Are Your Skin Products Causing Your Breakouts?

BlushDid you know that some ingredients in cosmetics, medications, make up, sunblocks, shaving creams, and hair care products can cause pimples and skin irritation? The only way to tell if your products may be contributing to your skin problem is to know what ingredients might be bad for your skin.

Here is a list to help you of common ingredients, rated for both comedogenicity (COM), and irritancy (IRR). “0” is a good score, and “5” is the worst score. If you have acne prone, or sensitive skin, you should use caution when using a product with an ingredient that scores a “3”, “4”, or “5”.

If you find an ingredient not on this list, let us know and we will add it.

This list is alphabetized for your convenience. Print it out, and bring it with you to your next visit to the cosmetic counter.

FAMILY

NAME COM
GRADE
IRR
GRADE
Solvent Acetone 0 5
Lanolins & Derivatives Acetylated Lanolin 4 0
Lanolins & Derivatives Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol 4 2
Botanicals Algae Extract 5 4
Minerals Algin 4 4
Preservatives & Additives Allantoin 0 0
Natural Oils Almond Oil 2 0
Botanicals Aloe Vera Gel 0 0
Miscellaneous Aminomethylpropionate 0 0
Lanolins & Derivatives Anhydrous Lanolin 0-1 0
Natural Oils Apricot Kernel Oil 2 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Arachidic Acid 2 0
Vitamins & Herbs Ascorbic Acid 0 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Ascorbyl Palmitate 2 0
Natural Oils Avocado Oil 2 0
Hydrocarbon Azulene 2 0
Antioxidant BHA 2 3
Waxes Beeswax 0-2 0-2
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Behenic Acid 0 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Behenyl Triglyceride 0 0
Clay Bentonite 0 0
Fragrance Benzaldehyde 2 2
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Benzoic Acid 2 3
Antioxidant Beta Carotene 1 0
Vitamins & Herbs Black Walnut Extract 0 0
Proteins & Enzymes Bromelain 0 0
Natural Oils Bubussa Oil 1 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Butyl Stearate 3 0
Antioxidant Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) 2 3
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Butylene Glycol 1 0
Natural Oils Cajeput Oil 2 4
Botanicals Calendula 1 0
Natural Oils Camphor 2 2
Waxes Candelilla Wax 1 1
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Capric Acid 2 2
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Caprylic Acid 1 3
Miscellaneous Carbomer 0 1
Thickeners & Emulsifiers Carbomer 940 1 0
Sodium Carboxypropylcellulose 1 0
Pigments Carmine 0 0
Waxes Carnuba Wax 1 1
Antioxidant Carotene 1 0
Botanicals Carrageenan 5 2
Natural Oils Castor Oil 1 0
Waxes Ceresin Wax 0 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Cetearyl Alcohol 2 1
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Cetearyl Alcohol + Ceteareth 20 4 1
Lanolins & Derivatives Cetyl Acetate 4 0-3
Alcohols Sugars & Derivatives Cetyl Alcohol 2 2
Botanicals Chamomile 2 0
Botanicals Chamomile Extract 0 0
Natural Oils Chaulomoogra Oil 1 0
Sterols Cholesterol 0 0
Sterols Choleth 24 0 0
Pigments Chromium Hydroxide 0 0
Natural Oils Cocoa Butter 4 0
Natural Oils Coconut Butter 4 0
Natural Oils Coconut Oil 4 1
Botanicals Cold Pressed Aloe Vera 0 0
Minerals Colloidal Sulfur 3 4
Natural Oils Corn Oil 2 0
Natural Oils Cotton Awws Oil 3 0
Natural Oils Cotton Seed Oil 3 0-5
Natural Oils Crisco 3 0
Silicones Cyclomethicone 0 0
Pigments D & C Red # 17 3 0
Pigment - banned by FDA D & C Red # 19 2 0
Pigments D & C Red # 21 3 0
Pigments D & C Red # 3 3 0
Pigments D & C Red # 30 3 0
Pigments D & C Red # 33 1 0
Pigments D & C Red # 36 3 0
Pigments D & C Red # 4 1 0
Pigments D & C Red # 6 1 0
Pigments D & C Red # 7 1 0
Pigments D & C Red # 9 1 0
Pigments D&C Red #27 2 0
Pigments D&C Red #40 2 2
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Decyl Oleate 3 0
Miscellaneous Deionized Water 0 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether 0 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Diisopropyl Adipate 0 0
Silicones Dimethicone 1 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate 0 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Dioctyl Succinate 3 2
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Disodium Monooleamido PEG 2-Sulfosuccinate 4 2
Waxes Emulsifying Wax NF 0-2 0-2
Preservatives Ethyl Paraben 0 0
Lanolins & Derivatives Ethoxylated Lanolin 3 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Ethyl Ether 0 0
Miscellaneous Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether 0 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Ethylene Glycol Monostearate 0 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Ethylhexyl Palmitate 4 0
Natural Oils Evening Primrose Oil 2 2
Minerals Flowers of Sulfur 0 3
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Glycerin 0 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Glyceryl Stearate NSE 1 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Glyceryl Stearate SE 3 2
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Glyceryl Tricapylo/Caprate 1 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Glyceryl-3-Diisostearate 4 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Hexadecyl Alcohol 5 2
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Hexylene Glycol 2 1
Preservatives Hydantoin 0 0
Natural Oils Hydrogenated Castor Oil 1 0
Natural Oils Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil 3 0-1
Natural Oils Hydrolyzed Animal Protein 0 0
Thickeners & Emulsifiers Hydroxypropylcellulose 1 0
Pigments Iron Oxide 0 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Isocetyl Alcohol 4 4
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Isocetyl Stearate 5 0
Fatty Acids & Derivatives Isodecyl Oleate 4 0
Alcohols, Esters, Ethers & Sugars Isopropyl Alcohol 0 4