Non-comedogenic makeup
"Non-comedogenic" on a foundation, a concealer or a blush is the brand's own claim. The FDA keeps no list of approved cosmetic claims and does not define the term, so there is no test a product has to pass before printing it. What you can check yourself is the ingredient list.
Paste that list into the ingredient checker and it marks every ingredient on our list of 285 with a published comedogenic rating. The rest of this page sets out the makeup ingredients that list rates highest.
How to check a makeup product
- Find the full ingredient list. It is printed on the pack, usually on the back, and most retailers show it on the product page.
- Paste the whole list into the checker. You do not need to tidy it: it splits on commas and matches the common alternative names.
- Read what comes back. A rated ingredient shows its 0 to 5 number and links to its own page. A name the checker does not recognise has no published rating, and what that means is set out on its own page.
A rating belongs to an ingredient tested on its own. It does not tell you how much of it the product holds or how the finished formula behaves, so treat a 4 or a 5 as a reason to look closer at that product, and a clean result as one piece of evidence.
Ingredients our makeup guides name
| Ingredient | Rating | Named in |
|---|---|---|
| Coconut Oil | 4–5 High risk | concealers |
| Isopropyl Myristate | 5 High risk | foundations , primers |
| Wheat Germ Oil | 5 High risk | foundations |
| Cocoa Butter | 4 High risk | concealers , primers |
| Bismuth | 3 Moderate risk | foundations |
| Mineral Oil | 1–3 Moderate risk | concealers |
| Stearic Acid | 2–3 Moderate risk | primers |
| Hemp Seed Oil | 0 Non-comedogenic | foundations |
Colour additives on the list
Blush, bronzer and lip colour get their colour from additives. 2 of the entries on our list are colour additives. The description beside each is the one published with its rating.
| Ingredient | Rating | Published as |
|---|---|---|
| Bismuth | 3 Moderate risk | A synthetic mineral powder used to give makeup a pearlescent, glowing finish. |
| D&C Red Pigments | 2–3 Moderate risk | Coal tar-derived synthetic colorants used extensively in blushes, lipsticks, and foundations. |
Esters and lanolins rated 4 or 5
Esters and lanolin derivatives are the emollients that give a formula its slip and its feel on the skin. They are also where our list has the most entries at the top of the scale: 32 of them are rated 4 or 5. These are the names worth looking for on a foundation, concealer or cream blush label.
| Ingredient | Rating | Published as |
|---|---|---|
| Acetulan | 4–5 High risk | A commercial lanolin derivative used to give products a smooth, velvety feel. |
| Anhydrous Lanolin | 5 High risk | Pure, water-free sheep sebum; an extremely heavy occlusive moisturizer. |
| Isocetyl Stearate | 5 High risk | A very heavy synthetic ester used to lubricate the skin surface and prevent moisture loss. |
| Isopropyl Isostearate | 5 High risk | A highly comedogenic emollient used to bind ingredients and soften skin texture. |
| Isopropyl Linolate | 4–5 High risk | An emollient and skin conditioner used to impart a smooth, non-tacky finish. |
| Isopropyl Myristate | 5 High risk | A ubiquitous synthetic oil used to reduce the greasy feel of lotions; highly pore-clogging. |
| Lanolic Acid | 4–5 High risk | A fatty acid extracted from lanolin, used to create rich, water-repellent protective creams. |
| Myreth-3 Myristate | 5 High risk | A highly comedogenic synthetic ester used to condition the skin and improve slip. |
| Myristyl Myristate | 5 High risk | A waxy ester used heavily in lotions to create a rich, luxurious, but highly pore-clogging texture. |
| Octyl Stearate | 5 High risk | A heavy synthetic ester used to thicken and stabilize creams, leaving a thick barrier. |
| PEG 16 Lanolin | 4–5 High risk | A chemically altered, water-soluble lanolin used to provide a rich feel to skin and hair. |
| Acetylated Lanolin | 4 High risk | Chemically modified sheep sebum used as an intensive, water-resistant moisturizer. |
| Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol | 4 High risk | A fatty alcohol derived from lanolin used to soften skin and stabilize emulsions. |
| Butyl Stearate | 3–4 High risk | A synthetic compound used to decrease the thickness of liquids and condition skin. |
| Cetyl Acetate | 4 High risk | A skin-conditioning ester that provides a velvety, water-repellent film on the skin. |
| Ethylhexyl Palmitate | 4 High risk | A palm-oil derivative used as a silicone alternative to give products a "dry slip" feel. |
| Ethylhexyl Stearate | 4 High risk | An emollient used to prevent water loss and give products a rich, luxurious feel. |
| Isodecyl Oleate | 3–4 High risk | A lightweight emollient used to give products a smooth, elegant, fast-absorbing feel. |
| Isopropyl Lanolate | 4 High risk | A lanolin-derived ester that acts as an excellent lubricant but easily clogs pores. |
| Isopropyl Neopentanoate | 4 High risk | A skin-conditioning ester used for its low viscosity and excellent spreadability. |
| Isopropyl Palmitate | 4 High risk | A palm oil derivative used to thicken products and give them a silky feel. |
| Isostearyl Isostearate | 4 High risk | A skin-conditioning emollient that provides a long-lasting, glossy finish on the skin. |
| Laneth-10 | 2–4 High risk | A polyethylene glycol derivative of lanolin alcohol used as an emulsifier and surfactant. |
| Lanolin Alcohol | 2–4 High risk | A fraction of lanolin used to improve the stability and thickness of emulsions. |
| Lanolin Oil | 2–4 High risk | A heavy, wax-like substance secreted by sheep; one of the most effective known occlusives. |
| Myristyl Lactate | 4 High risk | A lactic acid ester used as a skin conditioning agent to provide a smooth, tack-free feel. |
| Myristyl Propionate | 4 High risk | An emollient that reduces the greasy feel of creams while providing a moisture barrier. |
| Octyl Palmitate | 4 High risk | Now commonly called Ethylhexyl Palmitate; a palm derivative used for "dry" lubrication. |
| PPG 12 PEG 65 Lanolin Oil | 2–4 High risk | A highly processed, water-soluble lanolin used as an emollient in hair and skincare. |
| PPG 2 Myristyl Propionate | 3–4 High risk | An emollient that leaves a smooth, velvety feel on the skin without excessive oiliness. |
| Solulan 16 | 4 High risk | A trademarked name for ethoxylated lanolin, used to provide a rich feel to cosmetics. |
| Stearyl Heptanoate | 4 High risk | A synthetic ester used to leave a water-repellent, non-greasy film on the skin. |
Every other family, oils and butters included, is set out on the ratings by family page.
Makeup guides
There is no guide yet for blush, bronzer, powder or setting spray. The checker reads those labels the same way.
Common questions
- Is there an official definition of non-comedogenic makeup?
- No. The FDA keeps no list of approved or accepted cosmetic claims and does not define non-comedogenic, so a brand that prints it on a foundation or a blush is making its own claim. The label has to be truthful and not misleading, and there is no set test it must pass first.
- Can makeup labelled non-comedogenic still cause breakouts?
- It can. The published ratings describe single ingredients, mostly tested on rabbit ears, and a 2006 review by Draelos and DiNardo found those results did not reliably predict what a finished product does on human skin. A product can also hold an ingredient that no published source has rated.
- How do I check whether my makeup clogs pores?
- Copy the full ingredient list from the pack or the retailer page and paste it into the SkinSafeCheck ingredient checker. It flags anything on our list of 285 rated ingredients, with the rating and a link to that ingredient's page. A name it does not recognise has no published rating, which is different from a rating of 0.
Sources used on this page
- Kligman AM, Mills OH Jr. “Acne cosmetica.” Archives of Dermatology, December 1972;106(6):843–850. (opens in a new tab) The paper that named cosmetic acne and started the search for which ingredients cause it.
- 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.
- 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.