Comedogenic - pronounced most commonly ( ko-mead-do-jen-ick).
We are a small Arvada spa, and we want to help explain what this is. When dealing with skin care products, you will find many ingredients that can cause or exacerbate acne prone skin. Any such ingredient that will actually "cause" acne is called a Comedogenic. Those of us who deal daily with acne-prone skin will want to stay far, far away from any ingredient that falls into this category. For your convenience we have compiled a list of many common ingredients including comedogenic oils that may be in your skin care right now! Go over your ingredient list and see if you are using anything that may be adding to your problems. You want to care for your skin well. Facials will help you do that. To really have good skin, you have to have good home care. That's why it is important to check ingredients.
*The 3rd column, with the irritantancy ratings, will help you if you have sensitive skin, or you are using a product that is irritating and you do not know why. It has nothing to do with the comedogenic ratings, according to Platinum Skincare.
Here’s a key for the chart below:
0 - Will Not Clog Pores
1 - Low probability
2 - Moderately Low
3 - Moderate
4 - Fairly High
5 - High probability it will clog pores
If you are acne-prone, you will want to initially stick with products/ingredients that are predominantly 0's, 1's and 2's. The 3's can be ok if it is a wash-off product or it does not bother you personally.
**These are ratings, not hard and fast laws! Everyone's skin will react differently. Some people can use ingredients with 4's and not have an issue at all. As you start to learn what your skin likes best, your skin care shopping will be greatly simplified.
Remember moving forward, never test more than one new product at a time on your skin. It can take several weeks for a "problem" ingredient to start showing blemishes on your skin. You will want to give it at least 4 weeks (preferably 6) before adding another product into your regimen for testing. If you don't do this, you may be liable to blame the wrong product for your problems.
NO ONE PRODUCT CAN CAUSE A PIMPLE OVERNIGHT! Pimples take 4-6 weeks to form and reach the surface. The only thing you could potentially see with a single application is an irritation or an allergic reaction.
The best advice I can give you is this. When you find products that work for you consistently... Stick with them. Face Reality Products are proven to help fight acne. You are not alone.
Comedogenic Ratings *Pore Clogging
Watch for ingredients numbered 3, 4, and 5 to make sure they do NOT fall in the top 6-7 ingredients in a product deck (ingredient panel). All ingredients are listed greatest to least by law *pending active ingredients which could be in a separate section. If the higher numbers are far down in the deck, the product still may be safe for you.
Ingredients |
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 |
0 |
0 |
Apricot Kernel Oil |
2 |
0 |
Ascorbic Acid |
0 |
0 |
Ascorbyl Palmitate |
2 |
0 |
Avocado Oil |
2 |
0 |
Benzoic Acid |
2 |
3 |
Beta Carotene |
1 |
0 |
Beeswax |
0-2 |
0 |
Butyl Stearate |
3 |
0 |
Butylene Glycol |
1 |
0 |
Calendula |
1 |
0 |
Camphor |
2 |
2 |
Candelilla Wax |
1 |
0 |
Capric Acid |
2 |
2 |
Caprylic Acid |
1 |
3 |
Carbomer |
0 |
1 |
Carnuba Wax |
1 |
0 |
Carrageenan |
5 |
2 |
Cetearyl Alcohol |
2 |
2 |
Cetyl Alcohol |
2 |
2 |
Cocoa Butter |
4 |
0 |
Coconut Butter |
4 |
0 |
Coconut Oil |
4 |
1 |
Colloidal Sulfur |
3 |
4 |
Corn Oil |
3 |
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 # 4 |
1 |
0 |
D&C Red # 6 |
1 |
0 |
D&C Red # 7 |
1 |
0 |
D&C Red # 9 |
1 |
0 |
Dimethicone |
1 |
0 |
Dioctyl Succinate |
3 |
2 |
Emu Oil |
0 |
0 |
Ethylparaben |
0 |
0 |
Evening Primrose Oil |
2 |
2 |
Glyceryl Stearate NSE |
1 |
0 |
Glyceryl Stearate SE |
3 |
2 |
Isocetyl Stearate |
5 |
0 |
Isopropyl Alcohol |
0 |
4 |
Isopropyl Isostearate |
5 |
0 |
Isopropyl Myristate |
5 |
3 |
Isopropyl Palmitate |
4 |
0 |
Jojoba Oil |
2 |
0 |
Lanolin Alcohol |
2 |
0 |
Lanolin Oil |
1 |
0 |
Lanolin Wax |
1 |
0 |
Laureth 23 |
3 |
0 |
Laureth 4 |
5 |
4 |
Lauric Acid |
4 |
1 |
Lithiumm Stearate |
1 |
0 |
Magneseium Aluminum Silicate |
0 |
0 |
Magnesium Stearate |
1 |
0 |
Myristic Acid |
3 |
0 |
Octyl Palmitate |
4 |
1 |
Octyl Stearate |
5 |
5 |
Oleth-3 |
5 |
2 |
Oleth-10 |
2 |
1 |
Olive Oil |
2 |
0 |
Papain |
0 |
0 - 3 |
Peanut Oil |
2 |
0 - 2 |
PEG 75 Lanolin |
3 |
2 |
PEG 100 Stearate |
1 |
0 |
PEG 16 Lanolin |
4 |
3 |
PEG 8 Stearate |
3 |
1 |
Palmitic Acid |
2 |
0 |
Propylparaben |
0 |
0 |
Polyethylene Glycol (PEG 400) |
1 |
0 |
Propylene Glycol Monostearate |
4 |
0 |
Red Algea |
5 |
2 |
Safflower Oil |
2 |
0 |
Simethicone |
1 |
0 |
Sodium Chloride |
5 |
3 |
Sodium Hyaluronate |
0 |
0 |
Sodium Laureth Sulfate |
3 |
2 |
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate |
5 |
2 |
Sodium PCA |
0 |
0 |
Soybean Oil |
3 |
0 |
Squalene |
1 |
0 |
Stearic Acid |
2 |
0 |
Stearyl Alcohol |
2 |
2 |
Sulfated Castor Oil |
3 |
2 |
Sulfated Jojoba Oil |
3 |
2 |
Sunflower Oil |
0 |
0 |
Syearyl Heptanoate |
4 |
0 |
Talc |
1 |
0 |
Tocopherol (Vitamin E) |
2 |
2 |
Vitamin A Palmitate |
2 |
1 |
Wheat Germ Oil |
5 |
2 |
Zinc Oxide |
1 |
0 |