Check Your Skincare
Comedonal acne is caused by blocked pores, which are commonly caused by ingredients in the products you use. To prevent this from happening we need to take a closer look at those products.
Below is a list which I recommend that you use to check ingredients yourself. You will need to use this list patiently and search for the strange names of the ingredients listed on your products.
Collect together all of your toiletries and cosmetics (yes, all of them!) including your cleanser, toner, moisturiser, soap, shower gel, foundation, blusher, etc, etc, etc and check the ingredients.
Each ingredient has a comedogenic value. This is measured on a scale of 0 – 5, with 0 being the best (it won’t clog your pores), and 5 meaning you should steer well clear if you have acne-prone skin.
Now, I realise that most of the products you use will have huge long lists of ingredients that will take you forever to go through! So to make it easier for you I’ll say that you only need to check the first eight ingredients on the product’s ingredients list, as these will be in the highest concentration within the product.
I’ve also added a column showing the irritancy grade of each ingredient. This is useful for those with dry or sensitive skin, or those suffering from skin complaints such as eczema. However, some ingredients such as almond oil, show a low irritancy level. But obviously, if you’re allergic to nuts you should avoid these ingredients as they can cause a reaction.
Scores are rated as 0 = Lowest, 5 = WORST
If you have acne, DO NOT use ingredients with a comedogenicity score of 3, 4 or 5.
|
NAME |
COMEDOGENICITY |
IRRITANCY |
| Acetone |
0 |
5 |
| Acetylated Lanolin |
4 |
0 |
| Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol |
4 |
2 |
| Algae Extract |
5 |
4 |
| Algin |
4 |
4 |
| Allantoin |
0 |
0 |
| Almond Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Aloe Vera Gel |
0 |
0 |
| Aminomethylpropionate |
0 |
0 |
| Anhydrous Lanolin |
0-1 |
0 |
| Apricot Kernel Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Arachidic Acid |
2 |
0 |
| Ascorbic Acid |
0 |
0 |
| Ascorbyl Palmitate |
2 |
0 |
| Avocado Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Azulene |
2 |
0 |
| BHA |
2 |
3 |
| Beeswax |
0-2 |
0-2 |
| Behenic Acid |
0 |
0 |
| Behenyl Triglyceride |
0 |
0 |
| Bentonite |
0 |
0 |
| Benzaldehyde |
2 |
2 |
| Benzoic Acid |
2 |
3 |
| Beta Carotene |
1 |
0 |
| Black Walnut Extract |
0 |
0 |
| Bromelain |
0 |
0 |
| Bubussa Oil |
1 |
0 |
| Butyl Stearate |
3 |
0 |
| Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) |
2 |
3 |
| Butylene Glycol |
1 |
0 |
| Cajeput Oil |
2 |
4 |
| Calendula |
1 |
0 |
| Camphor |
2 |
2 |
| Candelilla Wax |
1 |
1 |
| Capric Acid |
2 |
2 |
| Caprylic Acid |
1 |
3 |
| Carbomer |
0 |
1 |
| Carbomer 940 |
1 |
0 |
| Carboxypropylcellulose |
1 |
0 |
| Carmine |
0 |
0 |
| Carnuba Wax |
1 |
1 |
| Carotene |
1 |
0 |
| Carrageenan |
5 |
2 |
| Castor Oil |
1 |
0 |
| Ceresin Wax |
0 |
0 |
| Cetearyl Alcohol |
2 |
1 |
| Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20 |
4 |
1 |
| Cetyl Acetate |
4 |
0-3 |
| Cetyl Alcohol |
2 |
2 |
| Chamomile |
2 |
0 |
| Chamomile Extract |
0 |
0 |
| Chaulomoogra Oil |
1 |
0 |
| Cholesterol |
0 |
0 |
| Choleth 24 |
0 |
0 |
| Chromium Hydroxide |
0 |
0 |
| Cocoa Butter |
4 |
0 |
| Coconut Butter |
4 |
0 |
| Coconut Oil |
4 |
1 |
| Cold Pressed Aloe Vera |
0 |
0 |
| Colloidal Sulfur |
3 |
4 |
| Corn Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Cotton Awws Oil |
3 |
0 |
| Cotton Seed Oil |
3 |
0-5 |
| Crisco |
3 |
0 |
| Cyclomethicone |
0 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 17 |
3 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 19 |
2 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 21 |
3 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 3 |
3 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 30 |
3 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 33 |
1 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 36 |
3 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 4 |
1 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 6 |
1 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 7 |
1 |
0 |
| D & C Red # 9 |
1 |
0 |
| D&C Red #27 |
2 |
0 |
| D&C Red #40 |
2 |
2 |
| Decyl Oleate |
3 |
0 |
| Deionized Water |
0 |
0 |
| Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether |
0 |
0 |
| Diisopropyl Adipate |
0 |
0 |
| Dimethicone |
1 |
0 |
| Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate |
0 |
0 |
| Dioctyl Succinate |
3 |
2 |
| Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfosuccinate |
4 |
2 |
| Emulsifying Wax NF |
0-2 |
0-2 |
| Ethyl Paraben |
0 |
0 |
| Ethoxylated Lanolin |
3 |
0 |
| Ethyl Ether |
0 |
0 |
| Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether |
0 |
0 |
| Ethylene Glycol Monostearate |
0 |
0 |
| Ethylhexyl Palmitate |
4 |
0 |
| Evening Primrose Oil |
2 |
2 |
| Flowers of Sulfur |
0 |
3 |
| Glycerin |
0 |
0 |
| Glyceryl Stearate NSE |
1 |
0 |
| Glyceryl Stearate SE |
3 |
2 |
| Glyceryl Tricapylo/Caprate |
1 |
0 |
|
Glyceryl-3-Diisostearate
Goat Milk |
4 0-2 |
0 0 |
|
Grapeseed Oil
Hexadecyl Alcohol |
2 5 |
0 2 |
| Hexylene Glycol |
2 |
1 |
| Hydantoin |
0 |
0 |
| Hydrogenated Castor Oil |
1 |
0 |
| Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil |
3 |
0-1 |
| Hydrolyzed Animal Protein |
0 |
0 |
| Hydroxypropylcellulose |
1 |
0 |
| Iron Oxide |
0 |
0 |
| Isocetyl Alcohol |
4 |
4 |
| Isocetyl Stearate |
5 |
0 |
| Isodecyl Oleate |
4 |
0 |
| Isopropyl Alcohol |
0 |
4 |
| Isopropyl Isostearate |
5 |
0 |
| Isopropyl Linolate |
5 |
0-3 |
| Isopropyl Myristate |
5 |
3 |
| Isopropyl Palmitate |
4 |
1 |
| Isostearyl Isostearate |
4 |
1 |
| Isostearyl Neopentanoate |
3 |
3 |
| Jojoba Oil |
0-2 |
0-2 |
| Kaolin |
0 |
0 |
| Lanolin Alcohol |
0-2 |
0 |
| Lanolin Oil |
1 |
0 |
| Lanolin Wax |
1 |
1 |
| Laureth 23 |
3 |
0 |
| Laureth 4 |
5 |
4 |
| Lauric Acid |
4 |
1 |
| Lithium Stearate |
1 |
0 |
| Magneseium Aluminum Silicate |
0 |
0 |
| Magnesium Stearate |
1 |
0 |
| Menthyl Anthranilate |
0 |
0 |
| Methyl Paraben |
0 |
0 |
| Mineral Oil |
0 |
0 |
| Mink Oil |
3 |
1 |
| Myristic Acid |
3 |
0 |
| Myristyl Lactate |
4 |
2 |
| Myristyl Myristate |
5 |
2 |
| Octyl Dimethyl PABA |
0 |
0 |
| Octyl Methoxycinnimate |
0 |
0 |
| Octyl Palmitate |
4 |
1 |
| Octyl Salicylate |
0 |
0 |
| Octyl Stearate |
5 |
5 |
| Octyldodecyl Stearate |
0 |
0 |
| Oleth-3 |
5 |
2 |
| Oleth-10 |
2 |
1 |
| Oleyl Alcohol |
4 |
2 |
| Olive Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Oxybenzone |
0 |
0 |
| PEG 40 Castor Oil |
0 |
0 |
| PEG 100 Distearate |
2 |
0 |
| PEG 100 Stearate |
1 |
0 |
| PEG 150 Distearate |
2 |
0 |
| PEG 16 Lanolin |
4 |
3 |
| PEG 20 Stearate |
1 |
0 |
| PEG 200 Dilaurate |
3 |
2 |
| PEG 5 Soya Sterol |
0 |
0 |
| PEG 10 Soya Sterol |
0 |
1 |
| PEG 75 Lanolin |
0 |
0 |
| PEG 8 Stearate |
3 |
1 |
| PG Caprylate/Caprate |
1 |
0 |
| PG Dipelargonate |
2 |
0 |
| PG Monostearate |
3 |
0 |
| PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate |
4 |
3 |
| PPG 30 Cety Ester |
0 |
0 |
| Palmitic Acid |
2 |
0 |
| Panthenol |
0 |
0 |
| Papain |
0 |
0-3 |
| Peanut Oil |
2 |
0-2 |
| Pentarythrital Tetra Capra/Caprylate |
0 |
0 |
| Pentarythrital Tetra Isostearate |
2 |
0 |
| Petrolatum |
0 |
0 |
| PG Dicaprylate/Caprate |
1 |
0 |
| PG Dipelargonate |
2 |
2 |
| Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 400) |
1 |
0 |
| Polyethylene Glycol 300 |
1 |
0 |
| Polyglyceryl-3-Diisostearate |
4 |
0 |
| Polysorbate 20 |
0 |
0 |
| Polysorbate 80 |
0 |
0 |
| Potassium Chloride |
5 |
0-3 |
| Precipitated Sulfur |
0 |
0-2 |
| Propyl Paraben |
0 |
0 |
| Propylene Glycol |
0 |
0 |
| Propylene Glycol Monostearate |
4 |
0 |
|
Red Algae
Rosehip Oil |
5 1 |
2 ? |
| SD Alcohol 40 |
0 |
5 |
| Safflower Oil |
0 |
0 |
| Sandelwood Seed Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Sesame Oil |
2 |
0 |
| Shark Liver Oil |
3 |
2 |
|
Shea Butter
Simethicone |
1 1 |
0 0 |
| Sodium Chloride (Salt) |
5 |
0-3 |
| Sodium Hyaluronate |
0 |
0 |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate |
3 |
2 |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate |
5 |
2 |
| Sodium PCA |
0 |
0 |
| Solulan 16 |
4 |
3 |
| Sorbitan Laurate |
1 |
1 |
| Sorbitan Oleate |
3 |
0 |
| Sorbitan Sesquinoleate |
0 |
0 |
| Sorbitan Stearate |
0 |
1 |
| Sorbitol |
0 |
0 |
| Soya Sterol |
0 |
0 |
| Soybean Oil |
3 |
0 |
| Squalane |
1 |
0 |
| Steareth 10 |
4 |
3 |
| Steareth 100 |
0 |
0 |
| Steareth 2 |
2 |
2 |
| Steareth 20 |
2 |
1 |
| Stearic Acid |
2 |
0 |
| Stearic Acid Tea |
3 |
2 |
| Stearyl Alcohol |
2 |
2 |
| Stearyl Heptanoate |
4 |
0 |
| Sterol Esters |
0 |
0 |
| Sulfated Castor Oil |
3 |
2 |
| Sulfated Jojoba Oil |
3 |
2 |
| Sunflower Oil |
0 |
0 |
| Syearyl Heptanoate |
4 |
0 |
| Talc |
1 |
0 |
| Titanium Dioxide |
0 |
0 |
| Tocopheryl Acetate |
0 |
0 |
| Tridectyl Neopentanoate |
0 |
3 |
| Triethanolamine |
2 |
0 |
| Ultramarine Violet |
0 |
0 |
| Vitamin A Palmitate |
2 |
1 |
| Wheat Germ Glyceride |
3 |
2 |
| Wheat Germ Oil |
5 |
2 |
| Xylene |
4 |
3 |
| Zinc Oxide |
1 |
0 |
| Zinc Stearate |
0 |
0 |
Good post. Its really nice. This info really helped me.
This is excalty what I was looking for. Thanks for writing!
Heya, this is my first time visiting your site. I found this list and it is really useful, it helped me out a lot.
It’s nearly impossible to find experienced people for this topic, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about!
Thanks