Do not ever put anything on your skin or your hair without checking the ingredients first, even if it says “won’t clog pores” or “noncomedogenic” on the bottle. No government agency oversees this so skincare companies can claim their products promote clear skin and have pore cloggers in their ingredient deck.

** Natural oils can be some of the worst offenders like cocoa butter and coconut oil which are found in many “organic” skin care lines.

Other oils such as jojoba, olive and lanolin are mildly comedogenic and can be a problem if formulated with other comedogenic ingredients. Some prescription products like the cream form of Retin A have pore cloggers. Many over-the-counter acne medications also have pore clogging ingredients.

“Oil-free” products can be comedogenic.

These are all ingredients that can aggravate acne.

Makeup

The best makeup is one that does not contain comedogenic ingredients. Loose powder, mineral make-up tends to be the safest choice but still should be checked.

Bare Minerals Original Formula loose powder foundation is a safe choice; however the newer Bare Minerals Matte is NOT a safe choice – it contains ActiveSoil Complex that is causing breakouts for most users.

Any pressed or liquid products also should be checked for pore-clogging ingredients. We do not recommend any of the pressed Bare Minerals blushes, bronzers or veils.

INGREDIENT
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