The Comedogenic Scale & You: A Free Guide

By far, my most popular skin care tweets seem to be around oil cleansing and I get a lot of questions from people like what oleic vs. linoleic means or wondering if a certain oil is going to be too comedogenic for them. To be frank, it's complicated trying to provide individual advice in a few public tweets because my greatest fear is that someone else will come along and think that same advice will apply to them. So I made this guide in hopes that it covers everything.

What does Comedogenic Mean?

When people talk about a product or ingredient being comedogenic, what they are referring to  is the tendency to cause blackheads (open comedones) by blocking the pores of the skin. Or, more simply put, the ability to clog your pores. The official definition explicitly calls out blackheads but comedogenic ingredients can cause whiteheads (closed comedones) and exacerbate acne, causing more pimples, papules and other breakouts to occur.

If something is comedogenic, it means that it is likely to clog your pores. If something is non-comedogenic, it is generally regarded as safe and won’t clog your pores.

What's in the guide?

In addition to a complete breakdown on comedogenicity as it relates to your skin type and skin conditions, you will receive a complete breakdown of oils, butters, and common skin care ingredients broken down by their comedogenic rating, properties, and other fun facts. As an added bonus, I've included a list of acne-safe makeup.

Download your guide below. You can pay whatever you want or nothing at all :)

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