Pore-Clogging Ingredients in Skin Care

Before using any new products on your hair or skin, be sure to check the ingredients first – even if the bottle says “won’t clog pores” or “noncomedogenic.” Government agencies don’t oversee this process, so often skincare companies will claim that their products promote clear skin while the ingredients actually contain many pore-clogging elements.

Natural oils such as jojoba, olive and lanolin are mildly comedogenic and can be a problem if formulated with other comedogenic ingredients. While others like cocoa butter and coconut oil are the worst offenders and often found in many organic skin care lines.

Prescription products such as Retin A cream, over-the-counter acne medications, and even “oil-free” acne products can contain pore-clogging ingredients.

These are all products that can aggravate acne and cause breakouts:

Acetylated Lanolin
Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
Algae Extract
Algin
Butyl Stearate
Carrageenan
Cetyl Acetate
Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20
Chondrus Crispus (aka Irish Moss or Carageenan Moss)
Chlorella
Coal Tar
Cocoa Butter
Coconut Alkanes
Coconut Butter
Coconut Oil
Colloidal Sulfur
Cotton Awws Oil
Cotton Seed Oil
D & C Red # 17 (can also be listed without D&C)
D & C Red # 21 (can also be listed without D&C)
D & C Red # 3 (can also be listed without D&C)
D & C Red # 30 (can also be listed without D&C)
D & C Red # 36 (can also be listed without D&C)
Decyl Oleate
Dioctyl Succinate
Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfosuccinate
Ethoxylated Lanolin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Glyceryl Stearate SE
Glyceryl-3-Diisostearate
Hexadecyl Alcohol
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Isocetyl Alcohol
Isocetyl Stearate
Isodecyl Oleate
Isopropyl Isostearate
Isopropyl Linolate
Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Isostearyl Isostearate
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Kelp
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Laminaria Saccharina Extract (Laminaria Saccharine)
Laureth-23
Laureth-4
Lauric Acid
Mink Oil
Myristic Acid
Myristyl Lactate
Myristyl Myristate
Octyl Palmitate
Octyl Stearate
Oleth-3
Oleyl Alcohol
PEG 16 Lanolin
PEG 200 Dilaurate
PEG 8 Stearate
PG Monostearate
PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate
Plankton
Polyglyceryl-3-Diisostearate
Potassium Chloride
Propylene Glycol Monostearate
Red Algae
Seaweed
Sea Whip Extract
Shark Liver Oil (Squalene)
Shea Butter
Sodium Chloride (Salt)
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Solulan 16
Sorbitan Oleate
Soybean Oil
Spirulina
Steareth 10
Stearic Acid Tea
Stearyl Heptanoate
Sulfated Castor Oil
Sulfated Jojoba Oil
Wheat Germ Glyceride
Wheat Germ Oil
Xylene