Pore Clogging Checker FAQ: Accuracy, Sources and Limits

What this page covers

This FAQ explains what the pore clogging checker can and cannot do. The checker is a free screening tool for acne-prone skin. It compares the ingredient names you paste against a list of ingredients that are commonly flagged for clogging pores, and it can mark some names as possible fungal acne triggers when you turn on the toggle. It is built to help you narrow your choices, not to diagnose anything. This is informational, not medical advice.

How the checker reaches its flags

Each flag comes from the data in the checker, which draws on published comedogenic ratings and related sources. Each entry includes a short explanation and source notes, so you can see the basis for the flag. Ingredient names are normalized, meaning capitalization, punctuation, and parenthetical notes are ignored when matching. That helps with common variations, but it also means a name the data does not recognize will not be flagged, even if it clogs for some people.

Position on a label gives a rough idea of how much of an ingredient a product contains. Most labels do not list percentages, so the checker cannot know exact amounts. Use the order of the list as a guide and the flags as a prompt for a closer look.

Accuracy and its limits

The checker is accurate in the narrow sense that it matches names and shows the rating it has on file. It is not a clinical test of your skin. Ratings come from older models and public lists, and those models have limits. Rabbit ears are more sensitive than human skin, and many ingredients were tested undiluted. A full formula can behave differently from any single ingredient in it.

Because of this, the checker should be one input among several. Patch testing, keeping a simple log, and changing one product at a time are still the most reliable ways to learn what your skin tolerates.

Ratings, sources, and disagreement

Different websites often rate the same ingredient differently. The reasons include different testing methods, different underlying studies, different concentrations, and different judgment about what counts as clogging. There is no single regulatory standard, and the FDA does not define the phrase “non-comedogenic” for cosmetics. The How the Comedogenic Rating Scale Works page explains the scale in more detail.

If two sources disagree, treat that as a sign to test carefully rather than to choose the more convenient number. Your own response is the strongest evidence you will get.

Using the checker for different products

The checker works best with leave-on products that stay on the face, such as moisturizers, sunscreens, serums, and makeup. Foundations, primers, and tinted moisturizers often contain esters and oils, so pasting their full lists can reveal flags you did not expect. Rinse-off products like shampoo and cleanser are less likely to clog pores, though some people still react to them, so use the flags as a general guide. Body products matter less for most people than face products, because the back and chest are less likely to clog than the jawline and forehead.

For ingredient-specific detail, see Comedogenic Ingredients List, Is Coconut Oil Comedogenic?, Is Shea Butter Comedogenic?, or Is Isopropyl Myristate Comedogenic?.

Fungal acne and the toggle

The toggle labeled ‘Also flag fungal acne (Malassezia) triggers’ adds purple flags for ingredients that are known or suspected to feed the yeast behind fungal acne. Fungal acne is a different problem from ordinary acne, and only a dermatologist can confirm it. The Fungal Acne Safe Checker page explains the difference and what the purple flags mean. Purple does not automatically mean a product is bad. It means the ingredient is worth testing on its own if you suspect yeast.

When to stop a product, and when to see a doctor

If a product seems to trigger breakouts, you can stop it and watch your skin for a few weeks. Change one thing at a time, and keep notes on what you use. The checker can help you choose a replacement, but it cannot tell you whether a reaction is an allergy or a condition that needs treatment. See a dermatologist if breakouts are painful, spreading, leaving scars, or accompanied by fever, or if they do not settle with careful changes.

Where to go next

Use the free pore-clogging checker to scan a product, then read How the Comedogenic Rating Scale Works for the logic behind the flags. For a list of commonly flagged families, see Comedogenic Ingredients List.