Every ingredient we rate
121 ingredients, grouped by what they chemically are — because the evidence for one member of a family is routinely, and wrongly, read across to the rest of it. 24 are rated Clogging. Every rating shows the confidence we have in it, and that confidence is capped by the quality of the evidence, not by how many websites repeat it.
Names in bold have a full page: what the ingredient is, what the evidence actually says, and — the part nobody else prints — what it doesn’t. The rest have a rating but not yet a page. We would rather publish a few pages worth reading than 121 worth skimming.
We recognise , and we have not rated it. That is not the same as saying it is clear. It means nobody has looked, so it will not move a verdict in either direction. Check a full ingredient list ›
We do not recognise . It may be a typo, a trade name rather than an INCI name, or an ingredient outside the EU CosIng list we check against.
Nothing matches those filters.
Oils 22
- Argan Oil No assay we can find. The linoleic-acid story is a hypothesis, not a finding.
- Avocado Oil Fulton 3(2) of 5, borderline by his own key. Morris & Kwan scored it 0. Caution is precautionary.
- Castor Oil Viscous but low-comedogenic oil widely used in cleansing balms and lip products.
- Coconut Oil Lauric-rich oil. The famous "4" is coconut butter's score, not its own.
- Corn Oil Fulton 1989 prints 3 of 5 (borderline); Morris and Kwan 1983 print 0-1 on the same scale.
- Cottonseed Oil Fulton 1989 scored it 3 of 5, borderline on his own key. One rabbit assay, no replication found.
- Evening Primrose Oil Fulton 1989 scored 3 — borderline by his own key — in one three-rabbit experiment.
- Flaxseed Oil Linseed oil, high in polyunsaturates. Commonly cautioned; we carry no score we have not read.
- Grapeseed Oil Only assay of the oil is Morris & Kwan 1983 - 2-3 of 5, undiluted, mid-scale and unreplicated.
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil Hardened vegetable fat; Fulton 1989 scored 3, borderline by his key, in one experiment.
- Jojoba Oil Fulton 1989 printed 0-2*, the asterisk meaning results depend on the source of the raw material.
- Mink Oil Fulton 1989 scored 3, or 2 for the refined grade — borderline by his own key.
- Olive Oil High in oleic acid; commonly cautioned for acne-prone skin despite a modest legacy score.
- Peach Kernel Oil Oleic-rich kernel oil; low-to-moderate legacy clog score, commonly cautioned for acne-prone skin.
- Peanut Oil Heavy nut oil with a low-to-moderate legacy clog score.
- Rosehip Oil An umbrella name for 3 species and 2 plant parts. No assay of any of them that we can find.
- Sesame Oil Occlusive seed oil with a moderate legacy clog score.
- Soybean Oil Vegetable oil with a moderate legacy clog score.
- Sulfated Castor Oil Fulton 1984 printed 3 of 5 — positive under the 1984 key. It was tested after all.
- Sunflower Seed Oil One of the few oils rated genuinely non-comedogenic (high linoleic content).
- Sweet Almond Oil Oleic-rich emollient oil, cautioned like the other heavy oleic oils.
- Wheat Germ Oil Flagged by acne clinics. No study we can find has tested it.
Esters 16
- Butyl Stearate Ester emollient; Fulton printed 4 in 1984 and 3 in 1989, positive on the earlier paper's own key.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Fulton's 1 of 5 is printed as glyceryl tricapylo/caprate, not under the INCI name.
- Cetyl Acetate Fulton 1989 prints an exact cetyl acetate row at 4 of 5 - positive on his key, one assay, no replication.
- Cetyl Palmitate Wax ester thickener; Fulton 1989 alone prints 0 of 5. One lab, once; no second assay we can find.
- Decyl Oleate Printed 3 of 5 by Fulton 1989, Fulton 1984 and Morris and Kwan — positive on 1984's key, borderline on 1989's.
- Isocetyl Stearate Long-chain ester. Two assays disagree (M&K 0-1, Nguyen 2007 positive). Caution; see conflict_note.
- Isopropyl Isostearate Fulton 1989 and 1984 both printed 5 of 5; Morris and Kwan 4 of 5. Rabbit-ear only, no human data found.
- Isopropyl Linoleate Fulton 1989 prints Isopropyl linolate 4 of 5; Morris & Kwan 1983 print 4-5 of 5, another lab.
- Isopropyl Myristate The legacy assay's own calibration standard. Its 5 is a definition, not a measurement.
- Isopropyl Palmitate Emollient ester closely related to isopropyl myristate; legacy assays rate it high.
- Isostearyl Isostearate Fulton 1989 scored this exact ester 4 of 5, positive on his key; one reading, no second lab.
- Myristyl Lactate Fulton 1989 prints 4 of 5 for this exact row; his 1984 table prints 5, diluted. One author, no 2nd lab.
- Myristyl Myristate Heavy wax ester. Fulton 5, Nguyen 2007 positive, Morris & Kwan 0-1 (diluted). Clogging; conflict noted.
- Octyl Palmitate Human trial in 15 men — comedones rose 365% in 4 weeks; Fulton 1989 scored it 4 of 5.
- Octyl Stearate Flagged by acne clinics. Never tested by anyone — and Fulton tested its close relatives and found them clean.
- Stearyl Heptanoate Ester emollient flagged by legacy rabbit-ear assays.
Emulsifiers 9
- Glyceryl Stearate Very common emulsifier; the plain (non-SE) form is widely considered non-comedogenic.
- Glyceryl Stearate SE The self-emulsifying (SE) form scores moderate; plain glyceryl stearate rates low.
- Lecithin No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate Branched diisostearate emulsifier (common in balms/makeup) flagged by acne-community lists.
- Polysorbate 20 Fulton 1989 scored 0 and Morris and Kwan 0 at 1% aqueous — different exposures, same digit.
- Polysorbate 80 Mild solubilizer/emulsifier; non-comedogenic.
- Propylene Glycol Monostearate Fulton 1984 printed 4 of 5, positive under its key; Fulton 1989 printed 0-3.
- Sorbitan Oleate Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 3 of 5 — borderline under his own key, not positive. One reading.
- Triethanolamine Fulton 1989 scored 2 of 5 — borderline under his key, not the 0 or 1 the charts print.
Actives 7
- Azelaic Acid AAD 2024 conditionally recommends it for acne; a 1989 trial counted comedones directly.
- Bakuchiol No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Benzoyl Peroxide AAD 2024 STRONGLY recommends applying it to acne-prone skin. Not a comedogenicity assay.
- Colloidal Sulfur Fulton 1984 printed colloidal sulfur 3 of 5 — positive under the 1984 key.
- Niacinamide No comedogenicity assay we can find, in either direction. The 0 on the charts is not a measurement.
- Retinol No assay we can find. The AAD's recommended retinoids are prescription drugs, not this.
- Salicylic Acid AAD 2024 conditionally recommends it for acne. Comedolytic, which is the opposite of clogging.
Humectants 7
- Butylene Glycol Common humectant/solvent; non-comedogenic.
- Glycerin Humectant with a strong safety record; not associated with clogging pores.
- Panthenol Humectant/soothing agent; non-comedogenic.
- Propylene Glycol Common humectant/solvent; non-comedogenic.
- Sodium Hyaluronate Lightweight humectant; no comedogenic concern on record.
- Sodium PCA Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5 — one reading, not a set of assays.
- Sorbitol Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5; no second assay we can find.
Minerals & pigments 7
- Bentonite Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5, in one carrier; no second reading we can find.
- Iron Oxides Fulton 1989 scored 0 and Fulton 1984 0-1 of 5 — two readings, one programme.
- Kaolin Fulton 1989 scored 0 and Fulton 1984 1 of 5, each below its own paper line.
- Sodium Chloride No assay we can find. The famous 5 is in no paper we hold, and never was.
- Talc Mineral filler used in powders; low comedogenic risk.
- Titanium Dioxide Fulton 1989 scored 0 and Fulton 1984 0-1 of 5 — two readings, one programme.
- Zinc Oxide Mineral UV filter / soothing agent; low clog risk.
Ethoxylates (PEGs & polysorbates) 6
- Laureth-23 Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 3 of 5 - borderline by his own key, not positive. One reading, no human data.
- Laureth-4 Exact Fulton 1989 row at 5 of 5; Fulton 1984 read it 4 of 5 diluted. One investigator, no replication.
- Oleth-3 Ethoxylated oleyl alcohol, nominally ~3 EO units; Fulton 1989 scored 5 in one experiment.
- PEG-100 Stearate Very common PEG emulsifier (usually paired with glyceryl stearate); rated non-comedogenic.
- PPG-5 Ceteth-10 Phosphate Ethoxylated/propoxylated phosphate emulsifier with a high legacy clog score.
- Steareth-10 Ethoxylated stearyl alcohol flagged comedogenic by acne-community lists.
Fatty acids 5
- Capric Acid Borderline 2 of 5 in Fulton 1989. Kanaar 1971, no scale, found moderate follicular keratosis.
- Lauric Acid The highest-scoring straight-chain fatty acid in the legacy assay. No study isolates it.
- Myristic Acid Fulton printed 3 of 5, borderline on his own key; Kanaar 1971 found no distinct alterations.
- Palmitic Acid Fulton 1989 scored 2 of 5 — borderline under his own published key.
- Stearic Acid Fulton 1989 printed 2-3 of 5, borderline under his key; Table III gives 0 and 2 by vehicle.
Fatty alcohols 5
- Cetearyl Alcohol Fulton 1989 scored 2 of 5 — borderline under his own key. A blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols.
- Cetyl Alcohol Fulton 1989 scored 2, borderline under his key; Fulton 1984 scored 3, positive under its own.
- Isocetyl Alcohol Branched C16 alcohol mixture; Fulton 1989 scored 4 in one three-rabbit experiment.
- Oleyl Alcohol Large unsaturated fatty alcohol flagged comedogenic by legacy assays.
- Stearyl Alcohol Fulton 1989 scored 2 of 5 — borderline under his own key, and the only reading we hold.
Lanolin & derivatives 5
- Acetylated Lanolin Fulton 1989 scored it 0; the famous 4 is the ALCOHOL's; his 1984 table, now read, scores the plain ester 4.
- Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol Pore-clogging undiluted; the lanolin material the positive score really belongs to.
- Isopropyl Lanolate Morris & Kwan 1983 graded it 3 of 5, neat, in the rabbit ear. One assay, no replication.
- Lanolin Wool-derived occlusive. The assay scored it a non-finding; the Caution is for its variability.
- PEG-16 Lanolin Ethoxylated lanolin. Scored positive, though Fulton blamed its non-lanolin co-ingredients.
Preservatives 5
- Caprylyl Glycol No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Methylparaben Common preservative; no comedogenic concern on record.
- Phenoxyethanol No assay we can find. Fulton's nearby 0 is phenoxyethyl PARABEN, a different material.
- Propylparaben Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5, one of three paraben rows all reading 0.
- Sodium Benzoate No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
Botanical extracts 4
- Allantoin Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5; no second assay we can find.
- Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Centella Asiatica Extract No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Tea Tree Oil No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
Hydrocarbons 4
- Hydrogenated Polyisobutene Synthetic emollient (common lightweight mineral-oil alternative); low comedogenic risk.
- Mineral Oil Fulton 1989 printed 0-2 of 5; the top of that range touches his borderline band.
- Petrolatum Once assumed comedogenic. Two independent human studies since have found nothing.
- Squalane Lightweight, stable emollient that mimics skin lipids; non-comedogenic. (Not the same as squalene.)
Algae & seaweed 3
- Algae Extract Cautioned by acne clinics on no published basis. The INCI label was retired in 2015.
- Algin Seaweed thickener, flagged by acne clinics. Never tested for comedogenicity by anyone.
- Carrageenan Seaweed thickener, flagged by acne clinics. Never tested for comedogenicity by anyone.
Antioxidants 3
- Ascorbic Acid No assay we can find, and no comedogenic concern on record.
- Ascorbyl Palmitate Fat-soluble vitamin-C ester; the palmitate portion carries a low-to-moderate legacy clog score.
- Tocopherol Fulton 1989 printed a source-dependent 0-3 of 5, topping out in his borderline band.
Butters 3
- Cocoa Butter Rich occlusive butter. Two rabbit assays score it near the top; the two human studies disagree.
- Coconut Butter Hydrogenated coconut fat, lauric-rich. This is the material the rabbit assay actually scored.
- Shea Butter Rich butter, well tolerated, and never assayed by anyone. The Clear rests on an absence.
Silicones 3
- Cyclopentasiloxane No assay of D5 we can find; the 0 belongs to cyclomethicone, an umbrella term.
- Dimethicone Breathable silicone; broadly regarded as non-comedogenic.
- Simethicone Silicone (dimethicone + silica); breathable and non-comedogenic.
Waxes 3
- Beeswax Structuring wax. Fulton 1989 printed 0-2* on 0-5, and by his own key the 2 is borderline.
- Candelilla Wax Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 1 of 5 — not significant under his own key.
- Carnauba Wax Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 1 of 5, printed as Carnuba wax — not significant under his key.
Surfactants 2
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate Milder surfactant than SLS, and usually rinsed off, which lowers real-world risk.
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate Surfactant, usually rinse-off. Rabbit assays disagree — Fulton 1984 = 5, 1976 = 3/4, Morris & Kwan = 0.
Solvents 1
- Water No assay we can find. Nobody thought it worth testing, and we will not pretend otherwise.
Sterols 1
- Cholesterol Fulton 1989 rabbit ear 0 of 5; the six sterol-named rows all read 0.