What Blocks Pores? Comedogenic Ingredient List

We’re often asked if specific skin care products found on our site are non-comedogenic. In an earlier post on comedogenic ingredients, I discussed this topic and provided some guidance. However, it is very difficult to assess whether an ingredient that blocks pores in one individual will do the same to another. And that’s because skin differs so much amongst individuals. Still, you will find many sites on the internet providing a listing of ingredients that may be problematic in clogging pores. Comedogenicity is rated on a scale of 0 to 5. The lower the number, the less likely it is that it will clog pores. Just because an ingredient is an oil or wax, does not necessarily mean that it is comedogenic; some oils and waxes are very well tolerated. A product’s or ingredient’s comedogenicity is tested by applying it to the face of volunteers and evaluating the treated area with a high powered microscope. Keep in mind that the following list is by no means exhaustive, but may help to shed some clarity on ingredients that can be problematic. If you have sensitive skin, you may need to avoid more ingredients. If your skin tolerates most skin care products well, then many of these ingredients will not be problematic. Something that you may find interesting is that sodium lauryl sulfate, an ingredient often used in cleansers is problematic, but mineral oil is not.

Ingredient	Comedogenicity
Acetylated Lanolin	High
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol	High
Algae Extract	High
Algin	High
Bismuth oxychloride	High
Butyl Stearate	High
Carrageenans	High
Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20	High
Coal tar	High
Cocoa Butter	High
Coconut Butter	High
Coconut Oil	High
Colloidal Sulfur	High
Corn Oil	High
Cotton Aws Oil	High
Cotton Seed Oil	High
Crisco	High
D & C Red # 17	High
D & C Red # 21	High
D & C Red # 3	High
D & C Red # 30	High
D & C Red # 36	High
Decyl Oleate	High
Dioctyl Succinate	High
Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfosuccinate	High
Ethoxylated Lanolin	High
Ethylhexyl Palmitate	High
Glyceryl Stearate SE -MUST have SE after the stearate	High
Glyceryl-3-Disostearate-(MUST have a “3″ with it)	High
Hexadecyl Alcohol	High
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil	High
Isocetyl Stearate	High
Isodecyl Oleate	High
isoproply linoleate	High
Isopropyl Isosterate	High
Isopropyl lanolate	High
Isopropyl Myristate	High
Isopropyl Palmitate	High
isostearic acid	High
isostearyl acid	High
Isostearyl Isostearate	High
Isostearyl Neopentanoate	High
lanolic acid	High
Laureth 23	High
Laureth 4	High
Lauric Acid	High
Linseed oil	High
Mink Oil	High
Myreth 3 myrstate	High
Myristic Acid	High
Myristyl Lactate	High
Myristyl Myristate	High
Octyl Palmitate	High
Octyl Stearate	High
Oleic Acid	High
Oleth-3	High
Oleyl Alcohol	High
PEG 16 Lanolin	High
PEG 200 Dilaurate	High
PEG 8 Stearate	High
PG Monostearate	High
Polyglyceryl-3-Disostearate (the “3″ must be present)	High
Potassium Chloride	High
PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate	High
Propylene Glycol Monostearate	High
Red Algae	High
Salt - Table Salt or Sodium Chloride	High
Shark Liver Oil	High
Sodium Laureth Sulfate	High
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate	High
Solulan 16	High
Sorbitan Oleate	High
Sorbitan Sesquinoleate	High
Soybean Oil	High
Steareth 10	High
Stearic Acid Tea	High
Stearyl Heptanoate	High
Sulfated Castor Oil	High
Sulfated Jojoba Oil (NOT Jojoba beads)	High
Syearyl Heptanoate	High
Wheat Germ Glyceride	High
Wheat Germ Oil	High
Xylene	High
Almond Oil	Medium
Apricot Kernel Oil	Medium
Arachidic Acid	Medium
Ascorbyl Palmitate	Medium
Avocado Oil	Medium
Azulene	Medium
Behenic acid	Medium
Benzaldehyde	Medium
Benzoic Acid	Medium
BHA	Medium
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)	Medium
Cajeput Oil	Medium
Camphor	Medium
Capric Acid	Medium
Caprylic acid	Medium
Cetearyl Alcohol	Medium
Cetyl Alcohol	Medium
Chamomile	Medium
D & C Red # 19	Medium
D & C Red #27	Medium
D & C Red #40	Medium
Evening Primrose Oil	Medium
Grape Seed Oil (extract is OK)	Medium
Hexylene Glycol	Medium
Octyldodecanol	Medium
Oleth-10	Medium
Olive Oil (Olive Oil Extract is OK)	Medium
Palmitic Acid	Medium
Peach Kernel Oil	Medium
Peanut Oil	Medium
PEG 100 Distearate	Medium
PEG 150 Distearate	Medium
Peg 75 lanolin	Medium
Pentarythrital Tetra Isostearate	Medium
PG Dipelargonate	Medium
PG Dipelargonate	Medium
Sandalwood Seed Oil	Medium
Sesame Oil	Medium
Steareth 2	Medium
Steareth 20	Medium
Stearic Acid	Medium
Stearyl Alcohol	Medium
Tocopherol (Tocopherol Acetate is OK)	Medium
Triethanolamine	Medium
Vitamin A Palmitate-(ONLY this form of Vitamin A)	Medium
Avocado Oil	Low
Castor Oil	Low
Corn Oil	Low
D & C Red Number  4, 6, 7 or 8	Low
Glyceryl Stearate	Low
Lanolin	Low
Lanolin Alcohol	Low
Lauryl Alcohol	Low
Mineral Oil	Low
Safflower Oil	Low
Sunflower Oil	Low