Pore-clogging ingredient checker
Paste an ingredient list to find comedogenic ingredients: the ones that may clog pores and cause breakouts for some people.
The usual suspects
Ingredients rated 4 or 5 out of 5 in the classic lists, which we tag as known pore-cloggers. The ones you’ll see most: Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Algae Extract, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Myristyl Myristate.
See all 30 known pore-cloggers
Isopropyl Myristate · Isopropyl Palmitate · Isopropyl Isostearate · Isopropyl Linoleate · Isostearyl Isostearate · Isocetyl Stearate · Isocetyl Alcohol · Myristyl Myristate · Myristyl Lactate · Ethylhexyl Palmitate · Ethylhexyl Stearate · Cetyl Acetate · Glyceryl-3 Diisostearate · PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate · Lauric Acid · Oleyl Alcohol · Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol · PEG-16 Lanolin · Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate · Carrageenan · Chondrus Crispus Powder · Algae Extract · Red Algae Extract · Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter · Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil · Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Butter · Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil · Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil · Laureth-4 · Oleth-3
Ingredients rated 3 are tagged “May clog pores for some”. Fatty alcohols like cetyl and cetearyl alcohol are not drying and not on these lists, and cosmetic-grade mineral oil is rated 0.
Sources: ingredient names and jobs follow the EU CosIng database. Pore-clogging flags come from Fulton, “Comedogenicity and irritancy of commonly used ingredients in skin care products” (Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, 1989) and Kligman & Mills, “Acne cosmetica” (Archives of Dermatology, 1972). We only flag ingredients rated 3 or more on their 0–5 scale, and we never guess a rating for an ingredient they didn’t test. Fragrance ingredients follow the allergens EU rules require brands to name on the label.
Questions
What does comedogenic mean?
Comedogenic means likely to clog pores and cause blackheads or whiteheads (comedones). Non-comedogenic means a product was made to avoid that.
Which ingredients clog pores the most?
In the classic ratings, the most often flagged are coconut oil, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, myristyl myristate, some algae and seaweed extracts, and acetylated lanolin alcohol.
Does “non-comedogenic” on a label mean anything?
Not in the US: there’s no official FDA definition or test for it. Checking the ingredient list yourself is the best way to know what’s in it.
Does it matter if it’s a cleanser?
Yes. A face wash only stays on your skin for a minute before you rinse it off, so a pore-clogger in a cleanser is much less of a worry than the same thing in a cream you leave on.
Is this list complete?
No list is. We only flag ingredients that were actually tested and rated 3 or more out of 5. Anything we don’t know is marked “Not in our list yet”, never “safe”.
Is this medical advice?
No. These are general cosmetic skincare tips. If you have stubborn or painful breakouts, a dermatologist can help.
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