Using a new product can cause breakouts.

Not always, but sometimes. The key thing to know about is purging vs. a bad reaction.

Whenever you use something new, your skin can react in different ways (especially when switching from conventional formulas to more potent or clean ones). If the product is working to clear skin, stuff that’s been hiding deep down — like dead cells, oil and debris — can pop up in the form of a breakout. This is called purging, and it only means that your skin might look a bit worse before it gets better.