Oil-free, non-comedogenic, and Dermatologist-tested are all phrases I used to look for when I’d buy products to help with my acne. By reading The Beauty Bible – Paula Begoun,
I found several sites that listed ingredients that could clog your pores or irritate your skin. I cross-referenced the ingredients to the products I was currently using and found almost every single one of them had either extremely pore-clogging (comedogenic) ingredients, or irritating ingredients. Even “acne” products had both irritating ingredients, and pore-cloggers, thus making my skin extra dry, and extra breakout-prone. From my estimate, 75% of the products on the market could potentially clog my pores. Now some people can use any product they want and they won’t have problems, but I can’t, and neither can anyone that is prone to acne. Here are the fabulous websites I found, from which I compiled a spreadsheet of ingredients to avoid: Zero Zits – become an acne detective, Comedogenic effects of cosmetic raw materials, DERMADoctor – Comedogenicity, Skin care ingredients to avoid, and there was one other site I referenced that is now gone. After checking out all my products for their ingredients, I threw them all out, except for maybe one or two, and I started over. Some of the sites contradict themselves a little bit, and not every bad ingredient out there is on the list, but below is the list I compiled. Here is how to read it: An ingredient is based on a scale of 0 (meaning it won’t clog your pores at all) to 5 (meaning it will clog your pores a lot). Anything that is a 3, 4, or 5 is an ingredient to avoid, if it’s listed as one of the first 8 or so ingredients in a product. I have listed a few ingredients that will not clog your pores, however their names are similar to ingredients that will, so they are just there for reference. When I first went over the Zero Zits list, I tried not to buy any products that were even listed with a 2 for comedogenicity, but it was nearly impossible to find anything that met that criteria. If there is a second number listed by an ingredient, that is the number for how much the ingredient will irritate your skin. 0 (meaning not irritating at all) and 5 (extremely irritating). Again, avoid all ingredients listed 3, 4, or 5 for irritation.
Skin care ingredients to avoid if you have acne-prone skin:
0…5 Acetone
4 Acetylated Lanolin
4 Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol
0…5 Alcohol
0…5 Alcohol Denat.
5 Algae Extract
4 Algin
3 Butyl Stearate
2…3 Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
2…4 Cajeput Oil
1…3 Caprylic Acid
5 Carrageenan
4 Ceteareth 20
4 Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20
4 Cetyl Acetate
4 Cocoa Butter
4 Coconut Butter
4 Coconut Oil
3…4 Colloidal Sulfur
3 Cotton Awws Oil
3 Cotton Seed Oil
3 Crisco
3 D & C Red # 17
3 D & C Red # 21
3 D & C Red # 3
3 D & C Red # 30
3 D & C Red # 36
4 Decaglyceryl decaoleate
3 Decyl Oleate
3 Dioctyl Succinate
4 Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfo
3 Ethoxylated Lanolin
4 Ethylhexyl Palmitate
0…3 Flowers of Sulfur
2 Glyceryl Stearate
3 Glyceryl Stearate SE (NSE ok)
4 Glyceryl-3-Diisostearate
4 Grape seed oil
5 Hexadecyl Alcohol
3 Hexylene glycol
3 Hybrid safflower oil
4 Hydrogenated lanolin
3 Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
4 Isocetyl Alcohol
5 Isocetyl Stearate
4 Isodecyl Oleate
3 Isoparaffin C13-16
3 Isoparaffin C9-11
0…4 Isopropyl Alcohol
5 Isopropyl Isostearate
4 Isopropyl lanolate
5 Isopropyl Linolate
5 Isopropyl Myristate
4 Isopropyl Palmitate
4 Isostearic acid
3 Isostearyl alcohol
4 Isostearyl Isostearate
3 Isostearyl Neopentanoate
3 Laneth-10 acetate
5 Lanolic acid
2 Lanolin
2 Lanolin Alcohols
1 Lanolin Oil or Wax
3 Laureth -23
5 Laureth 4
4 Lauric Acid
0…4 Menthol
3 Mink Oil
5 Myreth 3 myristate
3 Myristic Acid
4 Myristyl Lactate
5 Myristyl Myristate
5 Myristyl propionate
3 Octyl dodecanol
4 Octyl Palmitate
5 Octyl Stearate
5 Oleic Acid
5 Oleth-3
4 Oleyl Alcohol
4 Peach kernel oil
4 PEG 16 Lanolin
3 PEG 200 Dilaurate
3 PEG 8 Stearate
3 PG Monostearate
4 Polyglyceryl-3-Diisostearate
5 Potassium Chloride
4 PPG 15 stearyl ether
4 PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate
4 PPG 5 Ceteth 19 Phosphate
4 Propylene Glycol Monostearate
2 Propylene glycol stearate
0 Propylene glycol
5 Red Algae
0…5 SD Alcohol 40
3 Shark Liver Oil
0…4 Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
5 Sodium Chloride (Salt)
3 Sodium Laureth Sulfate
5 Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
4 Solulan 16
3 Sorbitan Oleate
4 Sorbitan Sesquinoleate
3 Soybean Oil
4 Steareth 10
2 Stearic acid
3 Stearic Acid Tea
4 Stearyl Heptanoate
3 Sulfated Castor Oil
3 Sulfated Jojoba Oil
3 Sweet Almond Oil
4 Syearyl Heptanoate
0…3 Tridectyl Neopentanoate
3 Wheat Germ Glyceride
5 Wheat Germ Oil
4 Xylene
I know it’s a long list, but I printed it out, and would actually carry it around to the store with me. I’d also try to find the list of ingredients in a product I was interested in before I’d even go to the store to save time. Notice anything missing from the list? How about Mineral Oil. That ranks a 0 for being pore-clogging. Now there is all sorts of controversy about Mineral Oil, but I am not afraid to use it on my skin. On the list, you will find Sodium Laureth Sulfate and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Those are usually the main ingredients in shampoo, and I know some people use shampoo to wash their face. SD Alcohol 40, also known as Alcohol or Alcohol Denat, is a huge irritant, but it’s in most toners, and a lot of acne products. Isoproply Palmitate and Isopropyl Myristate are the main ingredients in a lot of moisturizers, and they are also huge pore-cloggers. There is a website that freaks me out because it claims that just about every ingredient in skin care products will give you cancer or cause some sort of horrible toxic reaction in your body: Environmental Working Group . At this point, I’m more worried about the harm from pollution, global warming, and second-hand smoke than I am about all the ingredients in products, but I should look more into what the EWG has to say.
Despite this list, I’ve still bought products I thought were “safe” that totally made my face breakout – La Roche-Posay Anthelios W Gel SPF 40 comes to mind. I have to assume it’s the actual sunscreen ingredient – Mexoryl XL – that causes the problem, but I don’t know for sure, which is why I didn’t put Mexoryl XL on the list. Finally, before I buy a product, I read reviews about it on MakeupAlley to see if a ton of people say something has made them breakout. I take reviews with a grain of salt, since every product listed will have at least one person say it gave them cystic acne. Overall, the great thing about this “list” is that it’s saved me a lot of skin problems and money in the long run since I don’t really have acne anymore, I’m now happy with most of the products I use, and most new wrinkle creams have pore-clogging ingredients, so there are few new products I even want to try.
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August 1st, 2007 at 7:32 am
You should definitely avoid the Isocetyl Alcohol… it’s found in a lot of mainstream products that are sold off the shelves.
August 4th, 2007 at 6:33 am
Wow, thanks for the heads up on skin products!
August 10th, 2007 at 4:43 am
The EWG is not a reliable source for your chemical information. The collect their data in such a way to scare people into thinking everything will give them cancer. A better source would be something like the CTFA (cosmetics, toiletries, and fragrance association). It’s where the EWG gets most of their data anyway.
August 10th, 2007 at 5:13 am
Thanks! That’s good to know! The EWG has me so scared, that I have told myself what they say can’t all be true! Pretty much every product I own is “horrible” according to them. I will check out CTFA. Thanks!
Jeni
August 20th, 2007 at 9:14 am
Thanks! this list is very helpful!
September 8th, 2007 at 8:31 am
This list is so helpful. Thank you for taking the time to compile it and post it. I’m glad I stumbled upon your site. At 41, I began suffering through the worst skin problems in my life. Differin, Yasmin and spiro seem to be my solutions, but avoiding aggravating chemicals will certainly help too.
September 16th, 2007 at 4:18 pm
Thanks for the great information. Your site is very helpful.
November 4th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
thank you! this helps a lot. A LOT!!
November 20th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Hey that was really helpful but it doesnt actually help if you are suffering from cosmetic acne and how to treat it… :S
November 20th, 2007 at 1:21 am
Hannah,
If you have acne caused by cosmetics, then you must eliminate all products that contain any of the ingredients I listed above. If your acne is solely caused by cosmetics or products, then that alone will solve the problem!
If your acne is not just caused by cosmetics, I have an article that I will be posting this week that will be a complete guide to get rid of acne.
December 8th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
The Jane Iredale pressed powder I just started using has algae extract as one of the ingredients. I’ve been getting little bumps under my skin, but I didn’t think it was caused by the foundation since there’s so much talk about how great mineral makeup is for you. I’m surprised that algae extract is on the list (and that it scored a 5!), since it’s in so many products marketed for acne-prone skin. I’ve always thought that it was one of those magical sea ingredients that was hydrating without clogging pores. Isn’t the entire Biotherm line based on algae extract?
Thanks for the list! It’s kind of scary list, because I’m pretty sure almost all of my skincare products has an ingredient or more from the list.
December 9th, 2007 at 3:18 am
Jen,
I didn’t realize Jane Iredale pressed powder has algae extract in it! That was the line of makeup we sold when I worked at the Medical Spa, and I remember it having Bismuth Oxychloride in it, which a lot of people have problems with. I have looked at its ingredients several times, but maybe I missed the algae extract. http://www.savvyskin.com/can-mineral-makeup-be-bad-for-your-skin is a post I wrote about mineral makeup. I know Prevage (the wrinkle cream) has algae extract in it too. I’m not sure about Biotherm.
That seems ridiculous that algae extract is in acne products. I have seen it in a few! When I was trying to get rid of my acne, I had to throw out almost every product I owned. For people that don’t have acne problems, or any problems with products irritating their skin, then they can ignore this list, but for everyone else, it makes sense to stay away from these ingredients.
December 26th, 2007 at 1:18 pm
So, What makeups are left to use that do not clog pores and cause more acne? I would love to know because I think my makeup is what causes me to breakout. And when I breakout I need makeup. So, It’s just a vicious cycle.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:50 am
Rebecca,
There is still lots of makeup out there that won’t clog pores, but it’s just a little harder to find! The only makeup I use on my skin right now are Maybelline Pure Makeup (a liquid) and Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder. If you look at this list, and check it against your current makeup, hopefully you will find some stuff that is safe to use that doesn’t contain these pore-clogging ingredients.
I haven’t looked for new makeup for a year or two, so I don’t know of that many “safe” makeups off the top of my head. What I did was decide if I wanted to use liquid or powder foundation, and then decided if I wanted to try drugstore stuff first, or start at Sephora or department stores. For drugstore products, you can look at drugstore.com and they list the ingredients of everything, so you can read it before you go to the store. For other products, you can go to Sephora and read the ingredients on the packages while you are there. I would estimate 20% of makeup is “safe” for acne-prone skin.
December 27th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Thanks for your info. I was using Maybelline Pure Makeup for a long time. But then I found a website that talked about makeup becoming contaminated with germs. And I noticed when I would buy that particular makeup that there is no seal or anyway to make sure it hasn’t been tried out in the store (Walmart). And alot of people do that because I noticed when I checked out certain ones that the bottle was pretty messy from the makeup that had been squeezed out of it by someone else.
December 30th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Well can someone pls reccomend a good facial moisturizer that is for very dry skin and doesnt cause ance?!?! names please!!
January 1st, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I have been a medical aesthetician for a dermatology/acne clinic that has been in business for over 25 years. The original founder of this clinic did ingredient research, and I just want to say GREAT JOB on publishing this site and ingredient reference list, you are correct. Also, keep in mind even if a product is 4-5, if it is at the bottom of the list, generally there is so little in the formula it usually isn’t a high enough concentration to cause a breakout. Still, try to avoid these ingredients if you can. I also search makeupalley.com, and I finally found the only foundation besides Mark Lees (which is really just bad foundation, it looks horrible on the skin) that is non pore clogging. It is from QVC.com, and it is called Diane Young foundation of youth. Hope this helps!
Kelly
January 2nd, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Kasey,
I would recommend Clinique Moisture On-line. It works great on my really dry skin, and it doesn’t clog my pores. I’ve been using it for several years and love it.
January 12th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Wow…with a list that long, there’s really no product you can buy on the shelves of any store. You would have to spend A LOT of time just searching. :(
I have used Clinique powder and happened to notice acne bumping up the very next day. I’m not sure if I’m allergic or if it’s the cosmetic acne effect this blog entry describes. I’ve never really used makeup, except for like 4 times in my life, literally.
I’ve seen the infomercials for Bare Minerals & Youthful Essence. Do you think they are worth the investment?
January 12th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Aquafina,
If you follow this guide and are able to get rid of your acne, then the good news is that you won’t get acne scars in the future. My acne red dots took about two years to go away, but it will probably be faster for most people. I don’t know the ingredients in the Clinique powder, but there’s a good chance it does contain ingredients that aggravate acne (since from my experience 75% of products make acne worse).
A lot of people like mineral makeup, and it is usually good for acne. However, for some people it does aggravate acne: http://www.savvyskin.com/can-mineral-makeup-be-bad-for-your-skin
January 25th, 2008 at 11:22 am
Is there a difference between cetyl alcohol and isocetyl alcohol? My face wash has the cetyl alcohol in it. Thanks!
January 25th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Marissa,
Yes there’s a difference between cetyl alcohol and isocetyl alcohol. If I remember correctly, cetyl alcohol is a 2 out of 5 when it comes to clogging pores, so I wouldn’t worry about it.
February 19th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
do you know anything about the ingredient Mica? I have been reading that cornsilk powder is really good, and its main ingredient is mica…
February 24th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Tory,
Mica is a mineral (I believe) and it’s usually used in products to give them shimmer. I haven’t included it on my list, but I tend to stay away from products that are based on cornstarch, since they can breed bacteria more easily than some makeup, and they are probably not best for acne for that reason. Cornstarch is sometimes used in powders, instead of talc.
February 25th, 2008 at 9:50 am
This article is very helpful. I have suffered from cosmedic acne for years. I also have dry skin and am having trouble finding a moisturizer that doesn’t cause breakouts. Do you know of any daily facial moisturizers that are free of the ingredients on your list? Thank-you so much!
February 26th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hi. What does it mean when it has 0….5 infront of the ingredient?? I have just bought clearasil pore cleansing pads & the 2nd ingredient on the tub is alcohol denat. Should i throw them out???
February 28th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Karen,
The first number (0) means on a scale of 0-5, it’s a 0 when it comes to clogging your pores. The second number is how irritating the ingredient is to your skin. Alcohol denat. is extremely irritating to your skin – it will dry it out, and just make your skin worse as a whole. I highly recommend staying away from products with alcohol denat. (or SD alcohol) because they will not help your skin at all.
It makes me so mad that companies make acne products with alcohol in them! If you are having problems with acne, have a look at http://www.savvyskin.com/guide-to-cure-acne
February 28th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Kris,
My favorite acne-safe moisturizers for dry skin are Clinique Moisture On-line, Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Cream, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, Nivea Creme, and Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask (which can also be used as a moisturizer).
March 1st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Hi Jeni, Can you recommend a good moisturizer and a good exfoliater for normal skin prone to breakouts?
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Ro,
The moisturizers I like for normal, acne-prone skin are: Clinique Moisture On-line, or Olay Regenerist Deep Hydration Cream. The Olay is light moisturizer, and the Clinique is a bit more hydrating.
A good weekly (or twice-weekly) exfoliator is Philosophy Microdelivery Peel. Also, use of products with retinol, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid are good for exfoliating acne-prone skin. Here is my post about good products for acne: http://www.savvyskin.com/guide-to-cure-acne
March 7th, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Great list, however please add BISMUTH OXYCHLORIDE to it! This is a bad bad thing for acne prone skin. It is in Bare Minerals which after using it for 2 months hoping it would help clear my skin as they claim, gave my cystic acne. I mean deep, painful, under the skin, scarring cysts. Completely stopped within 2 days of quitting Bare Minerals. Now, 3 weeks later, still much clearer, just trying to heal the scars this horrible ingredient left behind. Many people are allergic to Bismuth Oxychloride. And some are not. I just wished they would put out a warning abou this filler they use. Be careful out there…
March 25th, 2008 at 10:26 am
I’ve been using Bare Minerals for a while now, and have terrible skin. I’m not sure if it’s a result of Bismuth Oxychloride or using tons of different products. But what makeup would you suggest that covers as well as Bare Minerals?I have oily skin. I’m on a vicious cycle: Can’t go without the makeup, but the makeup is what may be causing the blemishes…
March 31st, 2008 at 6:16 am
is tinosorb pore clogging ingredient?
April 1st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Lovy,
I don’t know if tinosorb is pore clogging or not. On my post about Mexoryl, I wrote that the one sunscreen I used with Mexoryl made my face totally break out, but since I’ve only used that one sunscreen, I haven’t figured out if it was the Mexoryl or something else. I haven’t tried Tinosorb yet. I haven’t read anything about either of these ingredients being pore clogging, but after my horrible experience with Mexoryl, I really don’t know yet.
April 1st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Alexis,
I would first check out all of your makeup and skin products, and eliminate everything that contains pore-clogging ingredients. I don’t have a lot of experience with makeup that gives a lot of coverage. I know there are mineral makeups out there that don’t contain Bismuth Oxychloride. I don’t know if the coverage is as good as Bare Minerals, but in the comments of this post – http://www.savvyskin.com/can-mineral-makeup-be-bad-for-your-skin people have listed some alternatives to Bare Minerals.
Otherwise, there are liquid foundations that give good coverage, without pore clogging ingredients. Unfortunately I don’t know of any off-hand, but if you check the ingredients, you should be able to find some without bad ingredients. I use Neutrogena Healthy Skin Pressed Powder over foundation, because it is safe for acne.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Thanks for the info.
I’m just curious… How is salt (sodium chloride) comedogenic?
Aren’t they used to sterilize like alcohol?
Also, does that apply to sea salts as well then?
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:22 am
Michelle,
Yeah it seems really weird that sodium chloride would be comedogenic, but it shows up as a 5 out of 5 on different comedogenic lists. I don’t know if something is done to the ingredient in cosmetics to make it problematic. I just stay away from any face skin care product that lists “sodium chloride” as one of the first 8 or 10 ingredients just to be safe. I don’t know if sea salt would be the same thing or not – that’s a very good question! And when you go to the beach and go swimming, it’s not like it causes breakouts.
April 30th, 2008 at 10:28 am
Hi, um i got this mask that has algae and plant dna living cells..its not algae extract but would it be comedogenic? I used the mask once but i dont think i got any breakouts from it.
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Any advice on safe products, such as cleanser, eye cream, tinted moisturizer for sensitive acne/oily prone skin? I looked at Paula’s choice and one of the 2 cleansers I looked at for my skin type have sodium laureth sulfate as the 2nd ingrediant and the other cleanser has another major inrritant as the 2nd ingrediant. I thought for sure that her products would be safe to avoid cosmetic acne.
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I suffer from acne and I always check the ingredients …..here is a list of products that I use and work for me, some of them can have 1 comedogenic ingredient but it will be at least the 9th ingredient
one step gentle cleanser-neutrogena, fresh foaming scrub-neutrogena, ddf aloe vera complex, olay complete (sensitive skin), environmental repair hydrating gel-peter thomas roth, olay daily regenerating serum (I use it as an eye cream) and I do not use tinted moisturizer and personally I have found that foundation powder works best on me, not mineral makeup though it was the worst decision I made when I bought bare minerals it gave me horrible cystic acne, i didn’t know much about ingredients and the mineral veil contains cornstarch!…what I use now is true match concealer from l’oreal it is not the best and I have to mix a couple but no zits so I will keep using it, a creamy concealer gives better coverage but gives you acne so it is a no no for me and for powder foundation I use lorac oil free wet/dry powder with a non latex sponge
to find these products was not easy, it took me quite a while, and it is a headache to check the ingredients all the time but it is the only way to help your skin
August 9th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Is cetaphil gentle cleanser safe to use?? It has Sodium Laurul sulfate but yet it claims to be non-comedogenic :(
September 7th, 2008 at 9:04 am
This is a great list. I made the switch to natural/organic skin care products almost a year ago after still suffering from breakouts and being told that the over the counter products I was using were clogging my pores. I checked my products against your list and was surprised to see that cocoa butter, one of the ingredients in my moisturizer is on the list. However, it is organic. Do you know if that makes a difference?
September 29th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Hi! I really found your article (and website in general) to be super helpful. I wanted to add one more for people with acne-prone skin to look out for. I recently stumbled across a forum discussing silicone in products causing breakouts. I did some research, and then went through all my past failed acne treatments, as well as lotions, and makeup, and realized that silicone and any number of it’s derivatives i.e. cyclomethicone, dimethicone, etc.) were in just about everything I’ve used. I threw everything away, replaced ALL of my makeup that contained any silicone in it with Physician’s Formula Organic Wear, and continued with basic cleansers and alcohol-free toners…and voila! Acne’s gone! I really had had no idea that my struggle was caused by the makeup and products I was using, more so than the hereditary factor. It might not be the answer for everyone, but it’s sure worth a shot!
October 10th, 2008 at 3:52 am
Hi Jeni, Thanks God I found this website. I am having a blemish skin with blemish scare too :( You have provide a very good information especially for me who are still in battle with blemishes until now :(
But Jeni, I have a question for you, hope you could answer this for me as I am very blur on all the chemistry things.
on your list it is mentioned that ceteareth-20 will clog pore badly as it is rated 4.
but when I surf Paula Choice product, few of the products are contain this ingredient such as:
1. skin balancing cleanser
2. blemish fighting solution (which I found on your other post about how I Cured my Adult hormonal acne, that you will use this product when you get the rare pimple)
so question here does ceteareth-20 is bad or not? any comment please?
I am now in a depression on searching good product to use to cure my blemishes.
hope to get your feedback. Thank in advance
October 17th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Wonderful website! I, too, have researched comedogenic and acnegenic products and our information coincides beautifully! I have suffered from oily/acne prone skin my whole life. Fortunately, the use of Retin-A Micro has allowed me to maintain clear skin, as long as I am careful of my cosmetic products. When the mineral make-up came out a couple of years ago, I joined the hype and purchased some for myself, since it is marketed towards sensitive skin. I was very dissapointed to find that my skin broke out horribly and has been that way, despite the constant use of my trusted Retin-A, ever since. I have blamed heat and humidity during the summer months and cold weather during the winter. Finally I started doing some heavy research and to my horror, discovered that mica and bismuth chloride, the two main ingredients in most all of the mineral powders, are highly comedogenic! Mica due to it’s jagged shape after being finely milled, and bismuth because of it’s heaviness and ability to bond to the skin. I was livid. Two weeks ago I switched back to my tried and true Lorac make-up and, low and behold!…clear skin again after two years! I use Neutrogena Fresh Foaming cleanser morning and night, LaRoche Posay Toleriane Facial Fluid for Intolerant skin in the a.m., and Retin-A Micro at night. I have used this skin care regimen for 6 years and the only thing that ever changed was the make-up. So I am convinced that mica and bismuth were the culprits!
October 25th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Hi, I’m an esthetician. I came across this site looking to see how bad potassium chloride is. I never broke out before. All of a sudden I had deep, painful, cystic acne that would keep coming back. Dr. told me was my water softener. It has 98. % potassium chloride in the bag that gets added to soften the water. Plus no mineral make up has ever worked for me. It’s zit city!!! Jane Iredale and Bare Minerals being the worst. The best thing to do is to not moisturize but hydrate!!!! Our skin needs hydration to stay full and plump. Anything that’s creamy and lotiony will be a problem. Look for clear gels taht contain Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium PCA and or Panthenol or all of the above. These are great hydrators that WILL NOT clog your pores. There’s a great serum I use and love (a little expensive) called B5 Serum from Dermaquest. You can go to askderm.com and click on Dermaquest (product line) B5 serum is the only thing I can use and it’s antiaging. Fantastic. No zits! Be careful with your cleanser. Make sure it has no alcohol and always ask the PH of the cleanser. Anything above 6 will be too drying and you’ll overproduce oil that causes more acne. PH balanced is best. Around 4 to 5.5 is great. Dermalogica has good cleansers. Cetaphil is PH 10. NO GOOD. Exfoliate once or twice a week. E-mail me if you have any questions ok? I know how frustrating that is and I want to help. Nothing in it for me, just helping out. bareshape@yahoo.com
November 5th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Hi there,
I just went through your list (thanks) and I saw that at the very end of the 23 ingredient list are 3 ingredients (which are after the 23) you suggest to avoid. Now I’m wondering would it be safe if they are that far down on the list or should I run the other way? I suffer from mild hormonal cystic acne that can flare up at any given time whether PMSing or not. This particular product is an all in one so it will eliminate the hassel of having to use more than one product. It’s by Envision Beauty “The Solution”. Thanks for reading my mail-I can’t wait to get a response.
November 18th, 2008 at 11:29 am
do you have any suggestions on getting rid of black heads i swithched from so many make-ups like you i would look at the ingredients and reviews before buying i have very sensitive skin and breakout now i didn’t use to however i still get black heads. i use lorac foundation, lorac wet dry powder and this seems to be the one that works for me i have tried so many brands of makeup. i use elta md sunblock which i get from my derm i keep thinking it’s the sunblock, but the derm from the laser center says it’s not.
December 17th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
OMG! I am so thankful I found this site. I feel like such an idiot. I too jumped on the mineral makeup bandwagon and was rewarded with painful cystic acne. The problem is that I didn’t understand what was causing it, I tried proactiv which worked for about a month, but then I woke up with the worst infestation of zits I have ever had. I threw out the proactiv, all of my makeup and started from scratch. I did some surfing on-line to find the culprit and saw the forums about the bismuth, so thankfully I did NOT replace my makeup with mineral makeup. The deep painful cysts went away, however I was still getting blackheads from hell, forehead, jawline, around my mouth. Then I stumbled onto a dermatologist site who claimed that HAIR PRODUCTS can also be to blame… Oh crap, I had also been using shampoo to wash my face. I am just now realizing how bad this is. So, thanks so much for this uber useful site, it has been sooooo helpful, I am hopeful that I will be able to reclaim my skin. Gawd, it’s really sucks being 35 and having acne!!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
is there a difference between oleth3 and oleth 3 phosphate
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Can Lorac be bought in Australia? What is a good coverage concealer, and pressed and loose powder available in Australia, that is not pore-clogging? Preferably ones that don’t contain mineral oil – it may not clog pores, but it makes skin really oily – which could clog pores.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Just to update Left Brain’s comment-they are not the CTFA anymore. They are the Personal Care Products Council and they are BEYOND helpful.
February 11th, 2009 at 7:30 am
Hi, i have mild acne on my forehead, especially between my brows, white heads and a cyst. I just purchased nelsons pure and clear facial wash and toner. The ingredients of the facial are: Polysorbate 20, Disodium Laureth sulfosuccinate, cocadmidopropyl betaine, chondrus crispus extract, phenoxyethanol,arnica montana extract,benzyl alcohol,calendula officinalas extract,hypericum perforatum extract,xanthan gum,melaleuca alternifolia,lavandula angustifolia,limonene,citrus grandis,linalool,citrus aurantium amara oil. Are any of these dangerous?
March 4th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Hi Jen,
Wonderful site! This is the first time I have ever looked at my products and it has really helped. I used to not have any skin problems at all until 25, until I moved to Alaska from the South and year and half ago. Its been difficult to pinpoint…b/c I have moved to a new climate and due to plane/airport regulations I got rid of all my usual products and opted for the “fun” in trying new products – trying moisturizers for the first time due to cold climate. For the last year and half, I’ve been experiencing breakouts on my cheeks (like a rash type, with bump patches) and on my forehead. I started thinking all of a sudden I was getting acne, and started getting into the acne creams. Nothing has cleared drastically, instead they get lighter then “flare up.” So, I’m a bit stuck. I thought I’d give you a background of info first then give you a list of the new products i’m using for your advice. Note: I have medium to olive skin, and for the most of my life has been normal. I never seemed to need moisturizer until two years ago, which I feel resulted from changing climates. I’m not 27.
Here are a list of the new make up items I used within the last year:
1.) Bare Essentials Foundation, spf 15 in medium (first time using mineral make up and spf regularly on my face)
2.) Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer, spf 15 (first time again, with spf on my face)
Acne treatments:
1.) Neurtrogena on-the-spot (most of the products looked safe, until I got to Polysorbate 20 where one site said it was from coconut oil – which is a pore clogger- whats ur opinion? – I didn’t see it on the list)
2.) Clean and Clear -salic acid 2% (I couldn’t find all the ingredients on the list, but I did find SD40 which says its bad — are there acids that don’t have sd40?)
3.)
I have always used Clean and Clear sensitive skin foaming wash, b/c it seemed mild but now discover it is bad for the sodium laureth sulfate. Any change that it could not bother me? I have switched to the Neutrogena Ben Perozide duo cleaner and mask, whats your opinion of that cleanser?
I’m apologize for the length of this email, but I seem to be on a role! As you can tell, I’m in quite a pickle! On top of it all…I’m hesitate to change everything, cuz my skin will freak out on me…which could be how it all started.
Write now, what I have salvaged from my current regime is the Neurtrogena Cleanser and Mask, and 100% tea tree oil. I’m on the look out for a new foundation, powder, moisturizer, and either ben per treatment or salic acid. Is it over kill to use both at the same time?
Thanks your help!
May 6th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Hi! Quick question. If one or some of the ingredients of this list you have here appear further down the list of ingredients of a cream or on makeup would it be considered safe for acne prone skin? Or should I still avoid it? Thanks!
May 26th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Thank you so much for the info. This really helps because I have been suffering from acne for a while but I feel that when I use certain products my acne becomes worse and now I know why. But here is something I found to be really interesting…for a while I was using Tretinoin Creams (.05% and .1%) that was prescribed to me by a dermatologist but it made my acne worse and I felt like it didn”t make it better with continued use. I still had it in case I ever wanted to try it again until I just read the ingredients. The third ingredient is Isopropyl Myristate which is a big pore-clogger on your list. The Tretinoin Cream was given as a generic for Retin A . I hope this helps others that were using Tretinoin Cream and still had acne. Once again, thank you so much for the list Jeni.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Hi Jenni,
What about Almay Clear Complexion Liquid makeup foundation? Will that cause acne? I found in the ingredients that it contains Sodium Chloride & Sorbitan Sesquioleate but both are after the 8th ingredients on the list??
I’m thinking of trying Maybelline Pure Makeup but it contains “C13 14 Isoparaffin”. Is that bad??
July 18th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I am wondering if anyone can let me know if the Bare Escentuals line from Sephora would be causing my acne. I didn’t find all the minerals or most of them listed. I like the coverage of this mineral makeup but I feel it may be causing my clogged pores. Any information would be helpful.
Thanks
July 30th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
THIS WEB PAGE IS BRILL !!! Can you advise a safe moisturiser for oily skin. Also does anyone know whether Dermaloica products are good and safe to use. Im getting a bit confused reading the ingrediants list xx
August 12th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
This looks like a great resource but I was wondering about dimethicone and cyclomethicone. I am noticing these in most foundations I look at. I didn’t see them on the list, did I just miss them??
August 13th, 2009 at 10:15 am
This is wonderful and I couldn’t have said it better myself. I have used these lists for YEARS now and I couldn’t agree with you more. Almost everything out there that says “non comodogenic” or “non acnegenic” has contained at least 3-4 ingredients that will clog your pores and cause breakouts. I personally steer clear of all these products and try and stick to mineral makeup. Simple ingredients, won’t clog pores and has done wonders for my skin. I think women especially try to over do it with too many products. I found simplicity to be the best thing.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Thank you!, Thank you! Thank you! for your extensive research. I was doing my own research, and I stumbled onto your website. My daughter has acne. I have never suffered from acne and have been feeling so helpless to my daughter. We have tried numerous products. I will carry your list with me. Do you know anything about the product Sensaria? I compared the ingredients on particular items to your list and they seem to be completely free of your listed ingredients. Should someone with acne still use a Benzoyl? or is keeping away from the ingredients to avoid key?
September 4th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Hi,
Great Site.
I have a hyaluronic acid serum that contains Ceteareth-20 closer to the end of the ingredients list. The product does NOT contain cetearyl alcohol.
In someones educated and personal opinion, do you think this formular would be very comedogenic?
September 12th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Well Debra,
That depends on what Sensaria product you are using. I have a Sensaria body lotion that contains at least 5 of the listed ingredients.
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:41 am
I love Victoria Principal products. While she does not offer all products I seek, she offers most products.
December 24th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Hi. I am using La Roche Posay’s Gel and lotion Effaclar K, for my acne prone skin. I have used these to product for more than 5 months. But these to products doesnt seem to give solid results. Sometimes my skin looks quite good, but sometimes a lot pimples shows up in my face. Do you recomend me to continiue using these products? Are they safe to use on acne prone skin? beacuse i cant really find any other products to use, due to mye sensetive skin.
I have heard alot about a lotion called Bee Yummy Skinfood. This cream is supposed to prevent acne. Have you tried it ore herd about it? Do you think I should change my lotion?
January 4th, 2010 at 6:24 am
This is a brilliant website, thank you so much. I have been doing research about products that I could use that are free from the listed ingredients and so far have come up with some Decleor and Philosophy products but am now a little confused as my dermatologist suggested that I stay away from products that contain oil. Both the decleor products and the philosophy products are free from your listed ingredients but contain oils (Ylang-Ylang, Melaleuca, Wheat Germ are just a few). Are some oils safe and won’t clog pores or should I be staying away from all oils? Any ideas? Thanks.
January 10th, 2010 at 2:17 am
hey jen, Thanks so much for the post its really helpful. I have just bought the Almay smart shade smart balance foundation. I have just read the ingredents and im shocked to find that sodium choride is 11th or so ingredent on the list. It also contains alcohol denat. as well as fomes officinalis (mushroom) extract. Is it still okay to use this?
February 11th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
At the beginning of the comments, there was some talk about cosmetic safety. Product safety shouldn’t have to be compromised for clear skin. However, some comments have said that some websites have caused fear and disbelief over ingredient safety. Instead, the Compact for Safe Cosmetics is an excellent source for brands deemed safe. The brands listed on this site follow European standards for manufacturing safe personal care products. The European Union has banned over 1,000 chemicals for use in personal care products while the United States has only banned a dozen at most. If these chemicals are absolutely banned in the European Union, it must be for good reason. Grace Naturals ( http://www.gracenaturals.com ) carries some of these brands. Good For You Girls looks pretty good as far as not containing ingredients that may clog pores. Some products contain 1 or 2 pore clogging ingredients, but they’re somewhat far down on the list. The Devita line of skin care seems to check out pretty good as far as cross referencing their ingredients with Jeni’s list. Hope this helps!
February 20th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
what are the products that say 0….4 for example. Does that mean they are 0.4 or 0-4 or ? Thanks
March 10th, 2010 at 4:54 am
Hello my fellow beautiful women!
I have been battling what was an intense on set of acne-that erupted out of nowhere & have attempted my face at A BILLION different remedies. I model & act & am on camera & was growing more & more depressed & scared. But I can say that I finally…after spending hundreds of dollars & inspired to even being a self proclaimed organic elixerist , would love to share my discoveries. I actually am so SO happy I found this site because my girlfriend has been urging me to start my own, given the fact I helped her clear adult acne that has been lingering for YEARS & was felt would never cease. She is a musician and constantly in smokey bars, and sweaty stages & buses & living on fast food when on the road (unfortunately rural America makes this the only thing avail)
I found that so TRUE over the counter shampoos, conditioners, hair smoothers, styling products…SURE FIRE oil & cystic acne (but its sneaky, it takes about a week, & then you’re cleaning up a huge deep rooted mess) Also, SPF lotions drive my skin crazy. Even SPF chapsticks & lipsticks, I don’t wear them anymore. I stay very far away. I would notice small bumps around my lips, and given we ingest most of what is on our lips…its dangerous stuff. The best thing is to use a parasol (sun umbrella) or a hat. Definitely if you are in extreme sun, use on your body, but be very careful of your face. If you must, use one for YOUR FACE, on your face, And wash RIGHT AFTER sunning with a grease cutter like Grisi Sulfur Soap (read below)
Internally being aware is so so so important. I can’t stress enough how much Evening Primrose Oil & Zinc (Whole Foods 25mg) won me over. Lack of Zinc in the body takes on form of inflammation & from a result actually is a know causer of acne. It takes about 30 days for your body to balance & start seeing the results, but they only get better!
Then on to face wash. Hands down…MARIO BADESCU.
-Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleanser under $13 and will last you a few months. It isn’t the heavy foaming you may be desiring, more a cleansing gel, but it is so gentle & SO gets to work. You’ll feel how clean when you start to rinse off. Enzymes=amazing.
For terrible on-spot eruptions
-Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion-$17 and will last you a few months. Shrinks size over night! DO NOT PUT ON OPEN FACIAL WOUNDS/SCARS
Face moisturizer-THE ONLY ONE THAT WORKS
-Malin+Goetz Vitamin E Face Moisturizer
Something about this product is so gentle & easy to bring into any skin routine or skin type. I was really scared about the Vitamin E part (more oil? because pure Vitamin E oil on my skin causes a breakout) but absolutely no down side to this product-its been a saving grace! It is $45, but will last you a few months and I cannot stress it enough…
IF YOU SUFFER FROM ACNE, YOU ARE IN AN ELITE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE CHANCES WITH CHEAP OR WIDE USE PRODUCTS!! IT WILL **ONLY LEAVE YOU SPENDING MORE TIME & WILL CAUSE MORE STRESS & WORSENING ACNE.
Mask:
Sulfur Soap (Grisi found at CVS or online-under $2) IT IS A MIRACLE WORKER. Use day & night if you are experiencing an extreme breakout. Just once a day for a week to clear up light irritation. You can guage how often…you’ll be able to tell. Very rarely do you need to use it on the regular in conjunction with everything, because it can be drying if you abuse it. But when you are experiencing a breakout or a new product that is leaving you oily, reach for it! AND DISCONTINUE OILY PRODUCT RIGHT AWAY. You must let it sit, foamed, on the skin for 5-20min. It will feel slimy as you wash off, but then its SQUEAKY clean! Its a natural antiseptic agent, this soap fights against acne, pimples, spots…leaving divine results! I ONLY stand behind the brand Grisi, it is the strongest, purest & the best. I’ve used others & they’ve been fragranced with extra ingredients. SEE RESULTS OVER NIGHT. I have this soap on me at all times.
For scars: Works briliiantly
FRESH SQUEEZED LEMON JUICE! …yep, thats all :) I squeeze into a little screw top container and apply twice a week morning & night, or need be after my period (i am very fair & dark spot lightly) or jobs that have me in oil based makeup. It burns a bit, but its a GOOOD burn. And natural exfoliant. I URGE YOU-DOOO NOT USE HARSH EXFOLIANTS (LIKE APRICOT SCRUBS OR THE LIKE)
Lots of water & eat as fresh & as close to nature as possible.
Get on this regimine & you WILL notice lasting results.
I was so so desperate, I’ve searched & searched long & hard, & this is what worked for me.
Even if it helps one of you, I’m touched throughout.
Thank you for your time, Lola xx