skinsafecheck Ingredient Checker

Ingredient checker for acne-prone skin

Copy the ingredient list off the back of the bottle and paste it in. Anything that appears on our pore-clogging list comes back flagged, with its rating from 0 to 5 and whether we could trace that rating to a paper. Nothing you paste leaves your machine: all 285 are matched in your browser.

The four steps this page sets out below, drawn. Nothing is sent anywhere: the matching runs in your own browser.
Scale 0 Non-comedogenic 1–2 Low risk 3 Moderate risk 4–5 High risk

This tool is for informational purposes only. It screens an ingredient list against the 285 ingredients published on this site’s own A–Z list, and it does not test the product. Comedogenicity can vary by concentration and formulation. Consult a dermatologist for personalised advice. How a rating gets here.

How it Works?

How our comedogenic ingredient checker works

Copy

Find the ingredient list on the back of your bottle or a retailer's website.

Paste

Drop the text into the box above.

Analyze

Our tool cross-references the list against our comedogenic ingredient checker database.

Result

Ingredients are highlighted and shown with their comedogenic rating, from 0 (not expected to block a pore) to 5 (high risk).

List of pore-clogging (comedogenic) ingredients

Having a handy pore clogging ingredients checker list can help you prevent future breakouts and chronic skin irritation. While our interactive app provides an instant analysis, understanding the common culprits allows you to shop with confidence.

For a full A-Z breakdown of over 200+ triggers, visit our Complete List of Pore Clogging Ingredients.

1-Acetoxyhexadecane1-Hexadecanol AcetateA & D AdditiveAcai Berry OilAcetolAcetulanAcetylated LanolinAcetylated Lanolin AlcoholActive Soil ComplexAgarAhnfeltia ConcinnaAlaria EsculentaAlgae / Algae ExtractAlgin / AlginateAloe ButterAlmond Oil (Sweet)Amaranth OilAndiroba Seed OilAnhydrous LanolinApricot Kernel Oil (Prunus Armeniaca)Arachidic AcidArgan Oil (Argania Spinosa)Ascophyllum NodosumAscorbyl PalmitateAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed ButterAvocado ButterAvocado Oil (Persea Gratissima)Babassu ButterBabassu OilBaobab OilBeef TallowBeeswax (Cera Alba)Behenic AcidBenzaldehydeBenzoic AcidBismuth / Bismuth OxychlorideBlack Cumin Seed OilBlack KelpBladderwrackBlue / Blue Green AlgaeBorage OilBrazil Nut OilBroccoli ButterBrown AlgaeBuriti OilButyl StearateButyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)Cacao Seed ButterCajeput OilCalendula ExtractCamellia OilCamphor / Camphor OilCanola OilCapric AcidCarnauba WaxCarrageenan (Chondrus Crispus) / Carrageenan MossCarrot ButterCarrot Seed OilCastor Oil (Ricinus Communis)Caulerpa Lentillifera ExtractCeteareth-20Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20Cetyl AcetateCetyl AlcoholChaetomorpha LinumChaulmoogra OilCherry Seed OilChlorella / Chlorella Vulgaris ExtractCladosiphon Okamuranus ExtractCoal TarCocoa Butter (Theobroma Cacao)Coconut AlkanesCoconut ButterCoconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera)Coffee ButterColloidal SulfurCorallina Officinalis / Corallina Officinalis ExtractCorn Oil (Zea Mays)Cotton Seed OilCranberry ButterCranberry Seed OilD&C Red Pigments (#3, 17, 19, 21, 27, 30, 36, 40)Date Seed OilDecyl OleateDi (2-ethylhexyl) SuccinateDictyopteris MembranaceaDioctyl MalateDioctyl SuccinateDisodium Laureth SulfosuccinateDisodium Monooleamido PEG-2 / PEG-2 SulfosuccinateDodecanoic Acid (Lauric Acid)Dulse (Palmaria Palmata)Dunaliella Salina ExtractEcklonia (all species) / Ecklonia Cava ExtractEicosanoic AcidEmu OilEmulsifying Wax NFEnteromorpha CompressaEthoxylated LanolinEthylhexyl PalmitateEthylhexyl PelargonateEthylhexyl StearateEvening Primrose OilFlaxseed Oil (Linseed Oil)FucoxanthinFucus VesiculosusGelidiella Acerosa ExtractGelidium CartilagineumGigartina Stellata ExtractGlyceryl OleateGlyceryl Stearate SEGlyceryl-3-DiisostearateGlycine Soja (Soybean) OilGrapeseed ButterGrapeseed Oil (Vitis Vinifera)Groundnut OilGuava Seed OilHaematococcus Pluvialis ExtractHaslea Ostrearia / Haslea Ostrearia ExtractHazelnut Seed OilHemp Seed OilHexadecanol AcetateHexadecyl AlcoholHexylene GlycolHimanthalia Elongata / Himanthalia Elongata ExtractHizikia Fusiforme ExtractHydrogenated Castor OilHydrogenated Vegetable OilHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae ExtractHypnea Musciformis / Hypnea Musciformis ExtractIllipe ButterIrish MossIsocetyl AlcoholIsocetyl StearateIsodecyl OleateIsopropyl IsostearateIsopropyl LanolateIsopropyl Linoleate / Isopropyl LinolateIsopropyl MyristateIsopropyl NeopentanoateIsopropyl PalmitateIsostearic AcidIsostearyl AlcoholIsostearyl IsostearateIsostearyl NeopentanoateJania Rubens ExtractJojoba ButterJojoba Oil / ButterJojoba WaxKapok OilKappaphycus Alvarezii ExtractKaranja OilKelp (Macrocystis Pyrifera)Kukui Nut ButterKukui Nut OilLaminaria (all species) / Laminaria Digitata / Laminaria SaccharinaLaneth-10Lanolic AcidLanolin / Lanolin Oil / Lanolin AcidLanolin AlcoholLanolin WaxLaureth-4Laureth-23Lauric AcidLauryl AlcoholLinseed OilLithothamnium CalcareumMacadamia Nut ButterMacadamia Nut Oil / Macadamia OilMacrocystis Pyrifera ExtractMagnesium MyristateMahua Seed OilMango Seed Butter / OilMarine AlgaeMarula OilMastocarpus StellatusMineral OilMink OilMoringa OilMowrah ButterMyreth-3 MyristateMyristic AcidMyristyl AlcoholMyristyl LactateMyristyl MyristateMyristyl PropionateNeem ButterNeem OilNoriNorwegian KelpOctyl PalmitateOctyl StearateOctyldodecanolOlea Europaea (Olive) OilOleic AcidOleth-3 / Oleth-3 PhosphateOleth-5Oleth-10Oleyl AlcoholOlive ButterPadina PavonicaPalm Kernel OilPalm OilPalmaria PalmataPalmitic AcidPapaya Seed OilPassionfruit (Maracuja) Seed OilPeach Kernel OilPeanut OilPecan OilPEG 100 / PEG 150 DistearatePEG 16 Lanolin (Solulan 16)PEG 200 DilauratePEG 8 Castor OilPEG 8 StearatePEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPelvetia Canaliculata ExtractPentaerythrityl TetraisostearatePerilla OilPG Caprylate/CapratePG DipelargonatePG MonostearatePhytantriolPhytessence WakamePlankton / Plankton ExtractPlum Seed OilPolyglyceryl-3-DiisostearatePorphyra / Porphyra UmbilicalisPorphyridium CruentumPotassium ChloridePPG 10 Cetyl EtherPPG 12 PEG 65 Lanolin OilPPG 2 Myristyl PropionatePPG 5 Ceteth 10 PhosphatePrickly Pear Seed OilPropylene Glycol MonostearatePumpkin Seed OilRapeseed OilRed AlgaeRice Bran OilRockweedRosehip Seed Oil / ButterSafflower Oil (Cooking variety)Sal Seed ButterSandalwood Seed OilSargassum / Sargassum ExtractSeaweed / Sea Grass / Sea WhipSesame Oil / Sesame Seed OilShark Liver OilSodium AlginateSodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES)Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)Solulan 16Sorbitan IsostearateSorbitan LaurateSorbitan OleateSpirulinaSqualene (Shark derived)Steareth-10Steareth-2 / Steareth-20Stearic AcidStearic Acid TEAStearyl AlcoholStearyl HeptanoateSulfated Castor OilSulfated Jojoba OilSunflower Oil (GMO) / ButterSweet Almond Oil / ButterTallowTamanu Oil / ButterTocopherol (Vitamin E)Tomato Seed OilTribeheninTriethanolamineUlva LactucaUndaria / Undaria PinnatifidaVitamin A PalmitateWakameWalnut Seed OilWater-Soluble SulfurWheat Germ GlycerideWheat Germ OilXyleneZea Mays (Corn Starch)

4–5 High risk 173 ingredients

3 Moderate risk 59 ingredients

1–2 Low risk 52 ingredients

0 Non-comedogenic 1 ingredients

See the same list as a table, with the family and what each one does

Or see the ratings grouped by family: the oils, the butters, the esters and the rest

Checking for fungal acne instead? That checker reads the same list against four sourced Malassezia rules

Checking makeup? The colour additives, esters and lanolins rated highest

Frequently asked questions

Is this an acne safe checker?

That is the phrase most people search, so yes, this is the tool they mean. What it does is narrower than the name suggests: it looks for ingredients that appear on a published list of pore-cloggers, and shows you the rating and whether we could trace it to a paper. Clogged pores are one cause of breakouts among several. A clean result here is not a promise about your skin.

Does this cover fungal acne?

No, and the reason is worth knowing. Comedogenicity testing measures one thing: whether a substance blocks a pore. What people call fungal acne is malassezia folliculitis, a yeast overgrowth in the follicle, and nothing in the published comedogenic literature measures it. So a low rating here is not a statement about it either way. If that is what you are trying to work out, a doctor can tell you and an ingredient list cannot.

How do I find the ingredient list for my skincare product?

The easiest way is to look at the physical packaging or the brand’s official website under the “Ingredients” or “Full Formula” tab. You can also search for your product on major retailer sites, then copy and paste the text directly into our pore clogging checker.

Why should I use a checker if my product is labeled "Non-Comedogenic"?

The term “non-comedogenic” is not strictly regulated by the FDA. Many brands use it as a marketing claim even if the product contains ingredients with a high rating on the comedogenic scale. Using a dedicated non-comedogenic checker gives you an unbiased, scientific look at what’s actually in the bottle.

Is a product safe if it only has one or two pore-clogging ingredients?

If you have highly acne-prone skin, even a single high-rated ingredient (Rating 3–5) can trigger a breakout. However, the concentration matters: if a pore-clogger is at the very bottom of the list, it might be less reactive. For best results, we recommend sticking to products that score a “0” on our acne ingredient checker.

Which types of products are most important to check?

You should prioritize checking “leave-on” products that stay on your skin all day, such as moisturizers, sunscreens, and foundations. These have the longest contact time with your pores. Rinse-off products like cleansers are generally less likely to cause issues, but still worth a quick scan.

Is there a shortlist I can start from?

The guides work through popular products label by label and show what the published ratings say about each ingredient, with what we could trace beside it. Nobody here has tested a product on skin, and where a brand calls something non-comedogenic that is the brand’s claim. Formulas change without the name on the bottle changing, so run the label through the checker for whatever you actually buy. Start with the Best Non-Comedogenic Moisturizers or the Best Non-Comedogenic Sunscreens.

Does the order of ingredients on the label matter?

Yes! Ingredients are listed in descending order of concentration. The first 5 to 7 ingredients usually make up about 80% of the product. If a pore-clogging ingredient is in the top 5, it is much more likely to cause a breakout than if it is the very last ingredient on the list (where it may be present at less than 1%).

What is the difference between "Comedogenic" and "Acnegenic"?

While often used interchangeably, they mean different things. Comedogenic ingredients cause “comedones” (blackheads and whiteheads) by physically blocking the pore over time. This can take weeks or months to show up. Acnegenic ingredients cause an immediate inflammatory reaction or irritation (red pimples) within days of use. Our acne ingredient checker screens for both types of triggers.

What this tool is built on

  1. Kligman AM, Kwong T. “An improved rabbit ear model for assessing comedogenic substances.” British Journal of Dermatology, June 1979;100(6):699–702. (opens in a new tab) The rabbit-ear assay behind published 0 to 5 comedogenicity grades.
  2. 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) Rabbit-ear ratings of ingredients one by one. It is behind a paywall and we have not read it, so no rating on this site is attributed to it.
  3. 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.
  4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Cosmetics Labeling Claims”. (opens in a new tab) States that the FDA does not keep a list of approved or accepted cosmetic claims; a label must simply be truthful and not misleading. There is no FDA definition of “non-comedogenic” for a brand to meet.
Question about a rating?

Question about a rating?

Ask about a rating you think is wrong, a page that looks broken, or an ingredient we should add. Leave your email and a mobile number so we can reach you. This is not medical advice: if you are worried about your skin, see a doctor or a pharmacist.