We make a pretty big deal about SEEN being non-comedogenic and non-irritating, but those of you with “normal” skin may be wondering what all the fuss is about. If your only goal is stronger, smoother, healthier hair, we have you covered with our award-winning hair products. But if you have blemish-prone or sensitive skin, and/or experience a dry, flaky scalp, we really have your back. Even if you don’t have any current skin issues, SEEN can help you keep it that way.
As many people with sensitive skin know all too well, certain ingredients or irritants can send your skin into a tailspin. However, even the most “normal” skin can occasionally experience issues due to factors such as changes in weather, climate, hormones, or medications—as well as from introducing new products to your daily skincare and hair care routines. SEEN helps all skin types play it safe by eliminating many common hair care ingredients that can contribute to acne and irritation—and by including other ingredients that can have a positive effect on both the hair and skin.
Side effects associated with “traditional” hair care
Sensitivity-related side effects associated with hair care can come in the form of breakouts, redness, itching, dryness, and more. Every square inch of your skin from head to toe is vulnerable, since your shampoo and conditioner cascade down your face and entire body when rinsing (and can leave residue behind). Residue from leave-in styling products can have an impact on the health of your skin as well—especially on the face, shoulders, and back.[1]
The scalp counts as skin as well. You may have learned to live with scalp dryness and/or flaking, (or tried medicated products that don’t do your actual hair any favors). Harsh hair care products and ingredients that potentially strip this delicate skin of its natural oils can make matters worse, but SEEN has been clinically proven to improve scalp dryness and flaking. In fact, after using SEEN shampoo and conditioner for four weeks, 93% of participants in a dermatologist-graded clinical study saw improvement in dry, flaky scalp (based on dermatologist grading).
SEEN’s ingredient difference
Even if your skin is already happy and healthy, it couldn’t hurt to skip the ingredients that pose the most risk of irritation, right? The suds you’ve come to expect from your shampoo are often the result of sulfates, but you pay a price for the bubbles associated with this ingredient because of its potential to strip the hair and scalp of its natural oils. SEEN’s sulfate-free shampoos turn to gentle, naturally-derived cleansing agents that deliver all the lather you may have come to expect from traditional shampoos while nourishing the scalp, with the added bonus of naturally-derived bisabolol for extra soothing benefits. All SEEN products are also available fragrance-free for those who may be sensitive to fragrance.
SEEN’s stringent testing standards
We test our hair care products the same way luxury skincare products are tested, because what’s on your hair is on your skin. We don’t just say that our products are non-comedogenic and non-irritating, we do the testing to prove it.
For years, SEEN’s founder and Harvard-trained dermatologist Dr. Iris Rubin would apply new formulas all over her face to see if they elicited a reaction, because the brand was borne from her life-long history of breakouts, which included blemishes caused by hair care products. She still tries formulas on her own hair before giving the green-light for rigorous scientific testing, which includes “RIPT” (repeat insult patch testing) to ensure a product is non-irritating, as well as comedogenicity testing to ensure the product does not clog pores. We won’t proceed with any new product until we confirm the formula is safe for the skin and delivers outstanding hair benefits we’re striving to provide.
It all comes down to one simple question: Why would you use any hair care products that could possibly irritate your skin or cause breakouts when you can get the strong, smooth, healthy hair you want without potential skin-related downsides? That’s the beauty of SEEN.
[1] Source: TRI Princeton, March 2019 study using top-selling hair products in U.S. salons based on Kline PRO database Q1-Q3 2018