Cencetti, C., Peris, J. E., Melis, V., Carbone, C., Escribano, E., Zaru, M., Fadda, A. M., & Manconi, M. (2016). Combination of argan oil and phospholipids for the development of an effective liposome-like formulation able to improve skin hydration and allantoin dermal delivery. International journal of pharmaceutics, 505(1-2), 204–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2016.04.008

Muhammad, F., Wiley, J., & Riviere, J. E. (2017). Influence of some plant extracts on the transdermal absorption and penetration of marker penetrants. Cutaneous and ocular toxicology, 36(1), 60–66. https://doi.org/10.3109/15569527.2016.1147456

Sayorwan, W., Siripornpanich, V., Piriyapunyaporn, T., Hongratanaworakit, T., Kotchabhakdi, N., & Ruangrungsi, N. (2012). The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet, 95(4), 598–606.

Uesheng, H., & Tory, P. L. (2017). Lemongrass (Cymbopogan flexuosus) essential oil demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect in pre-inflamed human dermal fibroblasts. Biochimie open, 4, 107-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopen.2017.03.004

Winkelman, W. J. (2018). Aromatherapy, botanicals, and essential oils in acne. Clinics in Dermatology, 36(3), 299-305. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2018.03.004