Every flagged ingredient comes with its comedogenic rating (0–5) plus a simple breakdown so you actually understand what’s going on with your skin.
Note: *Make sure to check the ingredients yourself and compare to our list
| Ingredient | Aliases | Comedogenic Rating (0-5) | Why It Can Clog Pores |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acetylated Lanolin | acetylated lanolin | 4 | Heavy and waxy—this one can sit on your skin and keep everything trapped underneath. |
| Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol | acetylated lanolin alcohol | 4 | Lanolin-based and rich—feels conditioning, clogs like it’s paid to. |
| Algae Extract | algae extract | 5 | Algae sounds fancy but your pores don’t agree—this one is breakout bait. |
| Algin | algin | 4 | Sea-derived thickener that can quietly contribute to congestion. |
| Beeswax | beeswax; cera alba; white wax | 2 | Forms a seal over skin—can trap oil and debris if you're clog-prone. |
| Bismuth | bismuth | 2 | Usually there for texture, but it can feel heavy on breakout-prone skin. |
| Bismuth Oxychloride | bismuth oxychloride | 3 | Common in makeup for shimmer and slip, but pores are not always amused. |
| Butyl Stearate | butyl stearate | 3 | A fatty ester that makes formulas feel smooth while pores slowly get crowded. |
| Carrageenan | carrageenan; chondrus crispus; irish moss; carageenan moss | 5 | Sneaky seaweed thickener that clogs like it has a personal vendetta. |
| Ceteareth-20 | ceteareth-20; ceteareth 20 | 2 | An emulsifier that can be a little too much for easily congested skin. |
| Cetearyl Alcohol | cetearyl alcohol | 2 | A fatty alcohol, not a drying one—but still richer than some acne-prone skin likes. |
| Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20 | cetearyl alcohol + ceteareth 20; cetearyl alcohol + ceteareth-20; cetearyl alcohol/ceteareth-20; cetearyl alcohol/ceteareth 20; cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth-20; cetearyl alcohol and ceteareth 20 | 4 | This combo is where things get messier. Together, it can be a lot for clog-prone skin. |
| Cetyl Acetate | cetyl acetate | 3 | Waxy and smoothing, but it can overstay its welcome inside pores. |
| Chlorella | chlorella | 5 | Another algae-family ingredient with breakout energy. |
| Coal Tar | coal tar | 5 | Very heavy, very occlusive, very not what clogged pores are asking for. |
| Cocoa Butter | cocoa butter; theobroma cacao butter; theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter; theobroma cacao cocoa butter; theobroma cacao seed butter | 4 | Rich and dreamy until it’s sitting on your face like a pore-plugging blanket. |
| Coconut Alkanes | coconut alkanes | 4 | Coconut-derived and often sold as lightweight, but your pores may strongly disagree. |
| Coconut Butter | coconut butter | 4 | Buttery, rich, and not shy about trapping buildup. |
| Coconut Oil | coconut oil; cocos nucifera oil; cocos nucifera (coconut) oil; cocos nucifera coconut oil | 5 | Pore-clogging queen. Great marketing, terrible behavior on acne-prone skin. |
| Colloidal Sulfur | colloidal sulfur | 1 | More treatment-coded than clogging, but it can still be irritating in the wrong formula. |
| Cotton Seed Oil | cotton seed oil; cottonseed oil; gossypium herbaceum (cotton) seed oil; gossypium herbaceum cotton seed oil; gossypium herbaceum seed oil | 3 | A filler-style oil that can feel heavier than your pores signed up for. |
| Corn Oil | corn oil; zea mays (corn) oil; zea mays corn oil; zea mays oil | 3 | An emollient oil that can quietly add to congestion over time. |
| D & C Red # 3 | d & c red # 3; d&c red #3; d and c red #3; d&c red no. 3; d & c red no. 3 | 3 | Cute color, not-so-cute pore behavior. |
| D & C Red # 17 | d & c red # 17; d&c red #17; d and c red #17; d&c red no. 17; d & c red no. 17 | 3 | A dye your formula may love more than your skin does. |
| D & C Red # 21 | d & c red # 21; d&c red #21; d and c red #21; d&c red no. 21; d & c red no. 21 | 3 | Another synthetic dye that can bring extra irritation and congestion to the party. |
| D & C Red # 30 | d & c red # 30; d&c red #30; d and c red #30; d&c red no. 30; d & c red no. 30 | 3 | Pretty pigment, messy consequences. |
| D & C Red # 36 | d & c red # 36; d&c red #36; d and c red #36; d&c red no. 36; d & c red no. 36 | 3 | A color additive that can be more trouble than it is worth for acne-prone skin. |
| Decyl Oleate | decyl oleate | 3 | Silky-feeling ester that can leave pores feeling stuffed. |
| Dioctyl Succinate | dioctyl succinate | 3 | An emollient ester that can slowly build up where you least want it. |
| Disodium Monooleamido | disodium monooleamido | 3 | Mostly there for formula performance, but still capable of congesting skin. |
| Ethoxylated Lanolin | ethoxylated lanolin | 4 | Modified lanolin is still very much lanolin energy—rich, clingy, and porey. |
| Ethylhexyl Palmitate | ethylhexyl palmitate | 4 | Feels lightweight, behaves like pore glue. |
| Glyceryl Stearate SE | glyceryl stearate se | 3 | Important: only the SE version is the issue. Regular glyceryl stearate is not the same thing. |
| Glyceryl-3 Diisostearate | glyceryl-3 diisostearate; glyceryl 3 diisostearate | 4 | A rich ester that makes formulas feel luxe while pores quietly suffer. |
| Hexadecyl Alcohol | hexadecyl alcohol | 2 | A fatty alcohol that can be fine for some, but clog-prone skin may disagree. |
| Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil | hydrogenated vegetable oil | 3 | Basically stabilized heavy oil energy—not always ideal if you clog easily. |
| Isocetyl Alcohol | isocetyl alcohol | 4 | Not the same as cetyl alcohol. This one deserves more suspicion. |
| Isocetyl Stearate | isocetyl stearate | 5 | Silky finish, brutal pore behavior. |
| Isodecyl Oleate | isodecyl oleate | 4 | A smoothing ester that can turn into buildup city. |
| Isopropyl Isostearate | isopropyl isostearate | 5 | Looks harmless on a label, sells you out in real life. |
| Isopropyl Linolate | isopropyl linolate | 4 | Rich and emollient—sometimes a little too rich for breakout-prone skin. |
| Isopropyl Myristate | isopropyl myristate | 5 | If breakouts had a best friend, it would be this ingredient. |
| Isopropyl Palmitate | isopropyl palmitate | 5 | Absorbs fast, clogs faster. |
| Isostearyl Isostearate | isostearyl isostearate | 5 | Very rich ester energy. Pores do not stand a chance. |
| Isostearyl Neopentanoate | isostearyl neopentanoate | 3 | Used for softness and slip, but it can add to congestion over time. |
| Jojoba Wax | jojoba wax | 2 | Less alarming than some oils, but still waxy enough to add buildup. |
| Kelp | kelp | 5 | Seaweed by another name. Same breakout baggage. |
| Laminaria Digitata Extract | laminaria digitata extract | 5 | An algae-derived ingredient your pores may wish stayed in the ocean. |
| Laminaria Saccharina Extract | laminaria saccharina extract | 5 | Another seaweed-family ingredient that can make acne-prone skin act up. |
| Laminaria Saccharine | laminaria saccharine | 5 | Different spelling, same algae problem. |
| Laureth-23 | laureth-23; laureth 23 | 3 | A surfactant that can sometimes lean irritating or congestive. |
| Laureth-4 | laureth-4; laureth 4 | 4 | One of the more acne-triggering surfactants. Not your skin’s friend. |
| Lauric Acid | lauric acid | 4 | Yes it has antimicrobial cred, but it can still be too cloggy for many. |
| Mink Oil | mink oil | 4 | Very heavy oil energy. Your pores did not ask for this. |
| Myristic Acid | myristic acid | 3 | A fatty acid that can push already-congested skin over the edge. |
| Myristyl Lactate | myristyl lactate | 4 | A richer ester that can feel elegant in a formula and chaotic in a pore. |
| Myristyl Myristate | myristyl myristate | 5 | Waxy, heavy, and very committed to clogging. |
| Octyl Palmitate | octyl palmitate | 4 | Smooth texture for the product, traffic jam for your pores. |
| Octyl Stearate | octyl stearate | 4 | Another silky-feeling ester that can slowly back things up. |
| Oleth-3 | oleth-3; oleth 3 | 3 | A formula helper that can still be too much for clog-prone skin. |
| Oleyl Alcohol | oleyl alcohol | 3 | A fatty alcohol that can add softness and congestion at the same time. |
| PEG 2 Sulfosuccinate | peg 2- sulfosuccinate; peg 2 sulfosuccinate; peg-2 sulfosuccinate | 2 | Lower on the clog scale, but still worth flagging if you want a strict checker. |
| PEG 16 Lanolin | peg 16 lanolin; peg-16 lanolin | 4 | Lanolin in a modified outfit is still lanolin. |
| PEG 200 Dilaurate | peg 200 dilaurate; peg-200 dilaurate | 3 | Can help a formula behave while still adding to buildup. |
| PEG 8 Stearate | peg 8 stearate; peg-8 stearate | 3 | Another stearate-based ingredient that can be less pore-friendly than it sounds. |
| PG Monostearate | pg monostearate | 3 | Texture helper, pore irritant. Tough combo. |
| PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate | ppg 2 myristyl propionate; ppg-2 myristyl propionate | 4 | A richer emollient that can absolutely become a clogging issue. |
| Plankton | plankton | 5 | Marine extract, same headache. |
| Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate | polyglyceryl-3 diisostearate; polyglyceryl 3 diisostearate | 4 | A rich emulsifier that can leave pores feeling full. |
| Potassium Chloride | potassium chloride | 1 | More of a stabilizer than a true clogger, but included for a strict checker. |
| Propylene Glycol Monostearate | propylene glycol monostearate | 4 | An emollient-thickener combo that can be too much for breakout-prone skin. |
| Red Algae | red algae | 5 | Algae in a different outfit is still algae. |
| Seaweed | seaweed | 5 | Broad marine ingredient bucket with a long history of making pores unhappy. |
| Shark Liver Oil | shark liver oil | 4 | A very heavy oil that can feel nourishing while quietly backing up pores. |
| Shea Butter | shea butter; butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter; butyrospermum parkii shea butter; butyrospermum parkii butter | 3 | Nourishing for some, but acne-prone skin can experience it more like a traffic jam. |
| Sodium Laureth Sulfate | sodium laureth sulfate | 1 | More irritating than clogging, but still not especially kind to a stressed barrier. |
| Sodium Lauryl Sulfate | sodium lauryl sulfate | 1 | Harsh cleanser energy. Not a major clogger, but it can make skin angrier. |
| Solulan 16 | solulan 16; solulan-16 | 4 | A lanolin derivative with real clogging potential. |
| Sorbitan Oleate | sorbitan oleate | 3 | An emulsifier that can contribute to congestion, especially in richer formulas. |
| Soybean Oil | soybean oil; soyabean oil; glycine soja (soybean) oil; glycine soja soybean oil; glycine soja oil | 4 | Usually there as a cheaper emollient, but it can feel pretty heavy on acne-prone skin. |
| Spirulina | spirulina | 5 | Health-food halo, breakout energy. |
| Steareth-10 | steareth-10; steareth 10 | 3 | A formula helper that can still end up being a little too much for easily clogged pores. |
| Stearic Acid Tea | stearic acid tea; tea-stearic acid; tea stearic acidstearyl heptanoate | 3 | A fatty-acid-related ingredient that can add richness and pore buildup. |
| Stearyl Heptanoate | stearyl heptanoate | 3 | An emollient ester that can make formulas feel smoother while pores get less thrilled. |
| Sulfated Castor Oil | sulfated castor oil; turkey red oil | 3 | Modified oil, same basic issue—it can still contribute to congestion. |
| Sulfated Jojoba Oil | sulfated jojoba oil | 3 | Not the most famous clogger, but still too much for some breakout-prone skin. |
| Wheat Germ Oil | wheat germ oil; wheat germ glyceride; triticum vulgare (wheat) germ oil; triticum vulgare wheat germ oil; triticum vulgare germ oil | 5 | Top-tier pore clogger. Hard no if you break out easily. |
| Xylene | xylene | 1 | More of an irritation concern than a pore-clogger, but definitely not skin-friendly. |
| Olive Oil | Olive Oil | 3 | Nourishing on paper, but for clog-prone skin it can feel heavy fast and quietly contribute to congestion. |
| Olea Europaea Fruit Oil | Olea Europaea Fruit Oil | 3 | Olive oil under its formal name. Same rich energy, same potential pore drama. |
| Olive Butter | Olive Butter | 4 | Olive oil made richer and thicker. Great for dry skin, not always for breakout-prone pores. |
| Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters | Olive Oil PEG-7 Esters | 2 | Modified olive derivative that may be lighter, but still worth flagging in a strict checker. |
| Shea | Shea | 3 | Usually shorthand for shea butter. Nourishing, but can sit heavy on some acne-prone skin. |
| Shea Butter | Shea Butter | 3 | Moisturizing favorite for some, traffic jam for others. Depends on your pores. |
| Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | Butyrospermum Parkii Butter | 3 | Shea butter’s government name. Same richness, same possible congestion. |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter | 3 | Just shea butter in full INCI form. |
| Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract | Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter Extract | 2 | Usually lighter than raw butter, but still worth noting. |
| Shea Nut Oil | Shea Nut Oil | 3 | A softer shea derivative that can still be too rich for some clog-prone skin. |
| Avocado Oil | Avocado Oil | 3 | Nutrient-rich and moisturizing, but richer oils can be risky if you clog easily. |
| Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil | Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil | 3 | Avocado oil in disguise. Same nourishing, same pore gamble. |
| Avocado Butter | Avocado Butter | 4 | Extra rich avocado derivative that can overstay its welcome in pores. |
| Apricot Oil | Apricot Oil | 2 | Lighter than some oils, but still not a guaranteed win for breakout-prone skin. |
| Apricot Kernel Oil | Apricot Kernel Oil | 2 | Often gentler than richer oils, though some skin still gets congested. |
| Apricot | Apricot | 2 | Usually referring to apricot-derived oil/extract. Worth flagging. |
| Argan Oil | Argan Oil | 2 | Often tolerated better than heavier oils, but still not universal acne-safe magic. |
| Babassu Oil | Babassu Oil | 3 | Coconut-adjacent vibes. Can feel light but may clog reactive skin. |
| Baobab Oil | Baobab Oil | 2 | Less notorious than coconut or olive, but still an emollient oil worth monitoring. |
| Beef Tallow | Beef Tallow | 4 | Animal fat trend or not, it’s rich, occlusive, and not always breakout-friendly. |
| Tallow | Tallow | 4 | Same issue: heavy lipid energy that can back up pores. |
| Black Kelp | Black Kelp | 5 | Kelp by another name. Marine ingredients can be sneaky congestion triggers. |
| Blue Algae | Blue Algae | 5 | Algae family ingredient with breakout-prone skin side-eye. |
| Blue Green Algae | Blue Green Algae | 5 | Sounds wellness-coded, behaves like algae-coded. Worth avoiding if clog-prone. |
| Borage Oil | Borage Oil | 2 | Sometimes loved for barrier support, but oils are never one-size-fits-all. |
| Brazil Nut Oil | Brazil Nut Oil | 3 | Rich nut oil that may be too much for already congested skin. |
| Buriti Oil | Buriti Oil | 3 | Deeply nourishing, deeply rich. Some pores may file complaints. |
| Cacao Seed Butter | Cacao Seed Butter | 4 | Cocoa butter adjacent. Rich, buttery, and potentially pore-stuffing. |
| Camelina Oil | Camelina Oil | 2 | Not top-tier clogger territory, but still an oil worth flagging for sensitive users. |
| Canola Oil | Canola Oil | 3 | Cheap filler-oil energy that can feel heavier than expected. |
| Carrot Seed Oil | Carrot Seed Oil | 2 | Usually lower concern, but oils can still tip skin into congestion. |
| Coconut | Coconut | 5 | If it’s vague coconut wording, caution is justified. Coconut family ingredients can be risky. |
| Coconut Extract | Coconut Extract | 3 | Depends on type and concentration, but worth flagging due to coconut source. |
| Coconut Fruit | Coconut Fruit | 3 | Coconut source ingredient. Not always raw oil, but still worth noting. |
| Cocos Nucifera | Cocos Nucifera | 5 | Coconut by its legal name. Your pores know exactly who this is. |
| Cocos Nucifera Oil | Cocos Nucifera Oil | 5 | Coconut oil in formalwear. Same behavior. |
| Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil | 5 | Same story, same clog risk. |
| Cocos Nucifera Seed Butter | Cocos Nucifera Seed Butter | 4 | Coconut-derived butter with richer, heavier energy. |
| Cottonseed Oil | Cottonseed Oil | 3 | Heavier utility oil that can quietly add buildup. |
| Cranberry Seed Oil | Cranberry Seed Oil | 2 | Sometimes tolerated, but still an oil and not a free pass. |
| Evening Primrose Oil | Evening Primrose Oil | 2 | Barrier-supportive for some, congestion trigger for others. |
| Flax Oil | Flax Oil | 3 | Nutritious in smoothies, less exciting inside pores. |
| Flaxseed Oil | Flaxseed Oil | 3 | Same rich omega-heavy energy that some skin dislikes. |
| Linseed Oil | Linseed Oil | 3 | Flax by another name. Same potential congestion issue. |
| Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil | Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Oil | 3 | Full INCI name for flax/linseed oil. Worth flagging. |
| Kukui Nut Oil | Kukui Nut Oil | 3 | Rich tropical oil that may not play nicely with clog-prone skin. |
| Kukui Oil | Kukui Oil | 3 | Same issue, shorter name. |
| Lanolin Oil | Lanolin Oil | 4 | Lanolin family remains lanolin family. Rich, clingy, suspicious. |
| Lauryl Alcohol | Lauryl Alcohol | 2 | Can be more irritating than clogging, but still not ideal for reactive skin. |
| Lauryl Olivate | Lauryl Olivate | 3 | Olive-derived fatty ingredient that can be richer than it sounds. |
| Mango Butter | Mango Butter | 3 | Loved for softness, but rich butters are never universally acne-safe. |
| Mineral Oil | Mineral Oil | 2 | More debated than demonized. Occlusive and heavy-feeling for some users. |
| Neem Oil | Neem Oil | 2 | Strong-smelling plant oil that some love, but still an oil. |
| Palm Kernel Oil | Palm Kernel Oil | 4 | Richer than palm oil and more likely to feel pore-heavy. |
| Palm Oil | Palm Oil | 3 | Can be a bit much for acne-prone skin depending on formula load. |
| Palm Oil Butter | Palm Oil Butter | 4 | Concentrated rich butter version. Pores may object. |
| Peach Kernel Oil | Peach Kernel Oil | 2 | Generally lighter, but still an emollient oil worth watching. |
| Peanut Oil | Peanut Oil | 3 | Rich nut oil that can feel heavy and congestive for some skin. |
| PEG-100 Distearate | PEG-100 Distearate | 2 | Texture helper with stearate roots. Not top offender, but worth flagging. |
| PEG-150 Distearate | PEG-150 Distearate | 2 | Similar story: emulsifier with possible buildup potential. |
| Prunus Dulcis Oil | Prunus Dulcis Oil | 3 | Sweet almond oil under a shorter label name. |
| Sweet Almond Oil | Sweet Almond Oil | 3 | Can be lovely for dry skin, less lovely for some acne-prone pores. |
| Sweet Almond Butter | Sweet Almond Butter | 4 | Thicker almond derivative with richer clog potential. |
| Pumpkin Seed Oil | Pumpkin Seed Oil | 2 | Sometimes tolerated, still an oil and not universally acne-safe. |
| Rapeseed Oil | Rapeseed Oil | 3 | Similar territory to canola. Functional, but not ideal for all skin. |
| Sesame | Sesame | 3 | Usually indicates sesame-derived oil/seed component. Worth caution. |
| Sesame Oil | Sesame Oil | 3 | Rich seed oil that can be too much for some breakout-prone skin. |
| Sesame Seed | Sesame Seed | 2 | Depends on format, but worth noting. |
| Shark Squalene | Shark Squalene | 2 | Different from squalane, but source-derived lipids can still be heavy for some. |
| Soy | Soy | 3 | Broad soy wording often means oil/derivative. Worth flagging. |
| Soy Oil | Soy Oil | 4 | Usually there as a cheaper emollient and can feel heavy fast. |
| Soy Protein | Soy Protein | 1 | More of a formula additive than classic clogger, but included for strictness. |
| Soybean | Soybean | 4 | Broad soybean wording often signals oil-based derivatives. |
| Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil | Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil | 4 | Soybean oil in formal INCI mode. Same issue. |
