A new buzzword has hit the haircare industry. Have you heard of skinification? If not yet, you soon will. And when you do I would like to help you understand what it means and why you want to know.
What is Skinification?
Simply put skinification, is traditional skin care ingredients being used in haircare products.
Why is Skinification a new buzzword in the haircare industry?
The haircare industry is recognizing the importance of scalp health to the overall health of the hair. Since the self-care movement of 2020, hair care became an aspect of self-care. More haircare brands are focusing on making products specifically to be safer and healthier for skin. Our scalp is skin after all, and any product you put on your hair will likely come into contact with your scalp and skin. After that, if you have long hair all your hair products will be on your neck, back, and shoulders.
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Skinification Pioneer: Dr. Iris Rubin
This concept may sound familiar if you have been following me for any time now. You know, I am an avid promoter and user of the skin friendly hair products like Seen Hair Care. The line was created by Dermatologist Dr. Iris Rubin. She saw the need, over five years ago, for clean hair products to act like skin care. She could see that hair products were a culprit in acne breakouts and scalp sensitivities. She recognized that haircare products land on the skin and stay there, sometimes for hours. She knew that haircare products needed to be non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). I believe Dr. Rubin paved the way for this new skinification trend, by removing ingredients that were harmful to the skin, and adding skin-loving ingredients.
Importance of Skinification in Acne:
Most of my adult life I suffered with back acne, because of my long hair, using the wrong hair products combined with some hormonal issues would result in awful and extremely painful cystic acne; leaving my back speckled with hundreds of tiny scars. This has led me to being painfully aware of how my skin reacts to hair products. It all gave me a head start (no pun intended) into skinification.
Importance of Skinification in Hair Loss:
Ingredients in haircare products not only can cause acne but they can cause hair loss, as we have witnessed in recent years with major brands. Many of us, including myself, who ditched the dye, did so in whole or in part, because of irritation to our scalps post-dye: irritations, allergic reactions, itchy scalp, scalp acne, and hair loss around the dye-job.
Dr. Rubin’s product line is now amassing many clinical studies and awards for not just hair health but skin and scalp health as well. Most recently, a study done by Harvard has proven using SEEN Fragrance Free Shampoo and Conditioner for six months will reduce hair shedding by 44%.
This is good news since the Covid pandemic, as many people have experienced hair loss due to not only the stresses of living through this world crisis but from the illness itself. Acute Telogen Effluvium can occur 3-6 months later. This form of hair loss can be extreme and distressing, so being able to trust a haircare line to help slow or stop hair loss is something to celebrate. When I originally wrote my first review of SEEN, one of the things that had impressed me the most was the reduction in stress related hair loss I had been experiencing for months during the summer and fall of 2020.
Skin and Hair, When Science & Nature Collide:
The interesting thing about skinification, for me, I have been leaning into skin friendly haircare brands most of my life. Being a sensitive little being, I have not only suffered from the acne breakouts, but fragrance allergies, and a number of chemical sensitivities as well. That doesn’t mean if it is “all natural” I didn’t have reactions either. The fact is…many people will experience more allergic reactions to natural oils and extracts than they will react to lab created or naturally derived ingredients.
I discovered what works best for me in skin and hair care are companies that have established a happy marriage between science and nature.
Shopping With Skinification in Mind:
Skinification will likely start showing up in advertising, but you need to know why or how it meets the criteria for truly skin friendly. First, you want to know if it is free of certain ingredients that irritate skin or clog pores. You want to see things like non-comedogenic, formaldehyde-free, fragrance-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and coconut oil free can be beneficial to prevent breakouts or irritation.
Next, you want skin-loving ingredients:
You want ingredients that nourish and moisturize the hair and scalp, and that exfoliate the dead cells from the scalp, and protect, especially against UV and Heat damage.
Some great skinification ingredients to look for in your haircare products:
Hyaluronic Acid: a main ingredient in moisturizing face creams because it is very hydrating without causing reactions, will provide your hair and scalp with deep moisturization, it also helps your hair retain the hydration you want it to. This is especially beneficial for thirsty silver hair.
Glycolic Acid: known in skin care for its ability to gently exfoliate without removing the top layer of skin, it is beneficial to hair for retaining moisture, providing strength, and preventing breakage. Because it penetrates the hair cuticle like water, it adds softness, protection, and shine. Glycolic acid is an excellent choice for silver hair.
Aloe Vera: a natural haircare and skin care staple packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids; it protects, nourishes, and moisturizes skin, scalp, and hair. It adds shine to silver strands too.
Ceramides: are lipids that hold your outer skin layer together, protecting you from bacteria, allergens, and external irritants. In hair care, they help smooth the cuticle, seal in moisture, and can act as a heat shield making them perfect ingredients to look for in silver haircare.
Centifolia Rose Oil: beneficial for dry, sensitive, and aging skin. Rose oil is found in many hair products, and it isn’t there just for scent; it strengthens and fortifies your hair.
Squalane Oil: non-comedogenic because it mimics your natural sebum helping to soothe, hydrate, and protect your skin, scalp, and hair from the environment and heat. Squalane is perfect for silver hair because it is a clear protective and moisturizing oil, it fights frizz too.
Jojoba Beads: beloved in skin care because the round soft beads exfoliate without tearing the skin. Used in haircare products they can exfoliate and moisturize the scalp, which stimulates the hair follicle.
Lavender Oil: an all-around favorite essential oil because of it is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. It also promotes hair growth, and the antimicrobial properties are great for the product itself and your scalp health. Lavender oil is a beneficial medicinal oil for burns, sunburn, rashes, eczema, acne, dandruff, psoriasis, and insect bites.
Peppermint Oil: stimulates circulation and promotes hair growth.
Grapefruit Oil: High in vitamin C, promotes collagen production in the skin. The oil is beneficial for acne, gentle cleansing, antiseptic, dandruff, and promotes hair growth. It is also a powerful antioxidant, antibacterial, and antimicrobial.
Rosemary Oil or Extract: an ancient favorite that can help improve hair growth and density. Proven to be less irritating to the skin but as effective as minoxidil.
Kaolin Clay: a powerful detoxing clay with mild exfoliating properties, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and is non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Kaolin adsorbs excess oils and carries them away without stripping skin and hair of moisture. For hair care, it helps cleanse the scalp of oils, yeast, dead skin, and other pore clogging buildup like hair products, minerals, and pollution. This potentially can reduce dandruff, scalp acne, and will promote a healthier scalp, which means healthier hair.
Corn Starch: soothes itchy skin, absorbs oils, and as an anti-inflammatory calms irritation.
New Skin-Friendly Line From LOMA:
This year another of my favorite brands LOMA, has launched a new scalp and skin friendly multi-purpose line called LOMA essentials. The shampoo can be used for body wash, the conditioner can be used for body butter, and the leave-in styler can be used as lotion. The potent nourishing ingredients are moisturizing for the hair, scalp, and skin. So far, I am enjoying this new skinification line from LOMA; and I go over all the details on YouTube in my review of the new line.
Skinification Inside QuickSilverHair Products:
You might be noticing that QuickSilverHair products contain some of these skinification-winning ingredients. The QuickSilverHair clay mask has kaolin, lavender, grapefruit, and cornstarch and the QuickSilverHair Squalane Oil is pure Italian olive derived squalane with a dash of French lavender. I cover all of what is in my products and what isn’t in What We Are Made Of.
I hope this helps you better understand this new haircare term “Skinification”, and how you might be able to improve your own hair and skin care routine.
@ SEEN get 10% off your order with code: QUICKSILVER10
@ LOMA get 20% off your order with code: QSH20
I hope you found this post educational and helpful.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free to share.
As always it is about so much more than the hair.
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