Did you know that toothpaste affects acne? You might even be wondering “how could toothpaste play a role in my breakouts?”
When I was a teenager in the 80’s, I was told to spot treat my pimples by applying a dab of toothpaste on each one. Apparently, it was supposed to dry up the pimple overnight. You should have seen my and my friends with dots of toothpaste all over our faces.
I can’t believe that we were actually applying toothpaste to our pimples. Knowing what I know now, it’s horrifying to me. Most importantly, I know many of my clients were still under the belief that spot treating with toothpaste would be beneficial.
Sodium lauryl sulfate and acne.
Toothpaste commonly contains sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS). Sodium lauryl sulfate is a strong lathering agent. It produces the white foaminess of countless products, including toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, shower gels and facial cleansers.
Sodium lauryl sulfate is one of the most common additives in personal care items. Check your toothpaste right now to see if it contains SLS.
After applying a foaming cleanser containing SLS, your skin will initially feel clean, rubbery and what many call squeaky. This cleanliness comes from the surfectant properties stripping away your skin’s oils without mercy.
SLS is designed to remove oils and is commonly found being added to washing up liquid and degreasers. SLS doesn’t differentiate between a plate of recently eaten steak or the sebum on your face; it strips away any oils in its path.
To compensate, your sebaceous glands produce more oil, meaning that the drying properties backfire massively. Sodium lauryl sulfate has a comedogenic rating of 5 out of 5.
How Toothpaste Affects Acne
You may be thinking, “How would toothpaste affect the acne on my face?” When you brush your teeth, you typically end up with a layer of foam on your outer lips…it’s pretty much inevitable. And, if you are anything like me, you will take a towel to wipe off the foam around your mouth, basically smearing all of the foamy toothpaste into your skin.
We see it all of the time. Toothpaste causes terrible breakouts around the mouth and chin.
Here are some of our favorite SLS-free toothpastes:
Himalaya Botanique — Mint
Shmidt’s Wondermint Toothpaste
If you are struggling with acne, we recommend checking all of your skincare, haircare and oral care products for sodium lauryl sulfate. Always choose SLS-free.