List of pore-clogging (comedogenic) ingredients
Hey, if you're battling acne, you probably have heard about pore clogging ingredients that can turn your skin into a nightmare, leading to those never-ending breakouts. That's exactly why we pour our hearts (and science) into making sure every ClearB5 skincare product is a safe haven for your skin, totally acne-safe.
But here's a little insider tip: Even though our skincare products are your acne’s worst enemy (in a good way!), it's super important to keep an eye on what's in your makeup, body, and hair care products too. Yep, you guessed it – some of the most loved brands out there might be using ingredients that are not so skin-friendly, causing more trouble for acne-prone skin.
Want to keep your skin happy and clear? Steer clear of products with these pore-clogging ingredients. Trust us, your skin will thank you for it!
Pore clogging ingredients to avoid.
How to Read the Comedogenic Rating:
- For ingredients rated with 1-2 stars, we suggest to use caution when using products with these ingredients.
- For ingredients with 3-5 stars, we suggest you try to avoid these products, where possible, as they have been proven to clog pores which may lead to acne break-outs.
- If your searching for an ingredient and you don't see it, that means that it's safe for use and won't cause your skin to break-out.
Cosmetic Ingredient | Ingredient Composition | Comedogenic Rating |
|---|---|---|
A & D Additive | Vitamins & herbs | |
A13-00356 | Surfactants & detergents | |
Acai Berry Oil | High in oleic acid & moderate in linoleic acid | |
Acetol | ||
Acetulan | ||
Acetylated Lanolin | Lanolins | |
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol | Lanolins | |
Active Soil | Questionable minerals | |
Adamosis Stearate | ||
Ahnfeltia Concinna | Seaweed | |
Akyposal SDS | Surfactants & detergents | |
Alaria Esculenta | Seaweed | |
Algae | Seaweed | |
Algae Extract | Seaweed | |
Algin (Algae) | Seaweed | |
Almond Oil/Sweet Almond Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Aloe Butter | Butter | |
Amaranth Oil | Oils | |
Amberlate P | ||
Amerchol | ||
Andiroba Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Anhydrous lanolin | Lanolins | |
Apricot Kernel Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Apricot Oil | ||
Apricot Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Aquarex ME | Surfactants & detergents | |
Arachidonic Acid in Sunflower Oil | Fatty acids | |
Argan Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Argania Spinosa | Oils | |
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil | Oils | |
Argania Spinosa Oil | Oils | |
Ascophyllum Nodosum | Seaweed | |
Ascorbyl Palmitate | Fatty acids | |
Avocado Butter | Butter | |
Avocado Oil (Persea Gratissima Oil) | High in oleic acid | |
Babassu Butter | Butter | |
Babassu Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Baobab Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Beeswax (Cera Alba) | Wax | |
Behenic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Black Cumin Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Black Kelp | Seaweed | |
Black Raspberry Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Bladderwrack | Seaweed | |
Blue Algae | Seaweed | |
Blue Green Algae | Seaweed | |
Borage Oil | High in linoleic acid and GLA | |
Brazil Nut Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Broccoli Butter | Butter | |
Brown Algae | Seaweed | |
Buriti Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Butyl Stearate | Fatty acids | |
Butyrospermum Parkii | High in oleic and stearic acid | |
C73-74 Isoparaffin | Wax | |
Camellia oil | High in oleic acid | |
Camphor oil | Oil | |
Canola Oil | Oil | |
Capric Acid | Fatty acid | |
Capric Acid in Sunflower Oil | Lipids | |
Caprylic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Capsicum Butter | Butter | |
Carrageenan Moss | Seaweed | |
Carrot Butter | Butter | |
Carrot Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Castor Oil | High in ricinoleic acid | |
Ceteareth 6 Olivate | Wax | |
Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20 | Alcohol | |
Cetyl Acetate | Fatty acid | |
Chamomile Butter | Butter | |
Cherry Kernel Oil | High oleic acid | |
Cheru Seed Oil | Oils | |
Chia Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Chlorella | Seaweed | |
Chlorella Botanicals | Seaweed | |
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract | Seaweed | |
Chondrus Crispus | Seaweed | |
Chondrus Crispus Extract | Seaweed | |
Chullu (Wild Apricot) Seed Oil | Oils | |
Cinnamon Butter | Butter | |
Coal Tar | ||
Cocoa Butter | High in oleic acid | |
Coconut Butter | High in oleic, stearic & palmitic acid | |
Coconut Oil | High in lauric acid | |
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Oils | |
Coffee Butter | Butter | |
Colloidal Sulfur | Vitamins and herbs | |
Corallina Officinalis | Seaweed | |
Corallina Officinalis Extract | Seaweed | |
Corn Oil | Vegetable oil | |
Cotton Awws | Oils | |
Cotton Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Cranberry Butter | Butter | |
Cranberry Oil | Oils | |
Crisco | Oils | |
Cypress Butter | Butter | |
D&C red No. 1/2/3/17/30/36 | D&C pigments | |
D&C red No. 4/19/21/27/40 | D&C pigments | |
D&C red No. 36 in mineral oil | D&C pigments | |
Date Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Decyl Oleate | Fatty acid | |
Dhupa Seed Oil | Oils | |
Di (2 ethylhexyl) Succinate | Fatty acid | |
Dilsea Carnosa | Seaweed | |
Dioctyl Malate | Fatty acid | |
Dioctyl Succinate | Fatty acid | |
Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfosuccinate | ||
Dulse | Seaweed | |
Ecklonia | Seaweed | |
Eicosanoic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Elderberry Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Emu Oil | Hugh in linoleic acid | |
Emulsifying Wax NF | Wax | |
Enteromorpha Compressa | Seaweed | |
Ethoxylated Lanolin | Lanolins | |
Ethylhexyl Palmitate | Fatty acid | |
Ethylhexyl Pelargonate | Fatty acid | |
Evening Primrose Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Flaxseed Oil (Linseed) | High in alpha linoleic acid | |
Fucus vesiculosus | Seaweed | |
Gelidium Cartilagineum | Seaweed | |
Ginger Butter | Butter | |
Glyceryl Oleate | ||
Glyceryl Stearate SE | Alcohol | |
Glyceryl-3-Diisostearate | Alcohol | |
Glycine Soja Oil (soybean oil) | Oils | |
Grapeseed Butter | Butter | |
Grapeseed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Green Algae | Seaweed | |
Green Tea Butter | Butter | |
Groundnut Oil | Oils | |
Guava Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Haslea Ostrearia | Seaweed | |
Hazelnut Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Hemp Seed Butter | Butter | |
Hexadecyl Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Hexyl Laurate | ||
Himanthalia Elongate | Seaweed | |
Hydrogenated Castor Oil | Oils | |
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil | Oils | |
Hydrolyzed Lola Implexa | Seaweed | |
Hydrolyzed Rhodophycea | Seaweed | |
Hypnea Musciformis | Seaweed | |
Irish Moss | Seaweed | |
Isocetyl Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Isocetyl Stearate | Alcohol | |
Isodecyl Oleate | Fatty acid | |
Isopropyl Isostearate | Fatty acid | |
Isopropyl Linolate | Fatty acid | |
Isopropyl Myristate | Fatty acid | |
Isopropyl Palmitate | Fatty acid | |
Isostearic Acid | ||
Isostearyl Isostearate | Fatty acid | |
lsostearyl Neopentanoate | Fatty acid | |
Jasmine Butter | Butter | |
Jojoba Butter | Butter | |
Jojoba Oil | ||
Enter your text here... | Oils | |
Jojoba Wax | Wax | |
Kapok Oil | Oils | |
Karanja Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Kasum Oil | Oils | |
Kelp | Seaweed | |
Knotted Kelp | Seaweed | |
Kokum Butter | Butter | |
Kukui Nut Butter | Butter | |
Kukui Nut Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Laminaria | Seaweed | |
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract | Seaweed | |
Laminaria Digitata Extract | Seaweed | |
Laminaria Longicruris | Seaweed | |
Laminaria Saccharina | Seaweed | |
Laneth-10 | Lanolins | |
Lanolic Acid | Lanolins | |
Lanolin Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Lanolin | Lanolins | |
Lanolin Oil | Lanolins | |
Lanolin Wax | Lanolins | |
Laureth-4 | Alcohol | |
Laureth-7 | Wax | |
Laureth-23 | Alcohol | |
Lauric Acid | Fatty acid | |
Laurie Acid in Sunflower Oil | Other | |
Lauroyl Lysine | Fatty acid | |
Lauryl Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Lauryl Olivate | Wax | |
Lavender Butter | Butter | |
Lemon Butter | Butter | |
Lemongrass Butter | Butter | |
Lime Butter | Butter | |
Linseed Oil | Oils | |
Lithothamnium Calcareum | Seaweed | |
Lola Implexa | Seaweed | |
Macadamia Nut Butter | Butter | |
Macadamia Nut Oil | Oils | |
Macrocystis Pyrifera (sea kelp) | Seaweed | |
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract | Seaweed | |
Mahua Seed Oil | Oils | |
Mandarin Butter | Butter | |
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter (Mango Butter) | Butter | |
Mango Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Marigold Butter | Butter | |
Marine Algae | Seaweed | |
Marula Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Mastocarpus Stellatus | Seaweed | |
Meadowfoam Butter | Butter | |
Mink Oil | Oils | |
Monododecyl Ester Sodium Salt Sulfuric Acid | Surfactants & detergents | |
Moringa Oil | Oils | |
Mowrah Butter | High in oleic acid | |
Myreth 3 Myristate | Alcohol | |
Myristic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Myristyl Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Myristyl Lactate | Fatty acid | |
Myristyl Myristate | Fatty acid | |
Nahor Seed Oil | Oils | |
Neem Butter | Butter | |
Neem Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Neroli Butter | Butter | |
Nori | Seaweed | |
Norwegian Kelp | Seaweed | |
Octyl Palmitate | ||
Octyl Stearate | ||
Oleth-3 | Alcohol | |
Oleth-3 Phosphate | Alcohol | |
Oleth-5 | Alcohol | |
Oleth-10 | Alcohol | |
Oleyl Alcohol | Alcohol | |
Olive Butter | Butter | |
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Olive Oil Peg 7 Esters | Wax | |
Orange Peel Butter | Butter | |
Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil | ||
Padina Pavonica | Seaweed | |
Palash Oil | Oil | |
Palmaria Palmata | Seaweed | |
Palmitic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Palm Kernel Oil | Oil | |
Palm Oil Butter | Butter | |
Palm Oil | High in lauric acid | |
Palm Oil, Red | High in oleic acid | |
Papaya Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Passionfruit (Maracuja) Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Peach Kernel Oils | High in oleic acid | |
Peanut Oil | Oil | |
Pecan Oil | High in oleic acid | |
PEG 8 Castor Oil | Oil | |
PEG 8 Stearate | Alcohol | |
PEG 16 Lanolin (solulan 16) | Lanolin | |
PEG 100 Distearate | Alcohol | |
PEG 150 Distearate | Alcohol | |
PEG-150 Pentaerythrityl Stearate | Alcohol | |
PEG 200 Dilaurate | Alcohol | |
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate | Alcohol | |
Perilla Oil | High in ALA | |
PG Caprylate/Caprate | Alcohol | |
PG Dipelargonate | ||
PG Laurate | Alcohol | |
PG Monostearate | Alcohol | |
Phosphate | ||
Phytantriol | Steroid | |
Phytessence Wakame | Seaweed | |
Pilu Oil | Oil | |
Pistacia Vera (Pistachio) Seed OilH | High in oleic acid | |
Pisu Oil | Oil | |
Plankton | Seaweed | |
Prunus Domestica (Plum) Seed Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Polyglyceryl Diisostearate | Wax | |
Polyglyceryl 3-Diisostearate | Alcohol | |
Polyglyceryl 4-Isostearate | ||
Porphyra | Seaweed | |
Porphyridium Cruentum | Seaweed | |
Potassium Chloride | ||
PPG 10 Cetyl Ether | Alcohol | |
PPG 12 PEG 65 Lanolin Oil | Lanolin | |
PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate | Alcohol | |
PPG 5 Ceteth 10 Phosphate | Alcohol | |
PPG-2 Myristyl Propionate | Fatty acid | |
Pentaclethara Macroloba (Pracaxi) Oil | Oil | |
Prickly Pear Seed Oil | High in linoelic acid | |
Propylene Glycol Monostearate | Wax | |
Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil | Oil | |
Pumpkin Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Ratanjot Oil | Oil | |
Red AlgaeS | Seaweed | |
Rice Bran Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Rockweed | Seaweed | |
Rose Butter | Butter | |
Rosehip Butter | Butter | |
Rosehip Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Rosemary Butter | Butter | |
Safflower Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Sal Seed Butter | High in steric acid | |
Sal Seed Oil | Oil | |
Sandalwood Seed Oil | Oil | |
Sargassum | Seaweed | |
Sea Grass | Seaweed | |
Sea Whip Extract | Seaweed | |
Seaweed | Seaweed | |
Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil | High in linoleic acid | |
Shark Liver Oil | Oil | |
Shea Butter | Butter | |
Shea Nut Oil | Oil | |
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate | Surfactants & detergents | |
Sodium Laureth Sulfate | Surfactants & detergents | |
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | Surfactants & detergents | |
Sodium Myreth Sulfate | Surfactants & detergents | |
Sodium Salt Sulfuric Acid | Surfactants & detergents | |
Solulan 16 | ||
Sorbitan Isostearate | Alcohol | |
Sorbitan Oleate | Alcohol | |
Sorbitan Olivate | ||
Soybean Oil (Glycine Soja Oil) | High in linoleic acid | |
Spirulina | Seaweed | |
Squalene | Oil | |
Steareth-2 | Alcohol | |
Steareth-10 | Alcohol | |
Steareth-20 | Alcohol | |
Stearic Acid | Fatty acid | |
Stearyl AlcoholAlcohol | Alcohol | |
Stearyl Heptanoate | Fatty acid | |
Sucrose Distearate | Alcohol | |
Sulfated Castor Oil | Oil | |
Sulfuric acid | Surfactants & detergents | |
Sulfated Jojoba Oil | Oil | |
Sunflower Butter | Butter | |
Sweet Almond Butter | Butter | |
Sweet Almond Oil | Oil | |
Stearyl Heptanoate | Fatty acid | |
Tallow | High in oleic acid | |
Tamanu Butter | Butter | |
Tamanu Oil | High in oleic acid | |
Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter | Butter | |
Tribehenin | Wax | |
Tridecyl Neopentanoate | Fatty acid | |
Triticum Vulgare | High in linoleic acid | |
Ulva Lactuca | Seaweed | |
Undaria | Seaweed | |
Vitamin A Palmitate | Vitamin and herbs | |
Vitamin E Butter | Butter | |
Walnut Seed Oil | Oil | |
Wakame | Seaweed | |
Water-Soluble Sulfur | Perservative | |
Wheat Germ | ||
Wheat Germ Glyceride | Alcohol | |
Wheat Germ Oil | Oil | |
Xylene | Solvent |
References:
- Comedogenic Ingredients (Skinutritious.com).
Note:
It's important to keep in mind that the ingredients noted above are commonly used in skincare products. If you find mutliple ingredients in a single product, we suggest to either avoid or use caution for long-term use as they may be clogging your pores. Please consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new protocol.
