What Are Comedogenic Ingredients? (And How to Avoid Them)

What Does “Comedogenic” Mean?

The word comedogenic comes from “comedone,” aka a clogged pore.

Comedogenic ingredients = ingredients likely to clog pores and contribute to:

• Blackheads
• Whiteheads
• Inflammatory acne
• Texture & congestion

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Why It’s Hard to Spot Comedogenic Ingredients

They hide behind scientific or botanical names — and sometimes seem skin-friendly!

Examples

Common Name: Coconut Oil

INCI Name: Cocos Nucifera

Comedogenic Score: 4–5

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Common Name: Wheat Germ Oil

INCI Name: Triticum Vulgare

Comedogenic Score: 5

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The Comedogenic Scale (0–5) — Simplified

• 0 – Totally non-comedogenic
• 1–2 – Low chance of clogging
• 3 – Moderate clogging potential (depends on skin type)
• 4–5 – High chance of triggering breakouts, esp. in acne-prone skin

👉 ChekIt shows this rating for every flagged ingredient, so pros can advise confidently.

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⚠️ 10 Common Comedogenic Ingredients to Watch For

These are just a few you’ll often see:

1. Coconut Oil (Cocos Nucifera)
2. Isopropyl Myristate
3. Wheat Germ Oil
4. Algae Extract
5. Lanolin
6. Laureth-4
7. Ethylhexyl Palmitate
8. Myristyl Myristate
9. Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth-20 combo
10. Bismuth Oxychloride

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Why Skincare Professionals Need Better Tools

Reading labels manually isn’t scalable.
Even ingredient-savvy estheticians can miss a red flag when the name is unfamiliar or buried in a 30-item list.

That’s where ChekIt comes in:

✅ Instantly flags comedogenic ingredients
✅ AI-powered synonym matching (no more guessing!)
✅ Built for skin pros — not just consumers
✅ Customizable to match your clinic’s branding
✅ Embed it on your site or Shopify store

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How Estheticians Use ChekIt

• As part of new client intake (analyze current products)
• To recommend swaps during acne programs
• To embed the checker on their site and create a value-add
• To drive clients toward their own curated product recommendations

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Want to Check for Comedogenic Ingredients Instantly?

Let ChekIt handle the hard part.
Paste a label, get instant acne safety insights, and feel confident in your recommendations.

✨ Try the ChekIt Tool →
✨ Want to add it to your site or store? Learn more →

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