Pore-Clogging Ingredient Checker
Comedogenic ingredients are those that can block a follicle and set off a clogged pore, whitehead, or blackhead. Paste the ingredient list from any skincare, haircare, or makeup product below to screen it against a database of ingredients known to do that.
Separate ingredients with commas or line breaks, exactly as they appear on the package. Searching the product name plus the word "ingredients" is usually the fastest way to find the list.
What This Tool Looks For
Ingredients are flagged by mechanism rather than by a single number, so the results explain why something was caught. The checker screens for the groups most often implicated in clogged pores:
- Algae and seaweed derivatives — carrageenan, kelp, spirulina, and similar extracts, which carry high iodine content.
- Comedogenic plant oils and butters — coconut, palm, wheat germ, and shea among them.
- Fatty acids, alcohols, and esters — such as myristic acid, isopropyl myristate, and butyl stearate.
- Lanolin derivatives — occlusive wool-derived lipids such as acetylated lanolin alcohol.
- Sulfate surfactants and certain cosmetic dyes— sodium lauryl sulfate and the D&C red pigments.
Results are split into pore-clogging and moderately comedogenic. The second group is tolerated by many people and is worth watching rather than avoiding outright.
How to Read Your Results
Most comedogenicity ratings trace back to rabbit-ear assay studies from the 1970s and 1980s, where ingredients were applied at high concentration to a far more reactive tissue than human facial skin. A high rating in that setting does not reliably predict a breakout on your face.
Concentration and position on the label matter a great deal. An ingredient near the end of a long list is present in a small amount, and the same ingredient behaves differently in a rinse-off cleanser than in a leave-on moisturizer. Whole formulations, not single ingredients, are what actually clog pores.
An ingredient shown as not flagged simply means it is not on our list. Ingredient lists are often incomplete or use unfamiliar trade names, so treat a clear result as reassuring rather than definitive.
This Is Not a Diagnosis
Persistent acne is rarely caused by a single product. Hormonal drivers, inflammation, follicular bacteria, and genetics usually matter more than any one ingredient, and cutting products can delay treatment that would actually work.
Use this tool to narrow down which products to pause, then bring your list to your visit so we can review it together. If your breakouts persist despite avoiding flagged ingredients, or if you are developing painful or scarring lesions, an in-person evaluation is the fastest path to the right treatment.
Request an appointment or call our office at (646) 360-0115 to have your skin evaluated.