You should learn the technical term “non-comedogenic” for your morning and evening skincare routines at a time when consumers are becoming more and more curious about the products they use on their faces.
The term “non-comedogenic” refers to products likely to prevent skin pore blockages and other unfavorable acne symptoms.
How can you be certain that a product is noncomedogenic when its manufacturers want you to think that each skin care and beauty item they sell satisfies that standard?
Unfortunately, the truth is that some manufacturers are embellishing their claims, leaving you at risk for an unwelcome breakout.
Who should use these products?
Those with oily skin or prone to acne will benefit most from non-comedogenic products.
How do you determine which products work?
Let’s first go over how acne develops in the first place. The fundamental issue is that dead skin cells, oil, and hair clog a follicle in the skin, creating the ideal conditions for bacteria already present on the skin to spread into the follicle.
Hormones can have a role; they are especially active in young adults. The same is true for pregnancy and the propensity for naturally oily skin.
Some individuals also think that particular meals can cause acne to flare up. According to research, diets heavy in dairy and those with a high glycemic index can worsen acne. But generally speaking, nutrition does not contribute to acne.
If you’re prone to acne, your goal is to avoid blockages in the first place. Making sure your pores don’t get plugged is somewhat complex due to the myriad products out there making all sorts of claims.
There are no rules
Another issue is that there are no federal laws or Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines on using the term “non-comedogenic” for items like moisturizers and cosmetics.
The fact that there is a 0 to 5 rating range for comedogenicity, with 0 to 2 deemed noncomedogenic, may sound encouraging. However, this measure isn’t standardized.
Instead, businesses rely on several studies where items were tested on rabbit ears. A large portion of customers opposes testing cosmetics on animals. You’ll be relieved to read that humans are being used as test subjects more frequently if this worries you.
These studies also don’t follow the norm. Some researchers count the comedones or the pimples that signify acne brought on by the test product. Companies may count comedones in different ways, which further complicates the situation.
Which ingredients should you look for?
For mild acne, beneficial ingredients include:
- benzoyl peroxide
- resorcinol
- salicylic acid
- sulfur
Other good ingredients for your skincare products are non-comedogenic oils, which don’t clog pores and keep dry skin supple and oily skin acne-free.
These non-comedogenic oils can be applied to the skin or used as carriers for essential oils. These include:
- grapeseed oil
- sunflower oil
- neem oil
- sweet almond oil
- hempseed oil
Which ingredients should you avoid?
Medical professionals have long consulted a landmark 1984 scientific study for a list of ingredients to avoid.
The list of offending ingredients is a long one, including:
- isopropyl myristate and derivatives, such as:
- isopropyl palmitate
- isopropyl isostearate
- butyl stearate
- isostearyl neopentanoate
- myristyl myristate
- decyl oleate
- octyl stearate
- octyl palmitate
- isocetyl stearate
- propylene glycol-2 (PPG-2) myristyl propionate
- lanolins, especially:
- acetylated
- ethoxylated lanolins
- D&C red dyes
Of course, looking at cosmetics labels for these hard-to-pronounce ingredients is tedious and somewhat unrealistic, but if something you’ve put on your skin has caused a bad breakout, this list may be useful.
Products to try
You know to look for moisturizers and makeup products that are “non-oily” and “non-comedogenic,” but government sources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the FDA don’t exactly provide a list of the best ones.
You can contact manufacturers and ask if they conduct independent, third-party testing to support their claims.
Here are several products, all of which you can buy online, that beauty experts and consumers highly rate:
- CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion
- Body Merry Retinol Moisturizer
- The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser
- Captain Blankenship Sailor X Marks the Spot Serum
The bottom line
A product that has comedogenic ingredients isn’t bad in and of itself. It might be the best choice for someone with dry skin which isn’t prone to acne.
Your skin differs from everyone else’s, so if yours is acne-prone, you’ll need to conduct your patch test. Put a small amount of the new product on your face, and wait a couple of days to see what happens.
If you’re unsure what products to use for your skin, consult your dermatologist for a recommendation.
