Does Aquaphor clog pores?
Aquaphor Healing Ointment has 7 ingredients on its label. 2 of them carry a comedogenic rating on our list: mineral oil, rated 1–3 and lanolin alcohol, rated 2–4 . The main ingredient, petrolatum at 41%, carries no rating.
So Aquaphor has more in it than petroleum jelly. If you are choosing between ointments and creams, our guide to non-comedogenic moisturizers reads eight ingredient lists the same way.
The label, line by line
From the Aquaphor Healing Ointment drug label on DailyMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's database, in the order the label gives them.
| Ingredient | On the label | Our list |
|---|---|---|
| Petrolatum | Active ingredient, 41% | Not on the list |
| Mineral Oil | Inactive | Rated 1–3 |
| Ceresin | Inactive | Not on the list |
| Lanolin Alcohol | Inactive | Rated 2–4 |
| Panthenol | Inactive | Not on the list |
| Glycerin | Inactive | Not on the list |
| Bisabolol | Inactive | Not on the list |
"Not on the list" means no rating is published here. It is a different statement from a rating of 0, and this page explains why.
The 2 ingredients with a rating
| Ingredient | Rating | Published as |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral Oil | 1–3 Moderate risk | A highly purified, inert petroleum derivative used as a completely non-irritating occlusive. |
| Lanolin Alcohol | 2–4 High risk | A fraction of lanolin used to improve the stability and thickness of emulsions. |
Both are ranges, which means the published ratings for them disagree. On this site the top of a range is the number to plan around if your skin breaks out easily.
Mineral oil is the closer call. A 2005 commentary in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology reviewed the rabbit-ear and human data and concluded that cosmetic-grade mineral oil is unlikely to be comedogenic in people. Lanolin alcohol is a fraction of lanolin, the wax from sheep's wool. Our list carries 11 lanolin ingredients, and 11 of them reach 3 or higher at the top of their rating.
What about the petrolatum?
Petrolatum is most of the jar, and it is the same ingredient as plain Vaseline. A 1992 study found Vaseline Petroleum Jelly moved into the outer skin layer, between the cells, instead of sitting on top as a sealed film. A 2024 review in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology described petrolatum as a cause of acne as a misconception. Our page on whether Vaseline clogs pores covers both.
Check the tub you own
Labels change, and Aquaphor sells several products under one name. Copy the ingredient list from your own tub or tube and paste it into the checker, which reports every ingredient it rates and says plainly which ones it does not.
Common questions
Is Aquaphor comedogenic?
Aquaphor as a product has no rating, because ratings are published for single ingredients. Of the 7 on its label, Mineral Oil (1–3) and Lanolin Alcohol (2–4) carry one on our list. Petrolatum, which is 41% of it, carries none.
Is Aquaphor or Vaseline better for acne-prone skin?
Plain Vaseline is 100% petrolatum, and petrolatum carries no rating on our list. Aquaphor adds mineral oil and lanolin alcohol, which both do. On the ratings alone Vaseline has less on it to flag. Neither number predicts how either product will behave on your skin.
Can I use Aquaphor on my face?
The label lists chapped or cracked skin and lips, and protection from the drying effects of wind and cold, among its uses. If you break out easily, try it on a small area first, change one product at a time, and see a dermatologist if breakouts keep coming.
Find a non-comedogenic moisturizer
The moisturizer guide reads eight ingredient lists against our pore-clogging list and names every rated ingredient it found.
More questions about breakouts
Sources used on this page
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Aquaphor Healing (petrolatum) ointment”, Beiersdorf Inc, label published 16 December 2025. (opens in a new tab) Active ingredient petrolatum 41%. Inactive ingredients, in label order: mineral oil, ceresin, lanolin alcohol, panthenol, glycerin, bisabolol.
- Ghadially R, Halkier-Sorensen L, Elias PM. “Effects of petrolatum on stratum corneum structure and function.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 1992;26(3 Pt 2):387–396. (opens in a new tab) Human volunteers. Vaseline Petroleum Jelly sped up barrier recovery after the barrier was stripped, and was found between the cells at every level of the outer skin layer rather than sitting on top as a sealed film.
- Kamrani P, Hedrick J, Marks JG, Zaenglein AL. “Petroleum jelly: a comprehensive review of its history, uses, and safety.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, April 2024;90(4):807–813. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2023.06.010 (opens in a new tab) A review by Penn State dermatologists. It sets out the data on petrolatum’s comedogenicity and describes petrolatum as a cause of acne as a misconception.
- DiNardo JC. “Is mineral oil comedogenic?” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, January 2005;4(1):2–3. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2005.00150.x (opens in a new tab) A short commentary reviewing the rabbit-ear and human data on mineral oil, which concludes that cosmetic-grade mineral oil is unlikely to be comedogenic in people.
- Fulton JE Jr, Pay SR, Fulton JE 3rd. “Comedogenicity of current therapeutic products, cosmetics, and ingredients in the rabbit ear.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, January 1984;10(1):96–105. (opens in a new tab) The published ingredient-by-ingredient ratings that most comedogenic lists, including this one, trace back to.
- Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. “A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, March 2006;54(3):507–512. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2005.11.1058 (opens in a new tab) Found that animal-model results did not reliably predict what happened on human skin, and that a rating for a single ingredient does not tell you how a finished product will behave.
- American Academy of Dermatology, “Acne: When to see a dermatologist”. (opens in a new tab)