Comedogenic Ingredient Checker
A comedogenic rating estimates how likely a cosmetic ingredient is to clog pores, on a 0-5 scale where 0 means non-comedogenic and 5 means highly pore-clogging. Paste the INCI list from any skincare or makeup label and this checker scores each ingredient against widely published reference ratings, flags the ones above your chosen threshold, and gives a plain verdict, Safe, Use caution, High risk, or Unknown, so acne-prone and breakout-prone skin can spot risky oils, butters and emollients at a glance.
How to check an ingredient list
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1
Paste the INCI list
Copy the ingredients straight from the product label, separated by commas or new lines.
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2
Pick a threshold
Flag at 3 and above for normal skin, or 2 and above if you are acne-prone.
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3
Read the verdicts
Each ingredient gets a 0-5 rating and a Safe / Use caution / High risk / Unknown label.
What the comedogenic scale means
The comedogenic scale rates an ingredient from 0 to 5 based on how likely it is to block pores and trigger comedones (whiteheads and blackheads). The ratings come from historical studies, many on rabbit-ear models and later patch testing, and are widely republished in dermatology and cosmetic references. Treat them as a general guide, not a guarantee: the finished formula, the ingredient’s concentration, and your own skin all change the real-world outcome.
| Rating | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Will not clog pores | Shea butter, glycerin, squalane, argan oil |
| 1 | Low | Mineral oil, castor oil, hemp seed oil |
| 2 | Moderately low | Jojoba oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil |
| 3 | Moderate | Avocado oil, sesame oil, glyceryl stearate |
| 4 | High | Coconut oil, cocoa butter, lanolin, lauric acid |
| 5 | Very high | Isopropyl myristate, wheat germ oil, algae extract |
Worked example
Say a moisturiser lists: Coconut Oil, Glycerin, Shea Butter, Isopropyl Myristate. With the acne-prone threshold set to 2, coconut oil (4) and isopropyl myristate (5) are flagged High risk, while glycerin (0) and shea butter (0) come back Safe. Two of four ingredients sit above the threshold, so this formula is worth a second look if you break out easily.
Pitfalls to keep in mind
- Order and concentration matter. Ingredients are listed by decreasing amount; a high-rated oil near the end of the list is usually less of a concern than one near the top.
- Ratings vary between sources. Mineral oil is often cited anywhere from 0 to 2 depending on grade and the study used. Use the number as a flag to research further, not a final verdict.
- Non-comedogenic is not the same as non-irritating. An ingredient can score 0 and still cause redness, stinging or an allergy for you.
- Unknown is not Safe. If an ingredient is not in the reference set it shows as Unknown, it simply has no published rating here, so check the brand or a dermatologist.
Frequently Asked Questions
It estimates how likely an ingredient is to clog pores: 0 means it should not clog pores at all, and 5 means it is very likely to. The numbers are general references drawn from published studies, not a measurement of your specific skin.
For most skin, flagging ingredients rated 3 and above is a reasonable cut-off. If you are acne-prone or break out easily, lower the threshold to 2 and above to be more cautious.
It is not in the reference list of rated ingredients, so there is no published comedogenic value to show. Unknown does not mean safe or unsafe, it just means we cannot score it here. Check the brand or a dermatologist for guidance.
The ingredient list is sent to our server so each ingredient can be checked against the built-in rating table, and it is not stored afterwards. In the step-by-step mode the list is also carried in the page link. This tool provides general information only and is not medical advice; individual reactions vary, so consult a dermatologist for personal skin concerns.
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