Ingredients to Avoid if You Have Acne

Acetylated lanolin alcohol
Avocado oil: less comedogenic if refined.
Butyl stearate
Cetearyl alcohol + ceteareth 20: each of them is less comedogenic than combined.
Cetyl acetate
Decyl oleate
Cocoa butter
Coconut butter/oil (cocos nucifera)
Corn oil
Cotton seed oil
(D & C) red #3, #4, #6, #7, #9, #17, #19, #21, #27, #30, #33, #36, #40: more or less comedogenic, among which, #3, #17, #30 and #36 are more comedogenic. These pigments are more comedogenic in mineral oil. To play it safe and make it simple, acne-prone skin should avoid cream blush or stick blush.
Decyl oleate
Dioctyl malate
Dioctyl succinate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Evening primrose oil
Glyceryl-3-diisostearate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Hydrogenated vegetable oil
Isocetyl alcohol
Isocetyl stearate
Isodecyl oleate
Isopropyl isostearate
Isopropyl linolate
Isopropyl myristate
Isopropyl palmitate
Isostearyl isostearate
Isostearyl neopentanoate
Laureth-4
Laureth-23
Lauric acid
Mink oil: less comedogenic if refined.
Myristic acid
Myristyl lactate
Myristyl myristate
Octyl palmitate
Octyl stearate
Oleth-3
Oleth-5
Oleyl alcohol
PPG 10 cetyl ether
PPG 2 myristyl propionate
PEG 200 dilaurate
PPG 5 Ceteth 10 phosphate
PEG 8 stearate
Polyglyceryl-3-diisostearate
Sesame oil: less comedogenic if refined.
Shark liver oil
Sorbitan oleate
Soybean oil
Steareth-10
Stearic acid
Stearyl heptanoate
TEA: Stearic acid + triethanolamine, not tea.
Water-soluble sulfur
Wheat germ glyceride
Xylene

References
[1] James E. Fulton, Jr., Comedogenicity and irritancy of commonly used ingredients in skin care products. J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem., 40, 321-333 (November/December 1989).
[2] Leslie Baumann, Skin Type Solution, 2006.

Leave a Reply