With all of the buzz words and impossible-to-pronounce ingredients being constantly thrust upon us, diving into the world of skincare can be a bit like learning a brand new language (bonjour, glowing skin!). So, we’re taking you back to Skin School to chat about all things comedogenic and how it can help you achieve healthier skin!
The Comedogenic Scale: What Is it?
While oils can be great for improving the vibrance and texture of the skin, certain oils in skincare products can contain molecules and fatty acids that become trapped in the pores and lead to issues like acne and blackheads (no thanks!).
The comedogenic scale is a rating system that was created so that we can better understand how pore-clogging certain ingredients are. On the comedogenic scale, the higher the number, the more likely that ingredient is to clog your pores and potentially lead to skin breakouts. Anything rated a 0, 1, or 2 is generally considered “non comedogenic”, and is less likely to clog your pores.
Here’s how the numbers rank on the scale:
While this scale gives a good reference point as to what oils you might want to avoid and which one’s to stick with, remember that it’s not the be-all and end-all. As with anything, different things work for different people and what is beneficial to your skin type may not be for others.
Benefits Of Understanding The Comedogenic Rating Of Your Products
Using the comedogenic scale, you can better understand why that new face oil you bought has made you break out and steer clear of those products with high potencies of comedogenic ingredients in the future.
For those with sensitive or acne-prone skin, the comedogenic scale will help you to avoid purchasing or using skincare products that could further aggravate your skin. A good rule of thumb is to avoid adding any products into your skincare routine that have two or more ingredients with high comedogenic ratings.
If you’re still not sure where the products you use sit on the comedogenic scale, you can always head to a website like https://incidecoder.com/ to help you decode your skincare ingredient list.