What does a non-comedogenic product mean?
Have you always wondered how companies claim to have non-comedogenic and what is the kind of scrutiny that they have to go through to get this card of being non-comedogenic? For starters, ask them for a certification because they do get one after valid product tests. What more do I need to know before trusting a non-comedogenic product? Scroll down for a short read!
1.What is the comedogenicity scale?
The comedogenic scale is a rating unit to measure if a particular ingredient can clog your pores or not. The scale ranges from zero to five and the ingredients that can clog your pores are rated on the higher side. There are some ingredients who are comedogenic in nature and hence cannot be used in skincare products of sensitive skin types or any facial product. The skin on your face is thinner and more sensitive than your body hence we always recommend patch testing a facial product on your jawline first. The standard lab test to know if a product is comedogenic or not is by using rabbit ear assay where the product is applied on the ears of the rabbit and then cut apart to see it under the microscope. Some companies may use the Human Skin Model Test which is reconstructed Human skin to give you accurate answers. Animal Testing isn’t the answer and we strongly advise on using brands who stick to this ethic!
2.What are the non-comedogenic ingredients that we should look at?
When it comes to non-comedogenic ingredients, we immediately rule out facial oil because oils will obviously clog the pores, right. Duh! Well, research says otherwise. The oils which have higher linoleic acid (Omega-6 fatty acid) content compared to Oleic acid (Omega-9 fatty acid) content are usually non-comedogenic. Amongst the list of ingredients that are non-comedogenic, some oils do top the chart. Let’s know the name of these ‘good girl’ aka. non-comedogenic facial oils:
- Grapeseed oil
- Hemp Seed oil
- Rosehip oil
- Argan oil
Apart from these oils, some ingredients which are most commonly used in skincare are also non-comedogenic like as follows:
- Shea butter
- Aloe Vera
- Allantoin
- Vitamin C
- Dimethicone
For your ease, we’re also listing down some common ingredients used in skincare but are comedogenic:
- Isopropyl Palmitate
- Butyl Stearate
- Macadamia oil
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Lanolins
- Octyl Palmitate
After this short blog, we hope you’re able to decipher the ingredient list better and choose better for your skin everyday. We love woke Skinvest customers!