Sneaky Suspects: Acne Culprits

"Wake up, got outta bed, drag a comb across"...WAIT A MINUTE! Where did these pimples come from!?!?!

Sometimes just when you think you have your skin figured out, poof comes another whammy of a pimple. Before you start blaming the universe for that big spot, check to see if these often missed culprits are causing you issues:

Hair, Skin, and Nails Vitamins - Does it have Biotin? The gold standard in hair growth vitamins, Biotin, can wreck your skin. The problem lies in its ability to stimulate keratin growth which makes up both hair and skin. Increased Keratin can cause a pile-up of dead skin, clogging pores and making a mess of your skin.

Hand lotions - Those fab thick creams that we all slather on our hands to make up for handwashing and hand sanitizer can clog your pores. Even if you don't touch your face, it can get all over things that do, like your phone, pillows, etc. 

Lip balm and glosses. Oh, I do love a good lip product, but I don't love the tiny blackheads and clogged pores they can leave around the edge of the lip. And if you've ever had a lip zit extracted... your eyes tear up just thinking about it. Try Vaseline instead (the original yellow, the rose balm one can be problematic for some), and the ingredients won't clog your pores.

Protein Drinks and Green smoothies - Just when you thought you were being healthy, we had to go and add protein shakes to the list. The concern with protein powders is that most contain soy or whey, which can trigger hormonal changes in the skin that thicken the oil, making it harder for your skin to self-clean the pores. As for green drinks, spirulina contains iodine which can trigger acne as well.

Facial Tissues - Soothing lotions and other additives in your tissues can make a mess of your skin. Make sure when you are purchasing that they aren't adding anything your skin doesn't need.